PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT

The "Principles of Business Administration" course is specifically designed for students of the Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems. Its primary objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of business operations, moving beyond a strictly technical-scientific perspective to integrate essential managerial and organizational skills. The course explores the firm as an economic institution, analyzing its operational processes, its interactions with the external environment, and the centrality of human capital. Particular attention is devoted to the twin transition (digital and ecological) and the specific characteristics of firms operating in the chemical and nanotechnology sectors, addressing crucial topics such as strategic innovation, technology transfer, and the sustainable management of Research and Development (R&D) projects.

Upon completion of the course, the student will have acquired the basic logical-analytical tools to: understand the structure, the conditions for existence, and the operating principles of various types of organizations (businesses, public institutions, non-profit organizations); analyze the institutional setup, the main management operations, and the competitive dynamics in which the firm operates; know the principles of economic viability (economicità) and the foundational logic of the primary performance measurement tools (accounting and financial statement models); critically evaluate corporate strategies, organizational models, and business models, with specific reference to innovation in highly technology- and science-intensive sectors.
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Knowledge and understanding: become familiar with the concepts of human needs and economic activity; understand the role of entrepreneurship and human resources (with a focus on technical-scientific skills); recognize the essential business functions, the basic dynamics of financing and investment, and the principles of strategy and organization; understand the concept of economic viability, the role of financial statements, and the strategic importance of sustainability (ESG).
Applying knowledge and understanding: be able to analyze the competitive and technological environment by identifying constraints and opportunities; understand the determinants of success or failure of an economic venture (e.g., tech start-ups); recognize the basic characteristics of different corporate structures; apply the logic of financial reporting and managerial concepts to the reality of projects in the chemical/nanotechnology sector.
Making judgements: be able to evaluate the adequacy of the institutional and organizational setup in relation to the target market; form an independent opinion on strategic choices and identify potential critical issues in the management of procurement, production, and technology transfer.
Communication skills: develop the ability to present, argue, and discuss business cases (especially within the scientific-technological field) using rigorous and appropriate economic terminology, thereby facilitating interaction and constructive dialogue between the technical department and executive management.

The course does not expect any specific pre-requirements.
All that will be needed to understand the topics of the course will be clarified during the lessons.

Course Structure and Content

The course consists of 30 hours of lectures. The syllabus integrates concepts from the adopted textbooks, focusing exclusively on the fundamental elements relevant to the students of the Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems.

Module and Hours / Title and Contents

Module 1 (4h) / Foundations of Business Administration: The economic problem, needs, and goods. Economic activity. People at the center of the institution. Business Administration as a science.
Module 2 (4h) / Institutions and Organizations: Types of institutions (families, firms, the State, non-profit organizations). Common characteristics and differences. Economic specialization.
Module 3 (4h) / Institutional Framework and Economic Operations: The institutional subject and the economic subject. Stakeholders. Business operations (procurement, technical transformation, sales, R&D).
Module 4 (4h) / Environment and Strategy: The economic and non-economic environment. The competitive system. Strategic innovation and competitive advantage. Focus: innovation in high-tech sectors.
Module 5 (4h) / Organizational Structure and Business System: The organizational model. Labor as a strategic resource. The configuration of the product system.
Module 6 (6h) / Economic Viability and its Measurement: The principle of economic viability (profitability, liquidity, and solvency equilibrium). Introduction to basic accounting models. Structure and logic of the financial statements (simplified Balance Sheet and Income Statement).
Module 7 (4h) / Sector Focus - The Chemical and Technological Company: Identity, Mission, and Strategies in the chemical/nano-tech sector. Management and structure of R&D costs. Sustainability (ESG) and the twin transition (ecological and digital) in industrial processes. Teaching materials provided by the instructor and case study analysis. Where applicable, regulatory updates and recent papers (e.g., European directives on ESG and reporting).
Bibliographic Note for Study:
Textbooks (B) (Economia aziendale tra tradizione e innovazione, Bagnoli) and (ABC) (Corso di Economia Aziendale, Airoldi-Brunetti-Coda) provide the theoretical framework for the course. To comply with the workload expected for 3 ECTS credits, these texts should not be studied in their entirety. The instructor will specify during classes, via handouts and study guides, the essential contents for exam preparation; the remaining material should be considered as useful supplementary reading for individual deepening.

Required Textbooks:
Economia aziendale tra tradizione e innovazione / edited by Carlo Bagnoli. - Milan: Giuffrè Francis Lefebvre, © 2019
Corso di Economia Aziendale / by Giuseppe Airoldi, Giorgio Brunetti, Vittorio Coda. - Bologna: Il Mulino Editore, © 2005
Optional Supplementary Reading:
Management consapevole: il modello Equità e sostenibilità®, per affrontare le criticità delle organizzazioni sociosanitarie / by Elisabetta Canton, Franco Iurlaro; preface by Elena Zuffada. - Castel San Giovanni (PC): Editrice Dapero, © 2023
Teaching materials provided by the instructor

Assessment Methods
The final examination will cover the topics addressed in the lecturer’s slides and the recommended reference texts. The examination will be conducted in written form and will include a combination of open-ended and multiple-choice questions. The maximum duration will be 60 minutes, with additional time available to students with specific medical conditions.
Should the number of students registered for the examination session be three or fewer, the lecturer reserves the right to conduct the examination orally.
The general assessment criteria include:
• knowledge of the course content;
• clarity of expression and the ability to synthesise information critically;
• ability to establish connections between different topics;
• relevance and pertinence of the arguments presented;
• correct use of specialised terminology.
Additional specific criteria may be established and communicated during classes.
Additional Marks
At the student’s request, the overall mark, expressed on a scale of thirty, may be increased through the following optional activities:
• Up to 2 additional marks for the preparation of a report or paper. The requirements and the company selected for the study must be agreed upon in advance with the lecturer. The paper may focus on one of the following topics:
• analysis of the economic combinations, technical structure and financial statements of a real company operating in the relevant sector;
• management-related aspects within a real company operating in the relevant sector, applying the contents of the supplementary text Conscious Management: The Equity and Sustainability® Model. Since the text focuses on healthcare and social-care organisations, the manner in which this sustainability model is to be adapted to the chemical and nanotechnology sectors must be agreed upon with the lecturer in advance;
• Up to 2 additional marks based on the average of the qualitative assessments awarded for classroom exercises;
• Up to 1 additional mark for regularly submitting conceptual maps to the lecturer, by the specified deadlines, at the end of each module.
Example: examination mark 24 + 2 marks for the paper = final mark 26. The additional marks indicated above may also be awarded in fractional amounts, including decimal values.
Examination Procedures and Academic Integrity
The lecturer will ensure compliance with the principles of authenticity and originality in examination work. In the event of suspected academic misconduct, the lecturer may require an additional, context-specific assessment, which may be conducted in a format different from those described above.
The same rigorous standards apply to classroom exercises and the final paper. Students are expressly required to inform the lecturer of any use of artificial-intelligence tools and to specify the purposes for which such tools were used.

written and oral

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

Grading Scale
The final grade will take into account all the aforementioned criteria and will be awarded according to the following scale:
18/30: barely sufficient overall performance
19-21: fair overall performance
22-24: good overall performance
25-27: very good overall performance
28-30: excellent overall performance
30 cum laude: outstanding overall performance
Poor knowledge of the topics, combined with incorrect or inappropriate expression, will result in a failing grade and the requirement to retake the exam.

Teaching Methods
The course adopts a blended approach where traditional lectures will not predominate. Theoretical lectures, necessary for conveying fundamental concepts (including basic accounting principles taught from scratch), will be consistently integrated with active learning methods. A significant portion of the contact hours will be dedicated to guided practical exercises and the interactive discussion of real-world business case studies, preferably selected from the chemical, pharmaceutical, and nanotechnology sectors. Active participation is encouraged to develop problem-solving skills and practical application capabilities. All teaching materials will be made available on the University's e-learning platform (Moodle).
Prerequisites
None.
Assessment
The final exam will evaluate the acquisition of theoretical concepts, the mastery of technical-economic terminology, and the ability to critically analyze management dynamics.

Exemptions: No

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Cities, infrastructure and social capital" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development