79252 - Fundamentals of Management

Learning outcomes

The integrated course “Management” provides students with a foundational understanding of managerial and financial principles essential to business decision-making. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to: - understand the main concepts, functions, and processes of business management; - apply basic analytical and methodological tools to support decision-making in marketing, finance, human resources, and operations; - evaluate financial assets and investment projects using standard valuation and selection criteria; - utilize quantitative tools such as annuities, amortization plans, and investment appraisal techniques; integrate managerial and financial perspectives to interpret and address fundamental business problems. The course equips students with the essential knowledge and tools for understanding firms’ management and financial decision-making within a general management framework.

Course contents

In this course we will discuss essentials of management to provide foundation for understanding the challenges faced by managers and organizations. The main theories of management will be presented together with an array of core models and techniques for the implementation in an organization. The course will cover basics in management providing students with cases and example from real organizations.

Specifically, the course will cover the following topics:

• Management, managers and management studies
• Strategy and Decision making
• Managing Change and Innovation
• Entrepreneurship
• Planning and Goal settings
• Structure and Design of Organizations
• HR management
• Leadership and Motivation
• Teams and Communication
• Managing operations

Readings/Bibliography

Fundamentals of management, Global Edition

Robbins, S. P., Coulter, M. K., & DeCenzo, D. A. (2020)

Digital version is available on Pearsons VitalSource platform.

Program for attending students

1. Managing Today

2. The Manager as Decision Maker

3. Important Managerial Issues

5. Managing Change and Innovation

6. Planning and Goal Setting

7. Structuring and Designing Organizations

8. Managing Human Resources and Diversity

9. Managing Work Groups and Work Teams

11. Motivating and Rewarding Employees

12. Understanding Leadership

14. Controlling Work and Organizational Processes

Operations Module: Managing Operations

Program for NON attending students

§ From Chapter 1 to Chapter 14

1. Managing Today

2. The Manager as Decision Maker

3. Important Managerial Issues

4. The Management Environment

5. Managing Change and Innovation

6. Planning and Goal Setting

7. Structuring and Designing Organizations

8. Managing Human Resources and Diversity

9. Managing Work Groups and Work Teams

10. Understanding Individual Behavior

11. Motivating and Rewarding Employees

12. Understanding Leadership

13. Managing Organizational and Interpersonal Communication

14. Controlling Work and Organizational Processes

Operations Module: Managing Operations

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures, case studies, team work and exercises

Students will be asked to work in team on a final project and to read some case studies before classes (2 cases through out the course).

Cases will be distributed during the second week of the course.

Assessment methods

ATTENDING STUDENTS

Evaluation of student performance will be based on class participation, group work and presentations, and final written exam.

The final grade is composed as follows: 

50%: Group Work

50%: Final Exam

NON ATTENDING STUDENTS

Written exam will be counting for 100% of the grade.

• <18 fail
• 18−23 sufficient
• 24−27 good
• 28−30 very good
• 30 e lode excellent

Teaching tools

In this course different types of resources will be used.

PowerPoint presentations of the lectures will be made available on Virtuale every week.

Additional material as cases, excel worksheets or papers will be distributed to students through the Virtuale platform.

The teacher will be available to meet students by appointment. If you need to book an appointment, please sending an email to the institutional email address.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandra Zammit

See the website of Luca Costa