I was already a big fan of Hal Varian‘s columns on everyday economics in the Times when I had the good fortune to meet him at Google headquarters, when Levitt and I were out there a couple of years ago. He was even more impressive in person. Now you have a chance to ask him whatever you’d like.
As Google’s chief economist, Varian brings to the table his trademark assertion that “technology changes — economic laws do not.” A Googler since 2002, he has been involved in many aspects of the company’s growth, including auction design, finance, corporate strategy, and public policy. He has also spent a lot of time in the classroom, serving as a professor and former dean at his alma mater, the University of California-Berkeley, as well as teaching at M.I.T., Stanford, Oxford, and Michigan.
His textbooks, Intermediate Microeconomics and Microeconomic Analysis, are staples in both undergraduate and graduate classrooms. He’s also the co-author of Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy.
In his spare time, he serves as a fellow of the Guggenheim Foundation, the Econometric Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and spent three years as co-editor of the American Economic Review.
So post your questions for Varian below, and he’ll respond (as others have) in short course. Thanks to Hal for participating, and to you for asking.
[Note: The answers to these questions can be found here.]
and 
. You can also watch it on 
How much economic analysis can be brought to bear on the “Net Neutrality” debate? Are there useful, reliable ways to model the likely economic impacts of policy decisions in this area?
Is supply-side economics bonkers because it’s missing half of the equation (viz. demand)?
Sir, in the classic supply/demand scenario with physical product in a competitive market, price equalizes quantity demanded by consumers with quantity supplied by producers. How do you see this economic model evolving as we move towards consumption of virtual yet tangible products, such as iTunes movies and music?
Google’s recent announcement that it will be investing in energy research suggests that management now thinks it can earn better returns from investing in fields other than its core search business. Is Google turning a corner and planning to diversify in other ways beyond its Internet roots?
I’m interested in an economic perspective on the impact of information technology on the healthcare system. I’ve heard that Google is exploring this area. Several companies (WebMD, Revolution Health) are providing an impressive depth of information directly to consumers. How will the current gatekeepers react?
What grade would you give front page media in how they “educate” the US populous on economics?
How about how they “prioritize” the economic issues?
Is Noam Chomsky even sort of right in talking about the world financial markets as he does here:
http://www.alternet.org/audits/76657/?page=entire
thank you
To what extent are “classical” economic models capable of accomodating the anti-competitive power of large corporations (in terms of their ability to control consumer preferences and wield political power)? Does the presence of a large corporate aspect to the current free market make it, well, not quite an idealized free market anymore– and if so, how do you account for this in economic models? And perhaps most importantly, does the current “conventional wisdom” among economists account for the answer to the preceding questions?
PC or Mac?