67109 - History of industry and finance

Learning outcomes

The course as three basic goals: 1) to explain the evolution of technologies and institutions that have led to the origin of the modern enterprise; 2) to analyze the forms of enterprise which have appeared in the international markets (big business, state owned enterprises, industrial districts of small businesses, cooperatives and non profit enterprises; 3) to compare the financial systems that have accompanied the industrial and the post-industrial economies, with special reference to the relation bank-enterprise in the context of some of the most important world economies. At the end of the course, the student acquires the most important cultural tools to understand the basic features of our advanced economic system and the variety of solutions that have been devised to allow countries different from a geographical/natural/cultural point of view to participate into the virtuous circle of competition.

Course contents

The main topics of the course are the following:

1. Introduction: the role of institutions. The birth of the market economy

2. Development of finance in the pre-industrial period

3. Industrial revolutions and financial structures

4. Forms of enterprise: big business and state-owned entreprises

5. Forms of enterprise: small and medium size business, cluster, networks

6. Forms of enterprise: cooperatives and non profit

7. Country cases: Great Britain, USA, Germany, Japan, Russia, China, Italy

8. The first big crisis: 1929-32

9. Bretton Woods and the golden age

10. Globalization, instability, financialization

11. The second big crisis: 2008-13

12. Conclusions and challenges

Readings/Bibliography

V. Zamagni, Perchè l'Europa ha cambiato il mondo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2015

M. Fornasari, Finanza d'impresa e sistemi finanziari. Un profilo storico, Torino, Giappichelli, 2008

M. Onado, Alla ricerca della banca perduta, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017

Teaching methods

Lectures and in class discussions

Assessment methods

Exam is made up of two parts: an in class written exam on the topics discussed in class with four essay questions (two hours of time) and a home paper of at least 7000 words on a topic which must be agreed upon with the professor, who will help with the bibliography. Those who attend the class will have the possibility to hand the paper within 15 days after the in class written exams. Those who do not attend have to hand the paper the same day of the written exam.

Office hours

See the website of Vera Negri