NES3107 : Food Business Economics
NES3107 : Food Business Economics
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Diogo Monjardino De Souza Monteiro
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| NES1102 | Introductory Business Economics |
| NES2103 | Consumer and Business Economics |
Pre Requisite Comment
ACE1006 which was recoded to NES1102 in 2023
NES2103
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
The goal of this module is to provide students with contemporary knowledge on how food markets operate and offer them rationales to make adequate strategic decisions. In line with developments of food markets in the past 30 years, the module will focus on differentiated food markets and will build on industrial economic models of market strategy.
The module has two sections:
1) in the first section of the module the students will be introduced to game and contract theory, two fundamental framework to understand contemporary strategic decisions in modern food markets. The second part of the module will introduce economics models underpinning food marketing strategies, namely product, pricing, communication and innovation strategies;
2) Students will also have seminars where in groups of up to 25 students, they will have a chance to apply these theoretical concepts to real world cases from agro-food industries. Special emphasis will be given to the understanding on how economics concepts and frameworks can help us understand drivers and barriers to a transition to a more sustainable economy.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module covers the following topics:
* Strategic management vs business economics: What is purpose of businesses?
* Introduction to game theory
* Agency and contract theory
* Vertical control
* Relational contracts and trust
* Product differentiation
* Price discrimination
* Marketing communications
* Economics of food distribution
* Innovation
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
By the end of the module, students will be able to:
1) Understand the how food business develop their strategies and coordinate actions with partners along the supply chain;
2) Understand and justify the rationale for firm's product, price, communication and innovations strategies;
3) Conduct an analysis of the strategy of a food business in terms of the respective competitive, demand and
policy environment.
Intended Skill Outcomes
By the end of the module students should:
i) be able to apply economic theory to critical appraise strategic decisions in the context of food markets;
ii)be able to conduct economic analysis on agricultural and food markets and the food industry.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 26:00 | 26:00 | Revision for and completion of the end of semester exam |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 8 | 1:30 | 12:00 | Familiarise with the topics, and look through the module guide and recommended reading list |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | In this session students will complete a Mock Exam and get model answers to self-assess their performance |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Preparation for workshop discussions. Students will be given instructions to prepare and lead discussions on their workshops |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Workshops where students will discuss a set of academic papers on lecture topics |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 11 | 4:00 | 44:00 | Research and reading of class materials. Prepare for mock exam. |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures convey the key economic theories that are relevant to food markets analysis.
Small group seminars are structured to help students consolidate and apply the theoretical concepts through case
studies and flip class methods. These sessions should be timetabled on a fortnight basis.
Students are encouraged to develop their understanding through further reading and relate the topics covered
to industries/topics of their interest.
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 90 | 2 | A | 100 | end of semester exam |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 2 | M | Mock exam covering the material until the Easter break each year. This will enable students to practice on exam conditions. The Mock exam will be 45 minutes long students will answer one of two questions. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The students will complete an end of semester exam, intended to assess how students understood and apply the theoretical concepts presented in class to real market examples.
The formative assessment allows students to practice assessment under examination conditions.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES3107's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- NES3107's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
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Disclaimer
The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2025 academic year.
In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.
Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, staffing changes, and student feedback. Module information for the 2026/27 entry will be published here in early-April 2026. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.