Academic Year/course:
2023/24
451 - Degree in Veterinary Science
28407 - Economics and business
Syllabus Information
Academic year:
2023/24
Subject:
28407 - Economics and business
Faculty / School:
105 - Facultad de Veterinaria
Degree:
451 - Degree in Veterinary Science
ECTS:
6.0
Year:
1
Semester:
Second semester
Subject type:
Basic Education
Module:
---
1. General information
As a subject linked to the social sciences that aims to provide knowledge and/or skills related, above all, to the market and agri-food chains, business and agro-livestock production, the general objective of the subject is to contextualize the social, agricultural and food reality in which the competencies will be developed in the exercise of the various professional profiles that define the degree.
These approaches and objectives are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030 (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/), so that the acquisition of the learning results of the subject contribute to their achievement. Block I introduces the 17 SDGs and, during the rest of the sessions, the subject is aligned with SDGs 3, 4, 5, 9 and 13, although special attention is paid to SDG 12, and objectives 12.3 and 12.5.
2. Learning results
Upon completion of this subject, the student will be able to:
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Delimit the field of economics and know the basic rules of market functioning.
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Know the concepts of supply, demand and price elasticity of demand, as well as the main factors that condition them.
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Explain the characteristics of competitive markets and in general the mechanism of price formation.
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Know the environment, structure, dynamics and potential of the agri-food sector and be capable of analysing agricultural production.
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Know the fundamentals of the microeconomic theory of production, technique change, optimal technique and the economic principles of factor substitution.
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Know the economic and productive implications of the current socio-economic environment of agriculture and livestock; the functions of the State and the tools it uses to influence economic activity, to limit the market power of companies and to regulate business activity. In particular, they is familiar with the role of the state as a defender of the environment.
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Know the importance of marketing livestock products and the structure and operation of the value chains of the main slaughterhouse species.
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Know the implications of agricultural, livestock and agro-silvopastoral systems for sustainability and development.
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Know the origin, principles and general functioning of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as well as quality policies.
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Know how to explain what a company and the main types of agricultural and agri-food companies are; what functions are performed by the entrepreneur and how to quantify the results obtained by the company as well as the measure of rationality.
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Know the documents that synthesize the company's information necessary for the analysis and management, both economic-financial and technical.
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Know how to explain and use basic instruments and methods in the productive management of the company (calculation of costs and profitability thresholds, technical-economic ratios), in financial management (financial ratios) and in investment analysis.
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Know and know how to explain marketing as a technique that relates the commercial enterprise to its environment, as well as the methods used in market research and the policies (product, pricing, distribution, communication, sales promotion) included in the marketing plan.
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Know and know how to explain the main analytical management methods applied by (public and private) centres for the management of family agricultural production enterprises (comparative methods, margin methods, etc.).
3. Syllabus
Block I. Basic Concepts of economics and agricultural economics. Production economics and economics and environment.
Concepts in economic science. Economic systems. Bioeconomy and circular economy. Sustainable development and Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Supply, demand and the market. Changes in supply and demand, elasticity, types of market. The consumer and the utility. The firm in perfect competition markets. The theory of production I. The production function, productivity and technical change. The theory of production II. Factors in simple production. The economy, the State and the environment.
Block II. Context of current agriculture and livestock farming.
Agri-food marketing: utilities, functions and services. Commercial agents and marketing channels. Beef value chain. Sheep value chain. Pork value chain.
Chicken value chain. Agricultural policies: concept and models of agricultural policies. The Community Agricultural Policy (CAP). Local food systems: quality and territory. Organic agriculture. Fair Trade.
Block III. Economics and management of agricultural enterprises and veterinary clinics.
The company, the entrepreneur, Corporate Social Responsibility and company management. Variables related to business achievement and summary information documents. Costs in production processes. Social costs. Profitability threshold or break-even point. Investment analysis and selection. Methods to evaluate and select investments. Financing in the company. Financial sources of the company. Marketing. The market and socially oriented company. Marketing as a business function. The marketing mix. Decisions on marketing variables. Consumer or customer behaviour. Components of the quality of a service. Commercial information and market research. Analysis and management of the agricultural production company. Analytical management methods.
4. Academic activities
Face-to-face activities
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Hours
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Activities
Non-face-to-face activities
|
Hours
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Total
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Master classes
|
38
|
Autonomous work: study
|
85
|
|
Seminar/s
-Follow-up of group activity and delivery of draft presentation: 3 hours
-With a person in charge of a veterinary clinic, a food company, and/or a researcher: 4 hours
|
7
|
Autonomous work: problems
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2
|
|
Problem solving.
|
8
|
Bibliographic search, etc..
|
3
|
|
Bibliographic search, outline, structure with references, pilot survey, delivery of final presentation and group presentation of a topic
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
60
|
|
90
|
150
|
5. Assessment system
Test 1. Resolution and delivery of the cases solved in the practical classes. It will represent 10% of the final grade, once test 3 has been passed.
Test 2. Presentation of a topic based on the theoretical contents of the subject. The following will be re: a bibliographic search, the production and delivery of an outline with the structure of the presentation and the bibliographic references consulted, the completion of an online pilot survey, the explanation of the progress achieved in a follow-up seminar, the delivery of the presentation, and finally the group presentation of the topic within the established time and answering the questions raised, explaining the contents related to what was exposed in the theoretical-practical classes or in the practical classes. The grade will represent 15% of the final grade, once test 3 has been passed.
Test 3. Final written assessment with multiple-choice questions with a weight of 75% in the final grade. Wrong answers will be graded with -0.33 points on the total points of the exam. A grade of 5 out of 10 is required to pass the test. Students who have not taken Test 1 or 2 will be required to take an additional practical exam.
Tests for non-face-to-face students or those who are taking exams in calls other than the first one.
The criteria and levels of demand for the non-face-to-face students will be identical to those of the face-to-face students, provided they have taken any of the objective tests, have done the assessment of problems, the bibliographic search activity, the elaboration of an outline, the pilot survey, the presentation of a topic and the final evaluation test. Otherwise, students who do not attend the classes will be required to take a final written exam. They must also take an additional practical exam in lieu of the practices, including questions related to the resolution and delivery of cases, the activity of bibliographic search, and/or production of an outline, pilot survey, and/or presentation of a topic.