PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT

This course falls under complementary and integrative activities and serves as a strategic lever for students in the Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems (DSMN) aiming to accelerate their professional growth.

While a strictly technical background often limits career progression to purely operational and execution-focused roles, combining scientific expertise with business management fosters a highly sought-after "T-shaped" profile — blending deep technical knowledge with broad strategic and managerial vision.

The course provides the tools to move beyond purely technical boundaries: enabling students to communicate effectively with executive leadership, manage innovation and technology transfer projects, and step onto career paths that lead to leadership and managerial positions within tech-driven companies or high-level strategic consulting.

Designed with a pragmatic approach focused on real-world corporate case studies, key business concepts are made immediately applicable, delivering a clear competitive edge whether preparing for advanced academic specialization (Master’s degrees) or aiming for rapid career advancement in the job market.

Regular attendance and active participation in course activities, along with systematic individual study, will enable students to bridge their scientific-technological expertise with strategic and managerial vision (a T-shaped profile), achieving the following learning outcomes:

1. Knowledge and understanding
● Master core principles, theoretical models, and terminology of business economics and management.
● Understand analytical, methodological, and critical tools regarding organizational structures and operations (both profit and non-profit).
● Comprehend the fundamentals of corporate strategy, organization, and innovation processes.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding
● Apply conceptual frameworks and problem-solving skills to the analysis of real-world business cases and scenarios.
● Identify organizational strengths and weaknesses (SWOT analysis) and formulate concrete recommendations for strategic choices and action plans.
● Connect technical and scientific solutions with their economic viability and business value creation.

3. Making judgements
● Integrate technical-scientific knowledge with managerial perspectives using a variety of analytical approaches.
● Evaluate and navigate complex decision-making scenarios, critically reflecting on social, ethical, and sustainability impacts.

4. Communication skills
● Communicate theoretical concepts and case-study results clearly, rigorously, and effectively.
● Master appropriate business terminology to interact confidently with executive leadership and cross-functional managerial roles.

5. Learning skills
● Develop a self-directed and autonomous learning approach to understanding organizational and market dynamics.
● Independently retrieve, evaluate, and use business and economic sources to support ongoing professional growth.

General knowledge acquired in previous educational backgrounds.

The course focuses on the following core topics: analysis of the competitive environment and strategic orientation, organizational models and human resource management, marketing processes, and communication activities. The syllabus will be delivered through an experiential learning approach, combining lectures with case study discussions, practical workshops, and guest lectures from industry experts and practitioners.

The course covers the following main topics:

- The business system and the competitive environment
- Strategic management
- The business model
- Growth strategies
- Strategic planning
- Marketing
- Technological innovation and competitive advantage: analysis and strategic management of investments in R&D

Required textbook:
Nordio, C. (2022). Economia e Gestione delle Imprese. Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, McGraw-Hill Education Create. ISBN: 9781307832174.

Teaching support materials:
PowerPoint slides and other multimedia resources. All teaching materials will be made available to students on the Moodle e-learning platform.

Assessment of learning outcomes will be conducted through a written exam consisting of 15 multiple-choice questions with a penalty (-0.5 points for each incorrect answer; 0 points for unattempted questions) to be completed in 30 minutes. The questions aim to assess knowledge of the core theoretical concepts and business management models presented during the course, the ability to apply them to concrete examples and problems, and the ability to critically evaluate such concepts and models. Students who participate in the learning activities and workshops offered during the course will be awarded bonus points added to their written exam score.

written

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 criteria:
- 28-30 cum laude: mastery of the topics covered in lectures and textbooks; ability to prioritize information; appropriate use of technical terminology.
- 26-27: good knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and textbooks; fair ability to organize information; familiarity with technical terminology.
- 24-25: knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and textbooks is not always in-depth; well-organized presentation of ideas, but technical terminology is not always used correctly.
- 22-23: often superficial knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and textbooks; unclear presentation of ideas and lacking in technical terminology.
- 18-21: knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and textbooks is occasionally incomplete; confused presentation of ideas with limited use of technical terminology.

The course will primarily consist of lectures, with all materials used in class made available to students via the Moodle platform.
During class hours, activities such as case study discussions, project work, and guest lectures (manager speeches) will be organized to facilitate the application of theoretical concepts discussed in class to real-world empirical cases.
Additional readings and materials will be made available to students on the course's Moodle page.

Exam registration
Only registered students will be allowed to take the exam. Any registration problems must be solved with the Campus Economico before the registration deadline.

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion
Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments
Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with
mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). If you have a disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it

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