Learning objectives

Within a general framework of consonant relationships among the company and its environment, this course aims at introducing students to the topics of business management and decision-making in order to increase firm's competitiveness. More in detail, it aims at delivering students the main concepts of company and management, company functions and decisions criteria and logic, not only in theoretical terms but also in terms of practical implications. By completion of the course, students will have the key-concepts needed to understand firm’s behavior and functioning; moreover, they will be able to devise relevant strategies both at company function level and at a company as a whole level.

Prerequisites and basic notions

As this is a basic course, teaching is not recommended for Erasmus students.

Program

The notion of enterprise The enterprise between goods and services The functions of the enterprise The entrepreneurial purposes The enterprise and the environmental context The legitimacy, social responsibility and sustainability of the enterprise The entrepreneur and the birth of the enterprise The factors of production The function of production and the choices of integration and decentralization of production The organizational structure and the management of people The values and business ethics Innovation and business creativity Overall and competitive business strategies Corporate decision-making processes The business plan and the business model The calculations of economic convenience: the problems of operational comparison The processes of technology transfer to the small business

Bibliography

Didactic methods

According to the rules currently in force during the semester, the activities carried out will be delivered in person, with the support of video-recorded lessons available on the Moodle platform on the page dedicated to the course. The teaching methods consist of lectures regarding the transmission of basic notions, key categories and fundamental application tools; in addition to this, forms of supplementary teaching are envisaged such as the viewing of corporate films and videos, the analysis of case studies, as well as the participation of scholars, entrepreneurs, managers and experts as privileged witnesses.

Learning assessment procedures

The exam consists of a written test with 6 open but specific questions, with a possibile exercise. The oral test (for those who have passed the written test) will be optional or at the teacher's discretion. The mid-term exam is not admitted for this course.

Evaluation criteria

The evaluation of the test will take into account the following criteria: - general view of the discipline - discipline-specific language - degree of in-depth study of individual topics - ability to connect topics (mental elasticity) - ability to apply concepts to reality, using examples

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The final evaluation will take into account the score obtained in each of the questions in the written and in the eventual oral test

Exam language

italiano

Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs

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