Business management and organization

Learning outcomes

Provide an integrated vision of management and business organization, developing the skills needed to understand and apply the main management tools for resources, processes and business strategies. Provide the methodological and conceptual tools that allow the acquisition of a critical reading ability of both industrial manufacturing and service organizational realities.

Expected learning outcomes

1. Knowledge and understanding
– Acquire a solid foundation of knowledge on the fundamental principles of business management and organization.
– Understand organizational models and business strategies.
– Know the main economic and managerial theories applicable to business management.
– Understand the role and importance of strategic and operational management.
– Acquire the ability to interpret organizational contexts and internal dynamics of companies.

2. Applied knowledge and understanding
– Apply management and business organization theories to practical cases.
– Analyze and resolve management issues within a company.
– Use organizational analysis tools and techniques to improve business performance.
– Manage complex business situations through the use of problem-solving methodologies.
– Translate managerial theory into effective operational actions.

3. Making judgments
– Critically evaluate business management models and techniques.
– Develop the ability to analyze real business situations and propose innovative solutions.
– Interpret and evaluate economic and financial data to make strategic decisions.
– Recognize and manage organizational conflicts independently.
– Develop a critical approach in choosing management and control tools.

4. Communication skills
– Effectively communicate your ideas and the results of your analyses in business contexts.
– Present strategic plans and management reports clearly and persuasively, both orally and in writing.
– Collaborate in interdisciplinary work groups, developing leadership and negotiation skills.
– Adapt the communication style to the different company interlocutors (managers, employees, stakeholders).
– Use digital tools to improve communication and coordination in organizations.

5. Learning skills
– Develop the ability to independently learn new trends and innovations in business management.
– Maintain continuous updating on emerging methodologies, techniques and practices in the management sector.
– Know how to independently identify and explore relevant issues for improving management skills.
– Use advanced learning resources, such as research articles and company publications, to develop your skills.
– Apply self-assessment methodologies to constantly improve your professional performance.

Course contents

1. Organizational structures and basic organizational patterns
– Types of organizational structures: simple, functional, divisional, matrix and horizontal.
– Design and evaluation of the effectiveness of organizational structures.
– Factors that influence the choice of organizational structure.

2. Human resources management and organizational behavior
– Recruitment, selection and training of human resources.
– Performance evaluation systems and staff development.
– Motivation and leadership: theories and practical applications.

3. Introduction to project planning and control techniques (Project Management)
– Fundamental concepts of project management: definition of project, life cycle, main phases.
– Project planning: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), time, resources and costs.
– Control tools and techniques: Gantt charts, Critical Path Method (CPM), and Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT).

4. Introduction to business process representation techniques (Business Process Diagram)
– Definition of business process and its importance.
– Business process modeling techniques: BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation).
– Identification and mapping of critical business processes.

5. Financial analysis of investments and the company
– Economic convenience analysis of investments: risks and returns.
– Investment project evaluation: equity capital vs. third-party capital.
– Cash Flows: Forecasting and Valuation.
– The financial statement

6. Budgeting and economic controlling
– Introduction to budgeting: types of budgets (operational, financial, investment).
– Planning and control process: objectives and budgets as management tools.
– Gap analysis: measuring performance against pre-established objectives.

7. Operational tools for marketing decisions
– Demand and market analysis: market research and consumer behavior analysis.
– Market segmentation, targeting and strategic positioning.
– New Product Development: From idea generation to product launch.
– Distribution strategies: sales channels and logistics.
– Tools for operational marketing: marketing plan and marketing mix.

Reading/Bibliography

Handout available on moodle platform.

Teaching methods

The teaching is assigned 9 ECTS; the total workload for the student is therefore equivalent to 225 hours. This includes:
a) participation in theoretical and practical lessons,
b) individual study and exam preparation (independent study).
Approximately 50% of the classroom lessons are expository lessons (theory) and 50% are practical lessons (exercises/problems/case studies).
Active participation and discussion of the course content is encouraged. Therefore, studying the given literature and suggested readings before each lecture is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of:
– a first written test that includes theory questions (evaluation in thirtieths). The format of the questions in this test may be of the “multiple choice” type.
– a second written test which includes the resolution of exercises (evaluation in thirtieths) and “free composition” questions.
For each question (of both tests) the score that can be obtained if the student provides the correct answer will be indicated.
The overall grade obtained by the student is the arithmetic mean of the evaluations of the two written tests. The grade of 30 cum laude can be assigned exclusively to students who have obtained a grade of 30/30 in both written tests and in any case only following a further oral exam.
Both written tests must necessarily be taken in the same session and on the same date. Typically, the second written test is taken after the correction of the first written test.

Additional info

– Case studies: analysis of real situations to develop problem-solving skills.
– Practical exercises: for the application of theoretical concepts to practical contexts, with the use of software tools for project management and process modeling.