This book integrates real-world "widget-free" examples throughout and uses extended applications to show students that economic theory has practical, problem-solving uses, and that it is not just an empty academic exercise. Students using Perloff are exposed to modern theories-such as industrial organization theories, game theory, transaction cost theory, information theory and contract theory-and benefit from the author's step-by-step approach to problem solving that demonstrates how microeconomic theory is used to solve economic problems and analyze policy issues.