Semester Course: 3rd
Credits: 6 ECTS
Prerequisites: none
Lecturer: Américo M. S. Carvalho Mendes
 

1. Objectives:
   To train students in economics and management concepts adequate to understand the specific structural and dynamic features of non-profit organizations
    
2. Programme topics:
   1. Types of problems leading to the emergence of non-profit organizations
   2. The economic nature of non-profit organizations’ outputs
   3. Asymmetric information problems in the management of non-profit organizations
   4. An economic model of the emergence and dynamics of non-profit organizations
   5. An economic model of the membership decisions to non-profit organizations with applications to forest owners’ organizations
   6. Sustainability of non-profit organizations
   7. Evaluation of the impacts of voluntary contributions to non-profit organizations: the London Benchmarking Group model
   8. Quality management standards (ISO norms and others)
   9. The economics of quality standards and certification 3. Assessment: Course requirements include two alternative options: final exam (70%) + essay (30%) or final exam only (100%).