65840 - Farm Organization and Marketing

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will have acquired a reference framework on the most important tools to analyze the company structure and organization, as well as on the crucial aspects of agri-food marketing and management strategies both in terms of operational and strategic vision. The student will be able to assess the importance of technological development in product innovation. In particular, the student will have acquired the knowledge to analyse: - the evolution of consumption habits and relative purchasing behaviour and to elaborate with practical tools the market positioning strategies for agri-food products of animal origin; - the relations between companies and the institutions that make up the agri-food system; - business management with the typical tools for the management and financial analysis of the company

Course contents

Firm organization unit

The firm as complex unit of the agro-food system. Market orientation. Agro-food demand development, with particular focus on animal products. Development of the Italian agro-food system. Organizational patterns of the agro-food supply chains, with special focus on animal farms and supply chain relationships.

Elements of firm organization. Coordination and planning criteria of the firm organization. Industrial organizational models (H. Mintzberg). Innovation in organization: open innovation, teal organization, smart working. The competitive advantage and the value chain. Firm external relationships: the business model (M. Porter). Relevant steps in firm organization: vision, mission, objectives. Identifying the firm strategy. Strategy models and levels. Internal and external factors analysis. PESTEL analysis. Enlarged competition (M. Porter). SWOT analysis for strategy evaluation.

Basics of business management analysis. Farm balance sheet. Partial budgeting. Accounting and indexing (basics)

Marketing unit

The role of marketing in the firm organization and in firm strategy. Basics of marketing. Differentiating agro-food marketing. Consumer behaviour analysis based on marketing approach. Quantitative and qualitative methods. The marketing strategy. The strategic business units based on Abell diagram. Criteria for market segmentation, identification of market targets. Competitive advantage and product positioning. Product life cycle. The marketing mix. Decision about Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Distribution channels and commercial organization of agro-food products. Relevant issues in agro-food marketing. Product quality. Agro-food products in territorial marketing.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Slides and notes

Brue S.L., McConnel C.R., Flynn S.M. Essenziale di economia. McGraw-Hill, 2010

Zucchi, G. Zooeconomia. Economia del sistema delle produzioni animali. Ed. Avenue media, Bologna, 2006

Peter JP, Donnelly JH, Pratesi CA. Marketing. McGraw-Hill, 2015

Foglio A. Il marketing agroalimentare. Mercato e strategie di commercializzazione. Franco Angeli, 2007

Teaching methods

Front courses based on slide projection, participatory teaching methods, case study analysis

Students are regularly required to apply concepts and notions provided during the classes to practical cases and problems, suggested by the Students themselves or by the Teacher.

At least once during the course (mid/final part) a review session is developed, where Students are pushed to recall the arguments treated during the classes, structure them according to logical criteria, identify functional links among concepts and analytical schemes.

Following the teaching methods, Students are warmly recommended to attend the courses, in presence or from remote, according to general guidelines

 

Students with special needs are invited to contact the teacher by e-mail in order to better organize teaching and exams.

Assessment methods

Learning verification takes place through an oral final exam that evaluates the achievement of the didactic objectives and verifies the acquisition of the knowledge foreseen by the course program. The axamination lasts at least 30'. No supports are allowed. Students with particular needs will addrress the Teacher to find adequate solutions. Access to examination is free, through the institutional platform (AlmaEsami) and applications (Teams, Zoom in case of on line examinations).

Evaluation criteria (oral examination)

A deep and complete knowledge of the topics addressed in the course, together with high skills of critical analysis, connection and a sure command of specific terminology will be evaluated with the maximum score (30-30L);

A thorough knowledge of most of the topics addressed in the course, together with good analytical and critical skills and the possession of a sure command of specific terminology will be evaluated with good marks (25-29/30);

A technically adequate preparation even with some lacks, a sufficient analytical capacity though not completely articulated, expressed in a correct language, will produce notes between 20 and 24/30);

A preparation showing some lacks,  a sufficient analytical capacity which require Teacher support, expressed in a barely correct language, will determine lower evaluation (18-19/30).

 

Teaching tools

Slide projection

Conceptual maps and flow charts build up wiht the Students

Case study. Field expert interventions concerning specific issues of animal farms and food-industry organization (e.g. farm organization in relation to animal welfare and biosecurity; agro-food marketing)

Office hours

See the website of Maurizio Aragrande