Dr. Oral Capps, Jr., Executive Professor, Regents Professor & Co-Director of
The Agribusiness, Food and Consumer Economics Research Center (AFCERC)
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
Office hours:
371C AGLS Building
979-845-8492 ocapps@tamu.edu
TR 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Thurs 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
MW 9:30 a.m. to Noon
MW 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
or by appointment (979-845-5911)

Goals:
 Better understand managerial and economic issues in agribusiness management
 Provide exposure in using formal quantitative analysis to solve economic problems
 Provide a differentiated product in analyzing real world problems and gain confidence in thinking like an economic or business analyst
Textbooks (REQUIRED):
 Managerial Economics , Twelfth edition by Mark Hirschey
(Chapters 1-9 and 16)

AGEC 217
MATH 142 or equivalent
STAT 303 or equivalent
ECON 323 or equivalent
Junior or Senior classification, AGEC or AGBU majors

ORDERING SAS FOR YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER
To order SAS for your personal computer go to https://software.tamu.edu and download the Student SAS Order Form. You must complete the form and return it to the Texas A&M Software Center.
Computing Services Center, Room 1105
Phone: 979-862-4104
Fax: 979-845-2074 sell@tamu.edu

 Review of Key Algebraic Concepts/Calculus
 Univariate Optimization – Use of Calculus
 Demand Analysis
 Risk Analysis
 Regression (Estimation and Inference)
 Forecasting
 Use of SAS
 Multivariate Optimization – Use of Calculus
 Linear Programming

 Exam 1: October 3
 Exam 2: November 7
 Final Exam: December 6 (501); December 11 (502)
 Class Project Team Selection: October 4
 Last Day to Q-drop: November 15
 Bonfire 1999 Remembrance Day: November 18
 Class Project Due: November 27
 Thanksgiving Holiday: November 28-29
 Last Day of Fall Semester classes: December 3

Understand demand and supply relationships
Solve optimization problems (either calculus-based or linear programming)
Conduct regression analysis and interpret results
Conduct tests of hypotheses within a regression analysis
Use the SAS software package for regression analysis
Make projections or forecasts
Understand decision-making under uncertainty
Ability to communicate quantitative results to decision-makers

Exam 1
Exam 2
Final Exam (Cumulative)
Class Project
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
Daily Review Questions Bonus Points (up to 40 pts)

 Have a positive attitude!!!
 Come to lectures, class participation
 Review lecture notes
 Speak up in class if you are confused or require clarification on concepts
 Come to help sessions
 Work early on and diligently on the class project
 Check material on my webpage or on ecampus

Exam 1
Exam 2
Final Exam
October 2
November 6
December 4
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., AGLS 115
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., AGLS 115
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., AGLS 115
Help sessions also are scheduled every Wednesday evening beginning
September 4 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in AGLS 115

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
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Yes!!! Studying in a group is encouraged.
For the class project, working on a team of three individuals is required.
But...
o o o o
You take individual responsibility for learning the material
Make sure YOU can do the assignments
The assignments are very similar to in-class test questions
Avoid the “free-rider” problem