Teaching code

4S02511

Academic staff

Federico Brunetti,

Coordinator

Federico Brunetti

Credits

9

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

SECS-P/08 - MANAGEMENT

Period

primo semestre (lauree magistrali) dal Oct 4, 2021 al Dec 17, 2021.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning outcomes

The course aims at introducing students to the comprehension of corporate identity and business ethics notions both in their theoretical components and in their practical implications. The broader framework is that of finding the most correct and effective ways companies can follow to manage their relationships with external audiences in a long run perspective. With regard to corporate identity, the main focus will be on brand as a catalyst of company identity and image. As for business ethics, special consideration will be devoted to practical issues and the subsequent models and tools.

Program

Corporate Module
Brand is nowadays one of the most valuable assets companies can leverage to differentiate their output in the tremendous offerings variety consumers are facing. In the post-modern era, where great ideologies and value systems are drawing back, people interact with brands to build, express or at least integrate their identity. Brands therefore act as a resource consumers can deal with, both on intellectual and on emotional level, to address their identity needs. Brand, finally, can be viewed as one of the most important social texts in contemporary culture. As such, for its formal and substantive features, it is an essential sense-making device in our society.

To explore such issues, this course provides relevant and up-to-date theories, concepts, techniques, and models in branding. The course will interweave lectures, case discussions, guest speakers, and group projects. Moreover, this course relies on a variety of learning resources; in particolar, beside the textbook, a lot of documents, additional readings, web sites links and materials are made available in the e-learning platform so as to make the course a rich experience in terms of knowledge acquisition.

Corporate module aims are:
- understand the rationales of brand relevance, both from firm and consumer point of view
- understand branding sociological and psychological background
- understand the brand meaning building process
- get familiar with the main branding approaches firm deploy
- acquire brand elements and their working modes
- know stages and activities involved in brand design

After examining some introductory topics, the specific contents of the course are developed through the analysis of four fundamental branding approaches. Starting from these, it will finally be possible to acquire the elements for understanding, building and managing the brand.
CONTEXT
Brand leadership and Brand equity
Marketing Institutionalization
Evolution of Marketing
Modern and Post-Modern Era
Consumer personality and consumption choices
Brand as a Text / Sign
UNDERSTANDING THE BRAND: THE BRAND ALPHABET
Brand origin and Brand definition
Brand structure and operating mechanisms
Brand Personality, Identity, Image and Reputation
Anatomy of the Brand: values, brand elements and brand associations
BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BRAND
Challenges in Brand building
Brand Positioning and Perceptioning
BRAND MANAGEMENT
Brand Architecture: Branded house and House of brands
Brand Extension
Brand Portfolio

During the course, students will be engaged in an optional working group activity.
This consists in the development of a research activity on one of the following topics: Brand and Generation Z; Humanization of the brand; Country Of Origin and Firm Of Origin; Brand Activism; Storydoing and Iconic Moves; Brand Identity analysis; Social Media Branding Monitor.
At the end of the research the group will have to make a presentation of the work in the classroom.

Business Ethics Module

The module will introduce the theoretical foundations of business ethics and will examine the main issues raising in a business context, with particular respect to marketing choices.

The following topics will be developed, using case studies and group discussion as learning tactics:
- the theoretical foundations of business ethics
- the variety of approaches to business ethics
- ethics in marketing choices
- ethics as a form of organizational-cultural innovation: ethical business models
- the benefit corporations


Last update: August 4, 2021

Bibliography

Examination Methods

The exam will be passed after an oral colloquium.
The exam is aimed at assessing the general vision of the discipline, the knowledge of its key-topics, the ability to make links among different parts of the program and to apply knowledge to business reality, the ownership of language and the ability to move with ease between the concepts learned and the communicative environment of the brand.

Textbook for Corporate Identity module

Attending students
- Lesson notes
- Laura Minestroni, Il Manuale della Marca. Consumatore Cultura Società, fausto lupetti editore, Bologna, 2010, esclusi capp. 16 e 17

NON attending students
- Laura Minestroni, Il Manuale della Marca. Consumatore Cultura Società, fausto lupetti editore, Bologna, 2010


Textbook for Business Ethics module:

Attending students
- Lesson notes
- Project work or Estratto da E. Giaretta, Business ethics e scelte di prodotto (uploaded on e-learning), par 1.4, 2.1, 2.2
- Bazerman M. H., Tenbrunsel A. E., “Ethical Breakdowns”, Harvard Business Review, June 2009 (uploaded on e-learning)

NON attending students
- Estratto da E. Giaretta, Business ethics e scelte di prodotto, Cedam, Padova, 2000 (uploaded on e-learning), par. 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 2.1, 2.2
- Bazerman M. H., Tenbrunsel A. E., “Ethical Breakdowns”, Harvard Business Review, June 2009 (uploaded on e-learning)



Last update: August 4, 2021