O.P.Korobeynikov, D.V.Khavin, Ye.P.Nikiforova, A.V.Basheva

Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

(Nizhny Novgorod City)

Economics of public sector

Authors:

Prof. Oleg Pavlovich Korobeynikov, Head of the Chair of Real Estate, Investments, Consulting and Analysis of Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (NNSUACE), Doctor of Sciences (Econ.), Merited Worker of Science of the Russian Federation, Member of the International Academy of Investments and Economics of Construction Sector.

Dmitry Valeryevich Khavin, Accoc. Prof. of the Chair of Real Estate, Investments, Consulting and Analysis of Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (NNSUACE), Candidate of Sciences (Econ.), Dean of the Distant Education Faculty of the University .

Yelena Pavlovna Nikiforova, Assistant Professor of the Chair of Management and Marketing (NNSUACE).

Anna Vyacheslavovna Basheva, Assistant Professor of the Chair of Real Estate, Investments, Consulting and Analysis of Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (NNSUACE), Vice-Dean of the Distant Education Faculty of the University.

Summary

The course "Economics of Public Sector" provides basic knowledge in the field of decision making with participation of a large number of people concerned, and emphasizes the important role of the government in the national economy.

The innovative aspects of the course consist in an integrated approach to the development of the course “Economics of Public Sector”, and in the structural integration of the course book by L.I.Yakobson with the newly added contents of several sections and addition of the chapters developed by the authors including:

- The role of the government in addressing the problems of environmental protection;

- Educational services as a basis for the growth of national wealth and human well-being;

- The effective functioning of natural monopolies at the local and federal level for the purpose of making the reform of public utilities efficient.

This will enable the developers to formulate the basic principles of the course “Economics ofpublic sector” designed for education for specialists in economics and ecology.

The results of the course trial delivery

The new educational course and course book “Economics of public sector” have been tried in students’ group “ЭЭ-1.00” of Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (NNSUACE), doing the program in direction 521600 – “Economics” with orientation to specialty 060800 “Economics and management of an enterprise” with specialization in ecology/economics, from October, 2002 to May, 2003.

According to the educational program of the discipline “Economics of public sector” the students took the course of lectures, attended seminars and fulfilled tests. The students were offered the course book “Economics of public sector” in a computerized form to help them prepare for the seminars and effective self-studies.

The students were to write a course paper on the theme “Environmental protection activity of the government in the public sector of national economy” (25 pages) and passed their final examination in the form of a computerized test.

The course trial has shown, that the students were very active in the use the electronic version of the course book, did the tests for self-check, which allowed them to consolidate their knowledge received at the lectures. The computer testing can be assessed as a very successful form of examination, which was noted by the students themselves. It is important in particular, that the students consider such testing fair, as there is no direct contact between the teacher and the student examined, and the marks are more objective. The computer testing actually excludes cribbing, as the students receive different variants of the test, and the time is strictly limited (the computer program automatically switches the test off when the time is over). Such form of control is also very convenient for the examiner, as the marks are put automatically and it is possible to obtain complete statistics of the answers to all questions, which helps estimating what material is easy and what is difficult for the students.

The trial course was offered to an academic group of 20 students.

The course “Economics of public sector" is included in the approved curriculum for the undergraduate students.

Review

The new course book “Economics of public sector” was reviewed by professor K.Assmann (April, 2003, Aachen, Germany) and professor Yu.Yefimychev (April, 2003, N. Novgorod, Russia). A review of the materials has also been received, including the first analytical report, from the expert of the International Certification Committee of the National Foundation for Personnel Training (NFPT).

This course is recommended for placing on the national educational portal in the Internet “Economics, Management, Sociology”.