International Business Management and Accounting
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
Provide students with an understanding of the mechanics of the inner workings of a company, and in particular on how to be an effective leader of that organization. What will be discussed will not relate to functional matters ("how to prepare a business plan" or "what are the most relevant marketing levers"), but rather on what processes and methodologies need to be in place, for the company as a whole to be in a condition to obtain the desired level of financial performance. It is about how making things happen, in particular from the position of the leader of that organization.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students should be able to read and assess the economic and financial performance of a company. And likewise, they should be capable to understand what are the management and business levers that led to that type of performance. Once students complete the transition into the professional world, they will already have a base upon which to build, as to how a company (or a smaller organizational unit) should be run, and as to what business decisions should be made to reach success.
Lesson period: Third trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
The course has a length of 60 hours and it is built according to the following program:
1.Laying the basics for success. Which includes:
a. Clarity on why do companies exist: income and value and the conditions that have to be met for income and value to be healthy.
b.The role of the boss: energy and motivation.
c. Management team accountability: the virtuous circle of transparency of responsibilities, target assignment, development of implementation plans, control.
2. Managing the profit and loss account. Which includes:
a. How to achieve commercial success: emphasis on monetary impact, the role of pricing, rigor in use of specific strategic roles.
b. The drive for efficiency: processes for good use of company resources, technical levers for cost reduction.
c. Risk management: exposure map (credit, fraud, legal, market, business, operating) and optimization measures.
3. Building the organizational infrastructure. Which includes:
a. Managing colleagues and their motivation: selection criteria, mapping of the personnel body, bonus systems.
b. Organizational design and allocation of responsibilities: structure, management by committee or by individual, ranks.
c. The behavior of the boss in everyday's life: management by fear (yes or no?), daily tactics for good leadership, traps to avoid.
d. How to interact with the team: empathy, assertiveness, respect.
4. Understanding international groups. Which includes:
a. Types of international group.
b. Management practices according to type of group.
5. Principles of accounting. Which includes:
a. Basic principles and double entry.
b. Profit and loss accounting.
c. Balance sheet accounting.
6. Accounting in real cases. Which includes:
a. Manufacturing case.
b. Retailing case.
c. Banking case.
d. Insurance case.
1.Laying the basics for success. Which includes:
a. Clarity on why do companies exist: income and value and the conditions that have to be met for income and value to be healthy.
b.The role of the boss: energy and motivation.
c. Management team accountability: the virtuous circle of transparency of responsibilities, target assignment, development of implementation plans, control.
2. Managing the profit and loss account. Which includes:
a. How to achieve commercial success: emphasis on monetary impact, the role of pricing, rigor in use of specific strategic roles.
b. The drive for efficiency: processes for good use of company resources, technical levers for cost reduction.
c. Risk management: exposure map (credit, fraud, legal, market, business, operating) and optimization measures.
3. Building the organizational infrastructure. Which includes:
a. Managing colleagues and their motivation: selection criteria, mapping of the personnel body, bonus systems.
b. Organizational design and allocation of responsibilities: structure, management by committee or by individual, ranks.
c. The behavior of the boss in everyday's life: management by fear (yes or no?), daily tactics for good leadership, traps to avoid.
d. How to interact with the team: empathy, assertiveness, respect.
4. Understanding international groups. Which includes:
a. Types of international group.
b. Management practices according to type of group.
5. Principles of accounting. Which includes:
a. Basic principles and double entry.
b. Profit and loss accounting.
c. Balance sheet accounting.
6. Accounting in real cases. Which includes:
a. Manufacturing case.
b. Retailing case.
c. Banking case.
d. Insurance case.
Prerequisites for admission
No.
Teaching methods
Classes and simulations (role-plays). Also, the course will provide for multiple external speakers, including CEOs and entrepreneurs, as well as experts from several markets which will illustrate their experiences and how numbers in their respective industries can be read.
Teaching Resources
The book "As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be the boss: How to Manage a Company" by Diego Polo-Friz, relating to the International management sections (available on www.amazon.it and its sister sites).
The slides shown in class for the accounting section.
The slides shown in class for the accounting section.
Assessment methods and Criteria
There is a 70% class frequency requirement (11 sessions out of 15). For these attending students, the exam will be structured as a written mid-term at the end of the management section, and a written final at the end of the course.
All students (attending and non attending) will anyway be able to take the exam, orally, 6 times a year. This oral exam (for attending and non attending students) will cover the same topics as the written exams for attending students. The reference material will also be the same. For the accounting section only, students will be asked to conduct a few exercises on the blackboard.
All students (attending and non attending) will anyway be able to take the exam, orally, 6 times a year. This oral exam (for attending and non attending students) will cover the same topics as the written exams for attending students. The reference material will also be the same. For the accounting section only, students will be asked to conduct a few exercises on the blackboard.
SECS-P/07 - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING STUDIES - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Polo-Friz Diego
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Polo-Friz DiegoProfessor(s)