30402 - PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT

This course aims to provide the foundations of knowledge required to understand how business organizations work and how they can be management for the creation of economic and non-economic value for their key stakeholders: customers, employees, investors, business partners and social communities. It thus introduces the key concepts and theoretical frameworks related to some of the foundational questions in management.

• The objectives of firms and their stakeholders
• The corporate governance of firms
• The responsibilities of managers
• Managerial data analysis and decision making
• Organizational design and organizational mechanisms
• Strategy analysis, formulation, and implementation
• External analysis with the PESTEL and Five Forces models
• Internal analysis: resources and activities
• Business strategy: differentiation and cost leadership
• Diversification and vertical integration
• Cost structure and break-even point analysis

• Define the basic structure of firms and the way they carry out their activities.
• Identify the complementary roles that different actors (individuals, organizations, institutions) play in modern economic systems.
• Explain the behaviour of people engaged in economic activity in an organizational setting.
• Describe the fundamental concepts required in managerial decision making.
• Explain the different strategies that firms can adopt in their macro and industry environment.
• Understand the cost structure of firms and the drivers of economic performance.

• Compare the various elements that make up a business organization.
• Analyse the organizational structure and processes adopted in firms.
• Interpret the behaviour of people inside organizations.
• Simulate basic managerial decisions, using conceptual tools and decision-making models.
• Connect the strategies and processes of firms to pressures and trends in their economic environment.
• Evaluate the economic performance of firms and identify explanations for positive and negative results.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Exercises (exercises, database, software etc.)
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Interactive class activities on campus/online (role playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)

The course is based on active teaching methodologies aimed at maximizing students’ participation. In addition to theoretical sessions, students are involved in the discussion of case studies and incidents based on real-life examples. Theory and practice are combined dynamically, making room for quantitative exercises and in-class assignments to apply concepts.

The final grade consists of the following components: 

• Partial written exam: 40%
• End-of-term written exam: 40%
• Group project: 20%

The written exams test students' knowledge and understanding of all the concepts of the course and students' ability to apply these concepts. These exams consist of a mix of multiple-choice questions, exercises, and some short-essay questions (e.g. concept questions or cases analysis). Exercises and case analysis in particular are intended to check whether students can apply concepts to concrete business problems and situations.

Students need to achieve a passing grade in both written exams; those who fail the partial exam take a general exam (covering all the program of the course) at the end of the term, representing 80% of the grade.

The group project, representing 20% of the final grade, aims to assess the ability of students to apply their learning to real business organizations and their structures, strategies, and processes. 

The grade is entirely based on a written exam that tests students' knowledge and understanding of all the concepts of the course and students' ability to apply these concepts. The exam consists of a mix of multiple-choice questions, exercises, and some short-essay questions (e.g. concept questions or cases analysis). Exercises and case analysis in particular are intended to check whether students can apply concepts to concrete business problems and situations.

N. Misani (2021), 30402 Principles of Management, McGrawHill.