02529 - Business Economics

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has a detailed knowledge of business phenomena. The student

• knows the different classes of firms and organizations (for profit firms, public organizations and non-profit firms), as well as groups and networks;
• knows the characteristics of the firm as a system and the elements that compose it. He is able to distinguish between business units, functions, processes and activities;
• is able to verify the presence of the conditions of economic, patrimonial and monetary equilibrium;
• knows the potential advantages of increasing the size and the scope of the business.

By means of a continuous dialogue between the presentation of theories and perspectives of analysis, on the one hand, and the observation of data and business cases, on the other, the student acquires

• a basic lexicon,
• methods of analysis
• the ability to discuss critically simple business cases.

The student can also carry out some elementary quantitative determinations for the calculation of the net income and margins, for the measurement of the net assets, for the analysis of the relationships between volumes, costs and economic results.

Course contents

PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT ALL THE CLASSES ARE GIVEN IN ITALIAN

Business economics as a social science

Firm: concept and classification.

The firm as a system and its relations with economic and non economic environment

Governance, Goals and Mission

Management

Financial and non financial measurements

Basics about personnel and organizational structure

Networks and holding companies

Readings/Bibliography

AIROLDI G., BRUNETTI G., CODA V., Corso di Economia aziendale, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2005

Teaching methods

Applications and business cases may be proposed following the theoretical presentations. Applications and business cases may be also used for introducing theoretical presentations.

Assessment methods

EXAM IN PRESENCE OF THE STUDENT

Mandatory written test (open-end questions, multiple choices, exercises)
The students who passed the written test may also participate in a non-mandatory oral exam (before the end of the session). Oral exam may be based on the discussion of a project work.
The students can retire during the written or the oral exam.

For open-end questions, the criterias for evaluating the answers are the correctness of the contents, the completeness of the contents with respect to the question, the mastery of the lexicon; finally, where it is required by the question, the ability to argue and discuss critically. As there is no single evaluation criterion in use, it is not possible to indicate evaluation bands; in fact, the same assessment could result from the presence of errors (the loss of correctness, despite the completeness and appropriate use of terminology), as well as the lack of completeness and terminological errors (although the proposed contents are all correct). In the summary, a grade from 18 to 21 identifies sufficient proof, from 22 to 24 discreet, from 25 to 27 good, from 28 to 30 with excellent praise

Teaching tools

https://iol.unibo.it/ where the slides projected during the classes are available

Office hours

See the website of Maurizio Marano