56492 - Simulimpresa (Second Semester)

Learning outcomes

The Practice firm course aims at providing direct knowledge of the functioning of a firm through a faithful reproduction of its management, administrative and organizational methods and procedures. The aim is to increase students' skills and knowledge as well as to consolidate their knowledge of business subjects already dealt with in other courses in order to pass from a merely theoretical learning approach to a more practical and active one. In the simulation of a business, students are required to actively participate in the company activities and to be responsible for them by playing a central role in all the aspects relating to the company management: accounting and drawing up of a balance sheet, organization, administrative and fiscal duties, internal and international trade management, financing, investments, relations with banks, application of ICTs. In summary, students must contribute to the taking of management decisions and must fulfil legal obligations within a simulated working framework, which is very similar to a real one. For this purpose, a virtual trade or service firm will be created in a specific space within the Faculty of Economics, which will materially reproduce the typical administrative, financial and commercial functions of a firm. This firm will operate by making virtual exchanges of goods and services within a network including over 300 Italian firms of the Simulimpresa Programme and over 5,000 firms of the Europen world network.

Some of the objectives of this course are to provide students with the typical relational skills required in any working environment, to allow students to experience the working climate within a company in order to reduce the gap when starting to work, to improve students' behavioural skills, to help students become more aware of their skills and roles, to allow students to apply the knowledge acquired, and to develop new skills that could be used later on in their university career.

Course contents

• Objectives and contents of the business simulation
• The market and competition of practice firms
• Project management and problems when starting up firms abroad
• Economic, financial and accounting results of the first period of simulation
• Updating of the reporting relating to international projects
• Business trend considering the business plan and the annual budget
• Objectives of the practice firm for the second semester
• Planning of the organizational structure considering the company's objectives and plans
• Clustering and networking: two different approaches for the setting-up and development of new firms.
• Strengthening and development of the relations with foreign firms and partners
• Personnel selection and assignment of tasks
• Drawing up of the company communication plan
• Planning of the participation in the 4th Italian fair of practice firms

Business resumption:

• Meeting of the corporate bodies for the analysis of the company situation and taking of any necessary decisions about the business resumption
• Placement of the students in the appropriate departments and offices
• Updating of the accounting information system
• Definition of the objectives for the current period
• Control of the current financing and of the bank accounts
• Updating of the company's catalogue and services
• Resumption of the relations with the other Italian and foreign practice firms
• Simulation of a real situation with the practice firms created by the Centre of Forlì and with the actions supporting the setting-up of new firms.
• Resumption of the services with the Central office
• Purchasing of goods and services
• Promotion of the company and of its products and services
• Employment contracts with company's employees and collaborators
• Updating of the web site, control of the foreign file and of the reporting progress.

Management activities

• Commercial management
• Foreign trade and development of cooperation projects with international partners
• Personnel management
• Financial management and project financing
• General accounting management
• Special accounting management and project reporting
• Management of administrative and fiscal duties
• Periodical meetings of corporate bodies
• Development of new lines of products and services
• Updating of the company's web site
• E-commerce development
• Financial investments
• Preparation for the Italian fair of practice firms: project about the company image, selection of the products and services to be presented, sales, communication and promotional strategies
• Participation in the 4th Italian fair of practice firms

Periodical controls

• Analysis of the accounting situation
• Budget control
• Control of the cash and financial situation
• Analysis of the break-even point
• External accounting controls
• Control of the relations with the partners of foreign projects, updating of the foreign file and analysis of the renewal of customers and suppliers.
• Evaluation of the participation in the 4th Italian fair of practice firms

Company shutdown

• Control of the objectives for the period
• Closing of the reporting about completed projects and progress of current projects.
• Drawing up of the balance-sheet
• Notifications of the company shutdown

Readings/Bibliography

Bianchi M. (2003), Il progetto della Università di Bologna per lo sviluppo delle P.M.I. in Albania. 2 Ù Relazione alla conferenza internazionale: università: Ieri, Oggi, Domani, Tirana 13-15 Novembre 2003, Ambasciata d'Italia in Tirana, Crui-Conferenza Rettori Università Italiane, Krush-Conferenza Rettori Università Albanesi, Accademia delle scienze di Albania.

 

Bianchi M. (2004), La simulazione d'impresa negli interventi di sviluppo dei paesi in transizione, V Workshop dei Docenti Ricercatori  di Organizzazione Aziendale, Roma 5-6 Febbraio 2004.

 

Bianchi M. ( 2004),  I Progetti dell'Università di Bologna ed il ruolo del Porto di Durres per lo sviluppo del Corridoio 8. Intervento al Convegno “ Il Corridoio 8 – Una sfida  per la costruzione di un “sistema di reti”di sviluppo nell'Area Balcanica”, Ambasciata D' Italia In Tirana,  Accademia delle scienze di Albania.

 

Bianchi M., Tampieri L. (2007) – Clustering e networking nella creazione di nuove forme organizzative. I risultati del laboratorio di Simulazione d'impresa nei progetti di sviluppo dei Paesi in Transizione, in Atti del Convegno “Relazioni di lavoro e forme organizzative: nuovi modelli progettuali”, VIII Workshop dei Docenti e dei Ricercatori di Organizzazione Aziendale (8-9 Febbraio 2007).

Gualdi D. (2001) – L'impresa simulata , Paramond ed., Torino

Tampieri L. (2005) - La Perting s.r.l impresa simulata e i progetti di  sviluppo imprenditoriale nei Paesi in Transizione; in M. Bianchi, L. Tampieri “Life Long Learning and Managerial development  in transition countries ( Cases on strategy, management and performance control)”; Ponte Vecchio ed., Cesena.

Tampieri L. (2009) - Simulazione in Second Life e Business Virtuale nello start up d'impresa del Sistema Moda, CLUEB, Bologna

Tampieri L. (2011) - The enterprise simulation in small business start up. The case of cooperation projects between Italy and Albania. DISPENSA

Teaching methods

The program is based on the simulation of a business by explaining its objectives and working procedures, by launching the business idea, by planning a company organization suitable for the company mission, by drawing up the business plan, by identifying the stages and documents required for the setting-up of a firm, and by preparing the company start-up.

Assessment methods

At the end of the Course, students will have to take a written exam and an oral exam to check the skills and knowledge acquired especially for the solution of company cases.

Teaching tools

Simulation Laboratory located in via Pratella 14 Forlì,

·        personal computer for each student

·        space organization for offices and departments

·        telephone, fax, web

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Bianchi