Upper division courses are the customers - sequel

I argued earlier that the upper division courses are the customers of the lower division courses. That posting has received some welcome attention here and here. Also welcome is my colleague's take at The Economist En Su Laberinto - yes, we are selling ideas.

Note that saying the upper division courses are our customers is different from saying principles of economics should prepare our students for intermediate macro and micro. It depends on the context.

In my school of 4000 students most of them take the two semesters of principles, and take no more economics. They take it as freshmen. I want them to come away better prepared for their composition courses and their other courses in social science. And - for the large number of business students - with a context in which to appreciate the functional areas of accounting, management and marketing.