ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT (Corporate Finance) M - Z

Knowledge and Understanding: The course gives the bases for knowledge of the fundamental elements of the economy discipline and business management.  The objective is develop the capacity to understand strategic analysis models to support enterprise development and analyze their competitive advantage.

Application of the Knowledge and Understanding: Students will be able to apply the knowledge acquired to the strategic analysis for corporate decisions. Such skills will be acquired through lessons inula interactive and supported by material didactic multimedia. Completing treasury and relations, students will be able to express evaluations concerning strategic analysis of corporate cases.

Autonomy of Judgment: students will be able to take business decisions based on strategic analysis models. During the lessons and preparation of the treasury, they must constantly evaluate the strategic choices of the companies basic operational context and resources available resources. This will allow them to seek information, evaluate and select those relevant to the achievement of the objectives and understand the implications of the choices made.

Communication Skills: Students should be able to clearly explain the conceptual categories and models used, along with their conclusions, using appropriate language and logical structure of thought. Communication skills, both written and oral, are developed through term papers, short reports, interventions during lectures and group presentations.

Learning Skills: The learning process follows a gradual path, starting from the understanding of conceptual categories to the application of interpretive models to the analysis of business cases. The organization of individual and group work, with personalized feedback from the lecturer, further facilitates the learning process.

The course includes interactive classroom lectures and hands-on workshops focused on the use of strategic analysis models on business cases. It also includes company testimonials to allow students to work in groups on project work on topics discussed in class.  These project i will then be assessed through interviews as part of the exam passing mode.

PART I: Theories of Enterprise.

This section of the course focuses on an in-depth study of the concept of enterprise and its goals and the main theories of enterprise. The goal is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of conceptual models concerning the enterprise as an entity operating in the marketplace.

REFERENCE TEXTS: Lecturer's slides.

PART II: Business Management and Environmental Interaction.

PROGRAMME: This section of the course focuses on an in-depth study of fundamental conceptual categories and industry analysis using relevant management theories. The objective is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the conceptual models that explore business decision making in relation to the structural characteristics of the industry, business and market, both in the start-up and development phases. In addition, the nature and sources of competitive advantage through an external (Porter's 5 Forces Model) and internal (Resources and Competencies) perspective will be examined in order to identify the sources that give the firm the ability to compete and to select the appropriate competitive strategy. Special attention will be paid to the analysis of the sources of competitive advantage, considering the impact of the time factor on the process of acquiring, managing and maintaining the competitive differential of enterprises. Tools and models of strategic analysis that students are expected to master at the end of the module include: SWOT Analysis, P.E.S.T. Model, Porter's 5 Forces Model, Porter's Value Chain Model, Multidimensional Scaling, Conjoint Analysis; Abell's Model, Business Model.

REFERENCE TEXTS: Grant, R., Strategic Analysis for Business Decisions, Il Mulino, Bologna. Latest edition.

PART III: Business Functions and Marketing Processes.

The third part of the program aims to analyze the production processes of goods and services enterprises. Subject of study are, therefore, marketing processes: the product; price formation and discounting; distribution and sales networks; and communication. 

REFERENCE TEXTS: Teacher's slides.

- Lecturer's Handouts

- Text Book: Grant, R., L’analisi strategica per le decisioni aziendali, Il Mulino, Bologna. Last edition.

1.   Option 1: An individual interview on the entire program, presentation of a group report and discussion of the group work. Students, in groups, will develop a project work that is the subject of in-class study. To enter this mode, students must participate in in-class exercises and complete group activities assigned by the lecturer during the course. The presentation of the paper will take place at the end of the course, followed by the individual interview on the same day.

2.    Option 2: Students take a comprehensive written test during regular appeals and then participate in an interview. The oral interview is possible only if students have obtained a sufficient grade in the written test. It is necessary to obtain a sufficient grade in both parts of the exam (written and interview).

Please note: During the course, students will be required to prepare short exercises and actively participate in class lectures. The lecturer will take these contributions into account in the final assessment.

N.B.: Assessment of learning could also be conducted via telematic mode, if necessary for the circumstances.