B8246 - Strategy and Marketing

Learning outcomes

The course provides a solid foundation in the concepts of strategy and strategic marketing, with a particular focus on social enterprises and nonprofit organizations. The goal is to equip students with the theoretical knowledge and analytical tools needed to understand how these organizations make strategic decisions, considering their competencies, relational structures with stakeholders, as well as the dynamics of the macro-environment and the competitive context.

With a view to understanding value creation, the course also aims to provide theoretical knowledge and analytical and practical skills related to market analysis, the definition of a strategic positioning, and the corresponding marketing actions.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• identify and evaluate the value proposition of a social or nonprofit enterprise;

• analyze the competitive contexts in which an organization operates and the elements of its internal strategic development;

• outline the main strategies for business growth;

• identify the key elements of positioning and strategic marketing, with particular attention to social and environmental sustainability dimensions.

Course contents

– Introduction to strategy
– External analysis: the macro-environment and the industry
– Internal analysis: resources and capabilities
– Value creation strategies
– Business models and canvas
– Elements of strategic marketing

Readings/Bibliography

The textbook will be determined before the start of the teaching period.

Teaching methods

The course is carried out in Italian language.

The teaching methods include lectures, group work, case studies, corporate guest speakers.

Assessment methods

The details of the assessment and evaluation methods will be provided at the beginning of the lectures.

For students who attend lectures, the final grade is based on group work and an individual written exam demonstrating the acquisition of theoretical and critical skills.

For students who cannot attend lectures, the final grade is based on an individual written exam with open-ended and multiple-choice questions, including a demonstration of theoretical knowledge and the analysis of a practical case.

Assessment will consider the breadth of preparation on the topics covered in the course, as well as the ability to express ideas using correct language.

The grade for the integrated course is obtained as the average of the two courses.

Exam dates/venues and the list of participants are managed through Almaesami.

Students will be evaluated according to the following levels:

• 18–19: preparation on a very limited number of topics covered in the course; analytical ability emerges only with the instructor’s guidance; generally correct language.

• 20–24: preparation on a limited number of topics; independent analytical ability only on purely procedural issues; correct language.

• 25–29: preparation on a broad range of topics; ability to make autonomous critical analyses; command of specific terminology.

• 30–30L: essentially comprehensive preparation on all course topics; ability to make autonomous, critical, and integrative analyses; full command of specific terminology; strong argumentation and self-reflective skills.

Teaching tools

• Slides used during lectures
• Articles from journals and newspapers, business plans, exercises, case studies

All materials will be made available at https://virtuale.unibo.it/

Office hours: in person or online (Teams), by appointment upon request via email: daniela.bolzani@unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Daniela Bolzani