The objective of the course is to analyse the most relevant issues and challenges faced by business managers. It aims at developing personal capabilities, skills and attitudes to understand and cope effectively with the competitive challenges in the external environment. Students will first understand the need for a strategic orientation for firm performance. The course will then deepen the understanding of how each managerial function (Organisation, Marketing, Innovation Management, Operations, and Finance) contributes to the value creation. Finally, financial evaluation methods accounting for the value of strategies are introduced and employed. At the end of the course, student will acquire the ability to integrate different dimensions of a problem and to apply both logic and judgement in analysing situations.

Upon completion of the course, students will have developed the following knowledge and skills: Knowledge and understanding: Reading and interpretation of the functioning of a company and of its interaction methods with the external environment; Understanding and knowledge of business strategy analysis and development tools in different competitive and market contexts; Ability to evaluate the competitive position of a company and use the tools for its improvement; Ability to elaborate strategic choices concerning the main company functions. Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to apply the concepts taught in the course to the different dimensions of business problems and to apply theoretical models to real business situations and cases ability to apply the knowledge acquired through the use of business strategy analysis and development tools to different competitive and market contexts. ability to diagnose and solve strategic problems in the various competitive contexts. analytical capacity that will allow the breakdown of problems in their complexity to manage their solutions in specific applications. Making judgments Based on the knowledge acquired, and thanks to the use of the methodological tools learned, ability to evaluate the competitive position of a company and the economic and strategic levers for improving its performance. Communication skills: communication and interpretation skills, processing and synthesis of data relating to the problems under study, acquisition of the appropriate business-economic terminology for the explanation and interpretation and communication of the economic and strategic choices made. Ability to learn (learning skills): knowledge necessary to interpret and understand the evolution of the competitive environment and the consequent transformation of the strategic choices of companies

1. The Business as a system and the significance of its relation with the environment - Environment conditions and Business performance - External environment analysis (the competitive forces) - The concept of strategic grouping - The contents of the competitive environment and the instruments for Business analysis 2. The Business as a set of resources - the relevant resources and the competences - the strategy based on the resources 3. The competitive strategies - the competitive advantage - Le competitive strategies 4. The strategic planning - corporate planning - Business planning - Planning at a functional level 5. The Business functions - the management of operations - innovation as a strategic function - marketing - finance and value creation

Caroli M., "Economia e Gestione Sostenibile delle Imprese", McGrawHill Didactic material provided by the lecturer

Frontal lectures Case studies/simulations Practitioner lectures Exercises Team works

The assessment method is the following: Final written exam (individual): The written test consists of a mix of open-ended questions (3), multiple-choice questions (5), and dichotomous questions (3), which collectively allow assessing the knowledge of theoretical notions acquired during the course, and the ability to apply them to real-world cases and to develop autonomously critical judgment and evaluations. Team project work: up to 4 additional bonus points. This activity assesses students' ability to understand complex managerial problems, apply the theoretical concepts and models presented in the course to real-word cases, develop rigorous analyses using appropriate data and sources, suggest well-reasoned solutions, communicate effectively within their teams and discuss their ideas with a broader audience in the classroom.

Students who have passed the exam may propose a research project aimed at the thesis assignment. The research project is assessed based on the quality and consistency with the lecturer's research interests. The quality of the research project is intended as the originality of proposed topic, the ability to comprehensively describe the relevant theoretical framework, as well as the appropriateness of the research methodology. Students can refer to the lecturer webpage for more information.