The course aims to provide students with the basic knowledge and the conceptual and methodological tools necessary to face the study of the institutional characteristics of the companies, the system of their operations and their processes and equilibrium conditions. The course also aims to deepen understanding the basic knowledge about the features and content of the financial statement and sustainability report. Moreover, it is finalised to provide knowledge of the startup process and business creation, with a focus on drafting the business model and business plan.

• Business Administration as a social science
• The nature of economic problem
• Classes and types of companies
• Characteristics, purposes and representation models of the company system
• The institutional structure of a company: legal subject and economic subject
• Different models of Corporate Governance
• Financial, tangible and intangible resources
• Activities, processes and operational systems
• Business operations
• Introduction to the accounting and business information system
• The Financial statement model
• The Financial statement in the Italian Civil Law system
• Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility, ESG, Sustainability reporting
• Enterprise creation process: startup, business model and business plan

N.A.

Knowledge and Understanding

At the end of the course, students must have acquired knowledge of the conceptual bases, the theoretical principles and the methodological tools of Business Administration. In particular, students will be able to manage the acquired knowledge to understand: what economic activity consists of and by whom it is carried out; what are the characteristics of a company and the peculiarities of the company system; how companies are classified; how a company relates to the environment, its behavior and functioning patterns; the main economic and financial aspects; the role of the corporate information system; the corporate governance models; what are the purposes, structure and essential contents of the financial statements and sustainability reports; what are the fundamental tools necessary to manage the start-up process; what is the aim and the content of a business plan.

Applying Knowledge and Understanding

Students must be able to apply the knowledge acquired to address the questions and problems posed by the business context based on the cognitive schemes of Business Administration and in particular to analyze and understand the general characteristics of companies, the economic and financial aspects, as well as the company behavior and functioning schemes. Finally, students must be able to read and understand an annual report, identifying the main economic-financial information therein included, as well as and the fundamental aspects of the start-up process and to articulate the construction of a business plan.

Making Judgements

Students must have the ability to link the knowledge acquired during the course into integrated and unitary schemes and to deal with complex problems and with their own judgment.

Communication Skills

The subject requires the acquisition of a specific technical language. By the end of the course, therefore, students must be able to adequately use the terminology proper to Business Administration, demonstrating a good command of the lexicon relating to the topics covered during the course.

Learning Skills

Students must have developed good learning skills, which allow them to master the topics covered during the course and to lay the theoretical, conceptual and methodological foundations that are essential for successfully progress their study path.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Traditional lectures, problem-based learning, learning by doing, flipped learning, debate, team works, case studies.

Innovative teaching methods

Problem-based learning, learning by doing, flipped learning and debate.

Attendance

Highly suggested.

Course books

1) Boesso G., Bozzolan S., Parbonetti A., 2023 (new edition), Economia Aziendale. Modelli, misure, casi, McGrawHill Education, Milano. Chapters: Prefazione, 1, 2, 3 (excluding paragraphs 3.4 e 3.5), 4, 5, 6, 9 (excluding paragraph 9.3). Chapters 7 and 8 are excluded.

2) Parolini C., Business planning. Dall'idea al progetto imprenditoriale, Pearson, 2020. Chapters: 1, 2 (excluding paragraphs 2.1, 2.4 and technical appendix), 3 (only paraghraph 3.1) and 4 (only paraghraph 4.1).

3) Teaching materials used in class, some of which will replace or supplement specific parts of the course books.

During the course, other materials (book chapters or articles in scientific journals) made available by the lecturer on the Moodle › blended.uniurb.it may also be provided.

The student can request to sit the final exam in English with an alternative bibliography.

Assessment

The final grade will be given by an oral exam.

Responses will be evaluated taking into account the following aspects:

• consistency between questions and answers; 
• level of knowledge about the concepts; 
• degree of articulation of the given answer; 
• degree of adequacy of explanations; 
• indication of appropriate examples;
• fluency in specific language.

For the purposes of assessment, the following will be particularly appreciated:

• the ability to argue and expound concepts without mnemonic repetition of the course books and slides;
• the ability to logically link the related concepts;
• the knowledge of economic and business language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Individual study on textbooks, readings indicated by the teacher and material on the Moodle platform.

Attendance

N.A.

Course books

The same as for attending students.

Assessment

The same as for attending students.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Students can request to sit the final exam in English with an alternative bibliography.