97405 - History of Business, Banking and Economic Policies

Learning outcomes

The course aims at analysing the long run development of the world economy since the birth of the modern economy, showing the varieties of approaches and solutions to innovation and crises. The main topics are the following: 1) interrelations among technologies, institutions and culture; 2) forms of enterprise and their advantages and disadvantages; 3) financial systems and the relation bank-enterprise; 4) the role of governments; 5) the major world crises that have retarded progress but also offer opportunities of improvement. At the end of the course students have acquired a long run vision of economic development and are in a better position to understand the transformations that are necessary today to maintain a dynamic but sustainable economic path for the future.

Course contents

The course consists of 9 lectures and 1 laboratory.

Lectures address the evolution and issues of the different forms of enterprises and the strategies they have adopted to cope with the great challenges of their time:

1. The American corporations
2. The multinationals
3. The cooperatives
4. Small and medium-sized businesses
5. The environmental sustainability
6. The gender issue
7. The corporate welfare

The laboratory will take place at the Barberini Foundation (via Mentana 2) and will consist of group work aimed at discussing entrepreneurial strategies with respect to the challenges of the present starting from the materials preserved in the company archives. The laboratory will provide the tools for the realization of the group project work to be delivered and discussed during the written exam or on a date to be agreed.

Readings/Bibliography

 

An overview of the various forms of business enterprise can be found in the following volume: V. Zamagni, *Forme d'impresa*, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2020.

 

Specific materials related to the lecture topics will be uploaded to Virtuale.

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures with the support of power point presentations and audiovisual material

1 laboratory

Assessment methods

The exam will consist of an individual written test (4 open-ended questions covering the topics and knowledge acquired during lectures). Students attending the course have the option to complete a project linked to the workshop held at the Barberini Foundation. This project allows students to earn between 1 and 4 additional points, which are added to the grade obtained on the written exam.

Office hours

See the website of Patrizia Battilani