The module has a two-stage delivery:

Part (A) will introduce you to the methods and concepts of modern microeconomics used to analyse the basic economic...

The Economic Institutions of the Construction Industry (BCPM0002)

The module has a two-stage delivery:

Part (A) will introduce you to the methods and concepts of modern microeconomics used to analyse the basic economic institutions, structure and relationships of construction. The perspective is that of decision-makers in a firm, facing constraints imposed by specific forms of competitions and market context.

Part (B) will introduce you to the key ideas of macroeconomics and use those to develop an understanding of the factors affecting the aggregate level of demand for construction firms within the contracting system and its constituent markets.

The Lecture topics for BCPM0002 are:

Construction firms and markets as institutions

an Introduction to the general theory of Transaction Cost Economics (TCE)
	application of TCE to construction procurement route selection
 

Incentives in construction organisations

incentive contract between client and contractor (lump-sum v.s. fixed)
	incentives within construction firms (fixed v.s. variable pay at all levels) C) Award mechanisms
	an introduction to game theory
	basic auction theory and its application to project procurement
 

Construction demand and capacity

short-run macroeconomic analysis of construction demand-theories
	short-run macroeconomic analysis of construction demand-issues
 

Financial crisis and debt deflation

impact of financial crises on the construction industry
 

Business cycle

construction and property cycles-Evidence
	construction and property cycles-Theory
 

Business cycle

economic Growth and the Construction Sector

Students following the MRes Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities are required to submit a 15,000 word thesis on a subject agreed with the course director....

MRes Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities Dissertation (BARC0023)

Students following the MRes Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities are required to submit a 15,000 word thesis on a subject agreed with the course director. Dissertations are produced between April and September and will be supervised by the most appropriate member of staff for the topic in question. Teaching will include: research methods, research structure and approach, guidance on data gathering and writing seminars.

The topics for dissertation are highly recommended to be chosen in close relationship with the Individual project of the Principles of Analytical Design in Term 2. It is highly recommended if the Individual Project is defined as a pilot study for the dissertation. Students are required to submit a preliminary proposal for their dissertation in December and a full proposal in March.