Robert Finger: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2017

Name Prof. Dr. Robert Finger
FieldAgricultural Economics and Policy
Address
Agrarökonomie und -politik
ETH Zürich, SOL D 1.1
Sonneggstrasse 33
8092 Zürich
SWITZERLAND
Telephone+41 44 632 53 91
Fax+41 44 632 10 86
E-mailrofinger@ethz.ch
URLhttps://aecp.ethz.ch/
DepartmentManagement, Technology, and Economics
RelationshipFull Professor

NumberTitleECTSHoursLecturers
751-0013-00LWorld Food System4 credits4VN. Buchmann, R. Finger, M. Kreuzer, M. Loessner, D. Moretti, M. Siegrist, E. J. Windhab
AbstractKnowledge about the World Food System will be provided, based on case studies along food value chains in countries with various development stages and dependent on multiple boundary conditions. This shall generate profound understanding of the associated global challenges especially food scarcity, suboptimal diet and nutrition, food quality and safety as well as effects on the environment.
ObjectiveAttending this course, the students will recognize the elements of the World Food System (WFS) approach and the problems it this supposed to treat. They will especially comprehend the four pillars of global food security, namely (I) food availability (including sustainable production and processing), (I) access to food (physical and monetary), (III) food use (including quality and safety as well as the impact on human health and well being) and (IV) resilience to the boundary conditions (environmental, economic and political). This insight will make them aware of the global driving forces behind our ETH research on food security and is expected to alleviate motivation and understanding for the association of subsequent specific courses within a general context. The course equivalently implements agricultural and food sciences, thus supporting the interdisciplinary view on the WFS scope.
ContentCase studies on certain foods of plant and animal origin serve to demonstrate the entire food value chain from the production of raw material to processed food and its consumer relevant property functions. In doing so, important corresponding aspects for developed, emerging and developing countries are demonstrated, by use of engineering as well as natural and social science approaches.
Lecture notesHandouts and links are provided online.
LiteratureInformation on books and other literature references is communicated during the course.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe course shall particularly elucidate the cross section of Agro- and Food Sciences in the context of important global problems to be solved. Furthermore the students in the first year of studies shall be given some insight and outlook supporting the development of their views and interests in agricultural and food sciences further.
The course is part of the block exam after the first study year. Paper copies can be used ("Open Book") during the on-line exam, but no other means are not allowed. The course is taught in German.
751-0423-00LRisk Analysis and Risk Management in Agriculture3 credits2GR. Finger
AbstractAgricultural production is exposed to various risks which are important for decisions taken by farmers and other actors in the agri-food sector. Moreover, risk management is indispensable for all actors. This course introduces modern concepts on decision making under risk and recent developments in risk management. The focus of this course in on agriculture applications.
Objective-to develop a better understanding of decision making under uncertainty and risk;
-to gain experience in different approaches to analyze risky decisions;
-to develop an understanding for different sources of risk in agricultural production;
-to understand the crucial role of subjective perceptions and preferences for risk management decisions;
-to get an overview on risk management in the agricultural sector, with a particular focus on insurance solutions
Content- Quantification and measurement of risk
- Risk preferences, expected utility theory and alternative models of risk behavior
- Concepts on the decision making under risk
- Production, investment and diversification decisions under risk
- Risk management in agriculture
Lecture notesHandouts will be distributed in the lecture and available on the moodle.
Prerequisites / Noticeknowledge of basic concepts of probability theory and microeconomics
751-1311-00LIntroduction to Agricultural Management2 credits2VR. Finger
AbstractVermittlung von betriebswirtschaftlichen Grundlagenwissen und Analyse- und Planungsinstrumenten mit Anwendung auf Unternehmen der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft
ObjectiveTeilnehmer des Kurses sollen am Ende der Vorlesung i) grundlegende Unternehmensentscheide strukturieren und analysieren können, ii) verschiedene Analyse- und Planungsinstrumente auf Fragestellungen der Produktionsplanung, Investition und Finanzierung an Beispielen anwenden zu können, iii) verschiedene Werkzeuge zur unternehmerischen Entscheidungsunterstützung anwenden können und iv) die Spezifika von Unternehmen in der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft kennen.
ContentDie Vorlesung geht auf folgende Inhalte, mit spezifischen Anwendungen im Agrar- und Ernährungssektors ein:

Grundlagen und Ziele unternehmerischen Entscheidens
Kosten und Leistungsrechnung
Produktionstheorie
Produktionsprogrammplanung
Investitionsplanung und Finanzierung
Entscheidungen unter Unsicherheit und Risikomanagement
Lecture notesVorlesungsunterlagen werden im Laufe des Semesters zur Verfügung gestellt
LiteratureOliver Musshoff und Norbert Hirschauer (2013). Modernes Agrarmanagement: Betriebswirtschaftliche Analyse- und Planungsverfahren. 3. Auflage. Vahlen, ISBN-10: 3800647435