MANAGEMENT
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
None
The exam takes place in written form and it is based on the topics discussed in class and dealt with in reference materials (see next sections).
Students can either take two partial exams, respectively on Module A and on Module B in ad hoc sessions at the end of each module, or take the entire exam (on Module A and Module B jointly) in exam sessions following the end of the entire Course.
In any case, the final grade will be calculated as the average of the two partial grades received for the two modules; both grades must be equal or above 18/30.
The exam on module A lasts one hour and consists of three open questions and an exercise. Both of them are aimed at assessing students’ knowledge of fundamentals of management as well as their application, qualitative and quantitative, to firms and other economic organizations.
The exam on module B also lasts one hour and consists of eight questions, some of which may contain exercises and require graphic representations. The final goal is to assess students’ knowledge about corporate strategy and related models, along with their application.
Due to the recent pandemic crisis and related restrictions it could be possible that exams will be performed online. In this case, the details will be communicated through e-learning.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course’s goal is to make students understand the fundamentals of Business Administration, Management and Corporate Strategy, providing a comprehensive overview of structure, processes and strategic choices of firms and other organizations in a double-fold perspective (i.e. both descriptive and problem-solving). At the end of the course, therefore, students should have learned the basic concepts of business administration as well as managerial models and tools to describe structure and strategy for different economic organizations, with a specific focus on for-profit firms.
Specifically, the course is divided into two modules: A and B.
Module A provides an overview of the structure and functioning of firms and other economic organizations with a special focus on institutional goals; ownership and governance structures and processes; governance decisions and stakeholders/shareholders analysis; personnel; assets & liabilities; equity and going concern; economic and financial KPIs.
Module B is focused on Corporate Strategy including both internal and external/market analysis, strategic planning and execution as well as key strategic decisions such as vertical cost leadership, differentiation, segmentation, integration, outsourcing, diversification, internationalization, growth and downsizing.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the course, therefore, students will be able to:
- be familiar with business/management jargon (terms/vocabulary);
- understand models to assess corporate structure and strategy/structure;
- understand the basic concepts re: economic/financial analysis including main KPIs;
MODULE A (40 hours):
A) THE FUNDAMENTALS
• Course presentation. Management and Business Administration
• People and economic activity
• Firms, other organizations and economic specialization
B) THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF FIRMS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS: AN OVERVIEW AND SOME DEEPER INSIGHTS
• Structure and strategies
• Ownership and governance, including shareholder and stakeholders
• Governance structures and processes
• Economic and financial performance
• Asset/Liability analysis, including equity and debt
C) COMPANIES’ RESULTS, PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMIC VIABILITY AND THE BALANCE SHEET
• Company’s performance, going concern
• P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement
D) KEY DECISIONS
• Institutional approach
• Structure
• Inter-company networks and group structure
• Debt/Equity and Shareholders
MODULE B (40 hours):
A) MISSION, VISION, STRATEGY
• Directions
• Strategic process
B) EXTERNAL (COMPETITIVE) ANALYSIS
• Task environment analysis
• Industry, market, business analysis
C) MARKET AND BUSINESS ANALYSIS: POSITIONING AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
• Competitive positioning
• Market structure and competition
• Bargaining power: suppliers and customers
• Identifying the key differentiators
D) INTERNAL ANALYSIS: RESOURCES AND COMPETENCES
• The importance of the internal analysis
• Corporate resource analysis and resource-based view
• Resources vs competences
• The value chain
• Benchmarking
• Resources, competences and competitive advantage
E) BUSINESS STRATEGIES
• Cost leadership
• Differentiation
• Focus
• Going beyond basic strategies
F) CORPORATE STRATEGIES
• Market penetration
• Vertical Integration (upstream/backward)
• Diversification
• Internationalization
• Growth vs Downsizing
MODULE A:
G. Airoldi – G. Brunetti – V. Coda, Corso di Economia Aziendale, Il Mulino, 2020, Cap. 1, Cap. 2, Cap. 3 (da 3.1 a 3.6), Cap. 4 (da 4.1 a 4.4), Cap. 5 (da 5.1 a 5.5), Cap. 6 (da 6.1 a 6.6), Cap. 9 (da 9.1 a 9.2), Cap. 12 (12.1), Cap. 14, Cap. 15 (da 15.1 a 15.4), Cap. 16 (da 16.1 a 16.4) Cap. 17 (17.1).
The case-studies mentioned in the detailed schedule (that will be available to students at the beginning of the course) will be uploaded on the elearning course page, together with selected articles from the economic press.
MODULE B:
Cotta Ramusino E. – Onetti A. Strategia d’impresa, Il Sole 24 Ore Libri, Milano, 5a Edizione, 2021, Cap. 1, 3, 4 , 5, 6.
Front lectures, case discussions, seminars.
Only for Module A: practical exercises to understand and implement the basic principles of economic viability and the balance sheet (to be further developed in the course of “Accountancy”.
Office hours are indicated, and regularly updated, in professors’ homepages.
Module A:
francesco.sacco@uninsubria.it
Module B:
enrica.pavione@uninsubria.it