FALL SEMESTER
(Sept- Dec 2012)
International Business Studies
All courses are taught in English
The SAA offer
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A New World Economy (5 ECTS)
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Análísis de las estrategias de comunicación aplicadas a la negociación (5 ECTS)
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European Industrial Development: a Regional Historical Case (3 ECTS)
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European Union Law on Tourism and Sports (5 ECTS)
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International Retail and Distribution (5 ECTS)
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Introduction to Psychology in the Workplace (5 ECTS)
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Leadership in a Change Management Process (5 ECTS)
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Professional Communication Skills for Business (3 ECTS)
The USAC offer
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E-Commerce (5 ECTS)
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Economic and Political Institutions of the EU (5 ECTS)
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Intercultural Communication (5 ECTS)
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International Business Law (5 ECTS)
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Legal Environment for Business (5 ECTS)
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Marketing Principles (5 ECTS)
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Operations Management (5 ECTS)
Art & Architecture and Italian Studies
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Architectural Design Studio (7 ECTS)
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Italian Cinema in English Translation (5 ECTS)
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Italian Conversation (5 ECTS)
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Italian Cuisine (2 ECTS)
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Italian Culture (5 ECTS)
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Modern Architecture (5 ECTS)
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20th Century Art (5 ECTS)
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Elementary Italian I and II(7 ECTS)
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Intermediate Italian I and II ( 5 ECTS)
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Italian Composition I and II (5 ECTS)
SPRING SEMESTER
(Jan- May 2013)
International Business Studies
All courses are taught in English
The SAA offer
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Business Process Design, Analysis and Reengineering (5 ECTS)
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Cross Cultural Communication and Negotiation Techniques (7 ECTS)
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Legal Requirements in Business Ethics and Fair Trade (5 ECTS)
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Les entreprises et leur capital intellectuel 5 ECTS)
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Marketing and Communication (5 ECTS)
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Strategic Management (5 ECTS)
The USAC offer
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Business Leadership and Management Competencies (5 ECTS)
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Economic Integration and Common Markets (5 ECTS)
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Intercultural Communication (5 ECTS)
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International Affairs since 1945 (5 ECTS)
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International Finance (5 ECTS)
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International Marketing (5 ECTS)
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Social Structure and Personality (5 ECTS)
Art & Architecture and Italian Studies
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History of Interior Design (5 ECTS)
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History of Modern Design (5 ECTS)
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Italian Conversation (5 ECTS)
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Italian Cuisine (2 ECTS)
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Italian Culture (5 ECTS)
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Italian Literature in English Translation (5 ECTS)
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Urban Design Studio (7 ECTS)
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Elementary Italian I and II (7 ECTS)
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Intermediate Italian I and II ( 5 ECTS)
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Italian Composition I and II(5 ECTS)
Description of Courses
International Business Studies
A New World Economy
Many significant and revolutionary events have influenced the world order between the XX and the XXI century: the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ascent of China and the subsequent acceleration of the globalization process through market integration, September 11 attacks and the military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, and finally the financial crisis that strongly hit Western economies and reshaped global geopolitics. The emergence of new important actors in the political and economical international environment, revolutionized the global equilibriums and the relationships between states.
Our world order is rapidly changing: social, economic and demographic changes will have a huge impact on the world we know and they will determine deep changes in Western societies.
The course is divided in three segments:
- the first part is focused on the development of the West: particular emphasis is placed on the economic institutions that favored the take-off and rise of the western power across the centuries;
- the second part is focused on the end of the first globalization era and on the historical, social and economic changes that reshaped the world structure in XX century. In this session special attention will be devoted to the rise of the international organizations and on their role in the political and financial international environment;
- the third part is focused on the current world order, especially on the rise of the emerging powers all over the globe (from Asia to Africa to Americas). During this session, their new role in the political and economic world order will be investigated. Particular emphasis will be placed on the economic and institutional dynamics of the developing countries and the changes occurred in the last 20 years.
The course is designed to offer the students the tools to interpret the economic, political, cultural and social changes that are reshaping the international world order by comparing present and past events and by investigating the current relationships between the various factors on the global scene. The class should help the students develop the competencies to better decipher the political and economic global framework they’re going to deal within the future.
Análisis de las estrategias de comunicación aplicadas a la negociación
A. Introducción
Comunicar es todo un arte, cuyos elementos verbales y no verbales utilizamos diariamente de forma consciente e inconsciente para llevar a cabo con éxito todo tipo de negociación. Sin embargo, no cabe duda de que las fronteras que los seres humanos estábamos acostumbrados a definir como nuestro territorio social se están volviendo progresivamente más elásticas y permeables. El mundo en que vivimos, estudiamos y trabajamos a menudo sale de nuestro ámbito cultural originario, se proyecta hacia una dimensión omnicomprensiva que es parte y también resultado de la tendencia globalizadora de nuestra sociedad.
Entonces, es necesario saber definir primero las coordenadas que fijan nuestra posición en el tablero del complejo juego de las representaciones mentales, y luego desarrollar capacidades controladas para abarcar lo diferente sociolingüístico y sociocultural con sensibilidad y empatía.
El curso se compone principalmente de tres partes:
- análisis de los elementos implícitos y explícitos de la actitud cultural, definición de los aspectos positivos y negativos de los estereotipos y de los elementos que pueden causar el choque cultural, estudio del uso y significado del tiempo y de otras dimensiones para clasificar las diferentes culturas;
- definición de competencia comunicativa y estudio de los factores que la componen, de los elementos de comunicación verbal y no verbal de tipo kinésico, proxémico y cronémico y de la teoría de la atribución en el acto comunicativo;
- estudio de los aspectos principales de las culturas de negociación en Europa comparadas con algunas extraeuropeas, construcción de una pragmatica de la negociación intercultural.
B. Objetivos
- Obtener una concepción teórico?práctica del campo de la comunicación y negociación internacional es y sus diferentes expresiones y aplicaciones.
- Conocer los orígenes de la negociación internacional y algunos conceptos relacionados a la resolución de conflictos.
- Desarrollar habilidades para poder analizar debitamente procesos de negociación internacional, aplicando estrategias específicas y reconociendo las características la contraparte en una negociación.
C. Metodología
El curso se realizará a modo de seminario, donde el profesor ejercerá un papel de facilitador, motivando a la discusión entre todos los estudiantes sobre los conceptos y ejemplos planteados en las sesiones. Así que el éxito del curso estará basado tambie? en el trabajo y la participación activa de cada asistente. En este sentido, el elemento central será el análisis del material propuesto por el docente para profundizar sobre los contenidos y las diferentes técnicas aplicados a casos reales.
Business Leadership and Management Competencies
Course objectives
At the end of this course the students will be able to:
- Understand and illustrate different leadership approaches and select the most appropriate based on the context, also considering cultural factors in an international setting
- Apply some of the models to experiential learning situations (movie/video analysis, role play, learning games, case studies)
- Observe and analyze a team in action and suggest possible actions to modify the dynamics
Instructional approach
The course is based on three main pillars:
Theory
There is no textbook required but you will receive assignments weekly (articles, movies, observations, group discussions).
Individual Activities:
Be prepared to search, read, reflect on and bring to class material linked (even if in an apparently strange way) to the subject: movies, theatre plays, personal stories, books, articles, websites.
Group Activities:
You will have to work in different team situations in different roles (leader, team member, observer). Openness to feedback, willingness to collaborate, support to other people’s learning processes, appreciative approach and respect are essential to actively contribute to the success of this program.
Business Process Design, Analysis and Reengineering
“What gets measured, gets managed”: this simple yet fundamental concept constitutes the common denominator for the whole course.
“Managing by fact” people, financial resources, organizational structures and technologies constitutes a primary competitive advantage for all students that inspire to become successful managers in their professional future.
This module aims to promote a critical understanding of the key concepts, theories and tools of business process design, analysis and management and to provide the opportunity to apply such knowledge to specific problems of Business Process Management and Reengineering. Particular emphasis will be given to the managerial and organizational aspects related to the change and innovation variables involved in the transition phase from a function based company to a process based one.
Managerial tools and techniques for performance improvement and cost effectiveness will also be discussed and analysed.
By the end of the course the participants should be able to:
- apply the appropriate terminology of Process Management and BPR – Business Process Reengineering;
- define the goals, the KPIs and the expected results of Process Management and improvement of BPR projects;
- analyse models of reference and the main phases of a BPR project;
- identify the critical success factors of a BPR project;
- interpret and analyse the core competencies and responsibilities of the key managerial roles of a process driven organization
- design, for a given process management project, the phases, the related activities, the resources involved and the expected outputs.
Cross Cultural Communication and Negotiation Techniques
Topics and simulations. Negotiation Techniques
- The different ways of negotiation
- The four important personal negotiation styles
- The hard, the weak and the mixed negotiation
Exercises and case simulations
- Negotiating with dominant interlocutor
- Negotiating in difficult situation
- Other exercises
Body language in business
- Learning observing negotiators
- Interpreting meaning of mimic, gesture and posture. Analysing the consistency between the spoken word and the silent language according to the situation, terlocutors and goals
- Major cultural differences
Exercises
- Simulations in small groups
Cross Cultural Negotiation Techniques. Introduction and discussion of the major elements by international transactions
- The basic concept of international negotiation
- Major basic rules and aspects of international negotiation, such as: main goal, negotiating attitude, personal style, communicative approach, sensitivity of time and propensity to take risks.
Several case simulations in small groups
Special negotiation exercises and preparation for the examination
Examination test. Simulation to optimise examination performance
- Every group has to prepare the case as it would negotiate (60 minutes)
- One group negotiate with me, the other participants observe the performance
- Common analysis of the performance with a feed-back.
Begin with the examinations: four participants simulate a real negotiation. Preparation time: 60 minutes, examination time: 45 minutes plus 15 minutes feed-back.
E-Commerce
Course Objective
This course aims to provide the basic concepts and instruments necessary to design and implement an international online retailing project. Students will not learn eb development techniques, but rather be ready, at the end of the course, to take one of the positions of e-commerce store manager, multi-channel manager, online merchandiser more and more offered by European companies.
Course description
The growth of the Internet continually changes the strategies and operation of all business today. Taught by an industry professional, the course will present topics as they are treated at the cutting edge of current high-end international ecommerce projects. Topics will include: ecommerce among the host of distribution channels; types of players in the ecommerce sector; technologies and services minimum requirements and best practices; international taxation; cultural need of localizing graphical interfaces and product offering; languages; currencies; payment methods; international price differentiation; international legal aspects; international CRM; international Webmarketing and communication; logistics and customs; data ownership, selection and analysis; examples of metrics and KPI; some impacts of digital sales throughout the company: product photos, sizes, labeling, inventory and more; the future: example of digital sales beyond Web-commerce, where retail will likely go. This information will serve as a foundation for continual learning in this dynamic environment.
Economic and Political Institutions of the EU
The creation of the European Union will go down in history as one of the most remarkable achievements of the twentieth century; in less than two generations Europeans fought two appalling wars among themselves, appreciated the dangers of nationalism and sat down to design a system that would make inconceivable that they would ever take up arms against each other again. A body of laws and treaties has been agreed and a set of institutions has been created that have altered the political, economic and social landscape of western Europe. The main objective of this class is to gain understanding on how European Union works and about what it means for the millions of people who live under its jurisdiction. Our goal is to provide students with fair understandings of globalisation, trade liberalization and regionalism.
Economic Integration and Common Markets
In 1965 Sir Arthur Lewis wrote, “These islands did not start on the federal road in a fit of idleness. They started because it was clear that a Federation is the only possible solution of their problems.” To better understand what Sir Arthur meant, we must first define the term regional integration. Although this term has been in existence for a long time, a precise definition is not easy to formulate. Generally it refers to the unification of nation states into a larger whole. On one hand, regional integration can be described as a dynamic process that entails a country’s willingness to share or unify into a larger whole. The degree to which it shares and what it shares determines the level of integration.
There are different degrees of integration depending on predefined criteria. On the other hand, regional integration also refers to an outcome, occurring when pre set criteria are met.
When political leaders call for the deepening of integration, they must recall the measures on which they previously agreed and then specify the next set of measures Regional integration involves some compromise on the part of nation states, but should enhance the general quality of life for the citizens of those states. The OECS member states have also had the longest and most sustained engagement with regional integration. At times when the other Caribbean islands have not seen the movement to be in their best national interest, they have withdrawn. The OECS members have however moved ahead to forge their own identity and have received many benefits from those efforts.
European Industrial Development
Course contents
The main objective of the course is to study in depth the European Industrial Development during the XIX and XX century, focalizing, in particular, on the regional case of Piedmont.
The course is divided in four main parts:
- the origins of industrialization in Europe;
- the main features of Italian industrialization (XIX and XX century)
- the industrial development in Piedmont (XIX and XX century)
- The role of Torino as a pole of Piedmont industry.
In the first part we briefly consider the main characteristics of the industrial revolution and its diffusion to all European countries. We will analyse the main differences between English, German, Spanish and Italian industrialization. Besides, we consider the most famous interpretation of industrial development (Gershenkron, Rostow, Shumpeter, Pollard…)
The second part will put in evidence the main aspects of Italian industrialization before and after WW2:
- the dualism among the North and the South;
- the dualism among big firm and industrial districts;
- the dualism among traditional and technologically advanced goods;
- the role of the State;
- the bank centred financial system.
Third part will be about a specific regional case: Piedmont industry. In particular we consider:
- the birth of Piedmont industry in the second half of XIX century;
- the role played by Piedmont during Italian industrial take off (1900-1914)
- the industrial and financial crisis between the two world wars;
- the Piedmont role during the Italian Economic Boom (1958-1963)
- Piedmont in the seventies and in the eighties: big business and industrial districts.
Finally, in the fourth part we take in consideration Torino as a big financial and economic pole of attraction. In particular, we consider how some big firm, like FIAT, attracted capitals and supported the birth of many little business activities.
Learning results and Didactic objectives
The course will develop some general competences:
- achieving a high level of self-learning.
- understanding the global and local dimension of the industrial economics, their social complexity and their environmental impact.
Besides the course will develop some specific competences:
a) cognitive:
- knowing the historical dimension of the industrial economics phenomenon in order to achieve a better understanding of contemporary society.
- studying the following aspects:
- the industrial organization in the twentieth century: policy options;
- the operation and performance of imperfectly competitive markets and the behavior of firms: technical and institutional changes.
- The factors and strategies that provide firms with a competitive advantage: monopoly, oligopoly and others.
b) procedural:
- promoting the use of the business history analytical instruments
- establishing a comparative analysis: regions, sectors and companies.
c) attitudinal:
-promoting a critical attitude towards the historical patterns of economic growth, taking into account their social and environmental impacts.
European Union Law on Tourism and Sports
A course about leisure. Might sound good. But then, the word “law” bothers you a little… boring? Relax, it’s leisure! We won’t take it all that seriously… What this course intends to discuss is: is the European Union concerned about free time at all? Is there anything like a leisure policy in the European Union? Or is it all about market, competition, the euro…?
When the European Economic Community was founded by France, Germany, Italy and the Benelux States in 1957, the final objective the founding States decided to pursue was “the improvement of the living conditions of the people of the Member States”. That meant, at the time, building a common market, getting rid of obstacles to trade, defending fair competition – strictly economic goals. But throughout the years, the Member States, which were becoming more and more, started thinking that improving the people’s living conditions also means protecting them as consumers, ensuring them a clean(er) environment, offering them cultural and training opportunities… The people’s well-being is not just about economic aspects.
In today’s enlarged European Union, the “social” aspects of living conditions are the frontier theme – especially as to services. So what about services concerning leisure – especially in the areas of sports and tourism? These areas are essential to life nowadays, and academics are indeed concentrating on them. Many leading Universities in the United States and all over the world offer courses in Tourism and Sports Management, and the University of Turin, a city that has become familiar to the public worldwide thanks to the Winter Olympics 2006 – and the connected tourism promotion – has followed this example.
But there’s more to tourism and sports than management, marketing, advertising – even in the view of us Italians, who tend to connect tourism and sports to fun, sunshine, seaside, mountains and music! There are rules. There need to be rules. It’s fine to think of tourists crowding attractive places in complete freedom, of sports people training, running, having a great time just as they wish; however, in order to ensure them and the community the utmost enjoyment of these activities, there must be rules to shape them, just as any good game needs good rules to make it fun.
We will be looking at the rules which organize leisure activities in Europe. Mind you, not written rules, nothing like the good old boring Civil Code or Treaty… in fact, coming back to our initial questions: formally, no, there’s not yet a structured leisure policy in the European Union, but the recent Lisbon Treaty has set the cornerstones for European tourism and sports policies; furthermore, there are entire sets of rules worked out by the Court of Justice in cases decided over the last decades. The European Union is indeed concerned about free time, just because it is becoming such an important ingredient in people’s lives, and leisure activities are enhanced and regulated in the European Union.
Therefore, this course is going to be a “peculiar” law course. It will be about finding out which general EU policies have an impact on tourism and sports; which relation there is between the rules of National Federations (football, skiing, etc.) and State and EU rules; what happens if something goes wrong – the package holiday is different from what was promised, there is an accident during a sports competition, a sports event doesn’t turn out as well as expected…
We will look at judgments by the European Court of Justice and national courts, we will discuss strategies and remedies, we will think together whether it sounds reasonable for the European Union to enact structured leisure policies soon… You do not need to be a lawyer, or even to have studied some law, in order to join the course. All you need is curiosity for how things work behind the scene, for what is required in order to make tourism and sports real fun, and especially, as we say in Turin since the 2006 Winter Olympics, PASSION for good, healthy, formative leisure activities!
Intercultural Communication
This course offers an introduction to the major issues related to intercultural communication. The main course objectives are to provide students with an understanding of the intercultural communication process, to develop the skills necessary to analyze intercultural interaction episodes, and to reflect on one’s own communicating behaviour in intercultural settings.
International Business Law: to be announced
International Affairs since 1945
The main objective of the course is to gain understanding of the major international developments since the end of the World War II. Special attention will be devoted to the analysis of the collapse of the Communist regimes of Eastern Europe, the transformation of East-West relations and the main international conflicts which have changed so drastically the nature of today’s world politics.
More specifically the course will examine the following areas and activities related to International Affairs:
- Analyze the dynamics of post-World War II relations from the Cold-War period to coexistence
- Explain the reasons of the collapse of the Russian Empire and the consequences for international affairs
- Understand the factors influencing international affairs: cultural, economic and social reasons of conflicts
- Study and assess the implications of the United Nations’ role in a changing world
International Finance
This course provides an understanding of international financial markets, financing of international business operations and investments and financial decision making in the multinational firm. The course will also cover topics such as measuring and managing currency risk, foreign exchange rates, international monetary systems, balance of payments and international financial institutions. The course will provide insight to the connections between theoretical determinants of international finance and realities of international financial management. Students taking this course for graduate credit will complete additional coursework/projects. Prerequisite: Principles of Managerial Finance, Corporate Finance or equivalent.
International Marketing
This is an introductory international business course but also an advanced marketing course. It is designed to introduce the student to a systematic and in-depth analytical treatment of marketing operations on a global scale. Emphasis is placed on developing global marketing strategies, planning and organizing for international marketing, and on the strategic implications of competition in different country markets. Students taking this course for graduate credit will complete additional coursework/projects.
International Retail and Distribution
Course Objectives
Based on today working experience, I would like to focus the course on a few selected topics. Among others I would like to concentrate my attention on 4 main aspects of international retail system:
- distribution,
- pricing,
- value added services, and
- m-government.
Distribution. While the global approach to market helps to find standardized distribution solutions, each industry needs to know local distribution system. Distribution here is not intended as physical shipping of products and services but as all commercial efforts needed to offer to middlemen what is required for end users. The value added chain approach including margins offered to retailers and related services required, will help better understand how similar products/services will follow different route to specific markets. Several examples will come from White, Brown, IT and TELCO consumer goods. Tangible products will be differentiate from un-tangible one, such as pure service (i.e. airtime for Telco).
Pricing. Pricing methodology follows a different route. Similarly to sales distribution, students should evaluate how HW is designed in North America, developed in the Far East, sold to internal customer; while SW is designed in Europe, developed in Asia and sold throughout the world. The above example is coming from Telco industry, where the combination of HS and SW is required for service provider middlemen: the operator. How to price at the appropriate level each component of the supply chain? Here again several examples from consumer goods will help understand all price implications required.
Value added services. In the past mobile devices used to be voice offer only tools. Nowadays new services are offered by OPCos, commonly defined as VAS. Voice only services cover a limited part of TELCO industry, while new opportunities are offered including: video streaming, push services, info-communication, TV access, gaming, m-payment, and many others. How retail and distributions are affected? What is the role of all players including OPCos? Can you use your mobile device to buy a round trip ticket to the USA while in Finland, charging you French bank account? Can you do it on behalf of your best friend, giving it as a special X’mas gift? How many players are involved in such mobile transaction over the virtual borders? Usability and related pricing structure need to be nderstood.
M - government. New virtual distribution channels offer new opportunities for both enterprises, public administration and citizens. Mobile devices and new payment methods offer additional opportunities to make “our life easier” in everyday activities. How devices, technology and value added services will coexist? What are the real opportunities for all players?
After 6 days participants must be able to understand the level of complexity generated in a multinational environment where end user’s customs and habits have to match commercial entity requirements.
By the end of the course, you should be more confident to tackle strategic marketing problems and be familiar with tools and techniques used in a complex and ever changing context. You will also be able to highlight in a proper way how retail and distributions belong to international marketing studies at both strategic and tactic level.
In addition to that, by the end of the course, students should be able to identify and explain the important concepts of international marketing related to commercial distribution, and then apply them in practical situations.
Introduction to Psychology in the Workplace
Didactic objectives
The course aims to:
- Provide an introduction to the main domains of intervention of work psychology, organizational psychology and ergonomics, and the related career opportunities.
- Develop an epistemological path to conceptual comprehension of the “organization”, through the main theories, methods and instruments.
- Present the main areas of research and intervention of the operator(s) at work (studied from an individual and collective perspective), among which: personnel selection; job and competency analysis; work-related stress; organizational learning;career development; leadership.
- Introduce the main approaches to work analysis (normative models and descriptive models)
- Present the basic concepts of Ergonomics, as the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of the interactions among humans and the other elements of work systems in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.
Learning results
By the end of the course students will be able to manage and apply the basic knowledge related to work and organizational psychology, and efficiently intervene on enhancing organizational performance and operators well-being.
Leadership in a Change Management Process
Introduction
Organizations worldwide are confronting more turbulent markets, more demanding shareholders, and more discerning customers, and many are restructuring to meet such challenges. Change is always happening, like a river winding its way to the ocean; it never ceases. Continuous and overlapping change has become a way of life in the corporate environment. Leaders who want to get ahead in today’s marketplace must learn to respond to a growing number of changes in how they structure companies, conduct business, and implement technology. International operating companies have all entered global markets in order to remain competitive and to search for new business opportunities. To fulfil this multitude of tasks, companies need leaders. The leadership process involves using authority to help determine group or organizational goals, motivating members to work towards achieving those objective, and influencing dynamics and organizational culture.
Target Group:
This course is open to anyone interested in communication and leadership skills. It would prove most useful for those students who interned in future to work in management and in contact with people.
Pre-Requisites for Participants:
Beside good English knowledge, no special requirements are needed
Course Contents:
- To discover and improve participants personal characteristics (charisma)
- To develop communication skills, empathetic approach, international awareness
- To develop skills needed to convince clients, colleagues, employees and subordinates, especially during the change management process
- To learn to project ones best image by listening actively, speaking well and confidently
- To develop skills needed to persuade listeners on controversial topics, solve conflicts, and overcome resistance to change
- To develop skill needed to influence attitudes and actions of others and to motivate others to achieve organisational goals
- To deal with difficult interlocutors and in delicate situations
- To manage conflicts
- To develop team leadership skills to choose the appropriate style of leadership to face up challenging people and difficult issues according to the personal characteristics of the counterpart
- Knowing the future trends of leadership
Teaching Methods:
- Very interactive with continuous simulations
- Special cases based on nautical idiom and metaphor: “We are all in the same boat”, and “Who Moved My Cheese”
- “Great conductors”
- Other cases, such as conflict management
Legal Environment for Business: to be announced
Legal Requirements in Business Ethics and Fair Trade
The globalization process is offering the world new, exciting opportunities, but it is also stressing worrying strains on international trade, people’s welfare in developing (and developed…) countries, social rights, environmental concerns… Slowly but steadily, new rules are taking shape in order to direct this worldwide process towards sustainable development and increasing wellbeing of the earth’s population. The “Legal requirements in business ethics and fair trade” course is aimed at exploring the emerging set of these rules, becoming more and more consistent at European Union and international level. It does not require prior knowledge of European or International Law, just active curiosity and some feeling for the urgent need for ethical rules (whatever these may be – it is indeed disputable…) in everyday life, and especially in the world of companies and trade transactions. It is also a hardly theoretical, but indeed very practical course: it looks at different aspects of ethical concerns, and is based predominantly on discussing examples of rules, experimental experiences and cases.
A first part of the course is focused on Business Ethics. The main questions we shall think about and discuss together will be: what is ethics and how does it apply to business? How does ethics shape corporate social responsibility? Can ethics successfully be taken into account in working out legal firm strategies? What are the bases of ethical decision making, and how do they affect choices? Is the European Union starting to work towards ethical objectives? We shall also look at the impact of ethical requirements on international trade contracts, consumer contracts, the free circulation of goods in the European market, advertising regulations and selling schemes in the EU; and we will talk about ethical contract terms, contract transparency and codes of conduct.
A further part of the course concerns Fair Trade, a rather recent trend in international trade – and in responsible everyday consumption – aimed at fostering the welfare of poorer populations by finding common points between the requirements of economical development and the protection of social rights, especially concerning women and minors. We shall look at some experiences of microcredit and fair trade schemes, and especially at the scopes and activity of the leading Fair Trade Organizations.
Fair Trade is an originally European initiative: it started in Europe around the middle of the last century, initially in northern European countries (primarily Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom), and here it keeps its deepest roots and pursues its strongest innovative actions; the basic idea of a fundamental unfairness in international trade, for the eyes of small producers of raw materials and handicrafts in the poorer countries, rapidly spread out all over Europe and in the United States and Japan. Tracing the steps of the evolution of Fair Trade nowadays means studying the development of Alternative Trade Organizations in the privileged countries. We shall therefore discuss the importance of “import centres”, or fair trade organizations, in our countries’ laws, and inquire whether the idea of an alternative pattern to traditional international trade, helping not through economic aid, but by stimulating local growth in developing countries through the coordination of small community projects, can work.
Particularly, we shall examine consumers’ reactions to these new “extralegal” rules, and ask ourselves whether responsible consumption and fair trade schemes are interesting for the developed world’s consumers, and therefore display the desired effect – and especially, whether and how more could be done by enacting suitable rules. Finally, we will look at the European Union’s approach to fair trade rules: the taking into account of fair trade in the picture of new EU initiatives will be our main theme here.
Les Entreprises et leur capital Intellectuel
D’un point de vue terminologique, on entend par Propriété Intellectuelle l’ensemble des créations de l’esprit exposées sommairement dans le sous-titre et compréhensive par conséquent tant des droits de propriété littéraire et artistique (droits d’auteurs et voisins) que de ceux dont il est fait usage dans le commerce et désignés comme Propriété Industrielle : marques, brevets, noms de domaine ….
Le cadre du cours :
Analytique: s’agissant de la Propriété Industrielle, ce cours n’entend pas développer le droit des brevets (inventions) - qui approfondit un domaine technique parfois plus à la portée d’un ingénieur que d’un étudiant en économie - mais plutôt celui des marques tout en présentant brièvement d’autres signes voisins tels que ceux propres à la création même de l’entreprise. Le droit d’auteur sera également approfondi en ce qu’il touche à des conflits très actuels tels que ceux attachés à la numérisation des œuvres littéraires ou encore ceux liés aux confins de la protection de l’idée publicitaire …
Géographique : l’analyse des différents thèmes ira de (I) l’International, s’agissant du statut de la marque dite internationale et de quelques notions générales relatives au système de protection américain, (II) à l’échelle Européenne avec l’étude de la Marque communautaire mais aussi des textes communautaires intégrés aux différentes législations nationales protégeant la propriété industrielle, (III) avant d’approfondir le statut des titres nationaux (français, italien) attribués aux différents signes distinctifs.
Après cette indispensable présentation théorique du contexte de la PI, les étudiants seront en mesure de travailler sur des cas pratiques d’actualité et de développer leur propre opinion sur la résolution de conflits touchant le secteur publicitaire (quand saisir les tribunaux ordinaires – action en concurrence déloyale, en violation de droits d’auteur ou leur préférer les autorités spécialisées – Conseil de la Concurrence, Autorità Garante, ARPP, Giurì …), la vente (quid de la responsabilité en cas d’infractions à travers une vente en ligne : vente de produits contrefaits sur E-Bay ; questions relatives au téléchargement en ligne des œuvres musicales et vidéos), la rémunération des auteurs dans le cadre de la numérisation de leurs œuvres (cf numérisation des bibliothèques par Google et mise à disposition sur Internet, vente de livres numériques …).
Enfin et si le temps à disposition le permet, une dernière touche turinoise viendra éventuellement parfaire le parcours intellectuel des étudiants : une brève illustration de l’expérience « olympique » de la soussignée au sein du Comité d’Organisation des Jeux Olympiques de Torino 2006 comme Brand Protection Manager. Il s’agira d’exposer en pratique ce que signifie protéger la propriété intellectuelle d’une « entreprise » tel qu’un Comité olympique et découvrir comment cette activité implique souvent d’avantage une intervention de type marketing plutôt que juridique (sensibilisation des consommateurs/spectateurs, des commerçants, à la valeur de la propriété intellectuelle « olympique » ; collaboration avec les Forces de l’Ordre, les Douanes ; garanties en faveur des sponsor et licenciés de l’entreprise à travers des clauses contractuelles spécifiques ..).
Marketing and Communication
The focus of the course is the examination of the essential concepts, theories, models and frameworks of branding and communication with the purpose to apply them in real contexts, national and international.
Brands multiple contact points will be discussed, linking brand management with integrated marketing, international communication and customers management.
The background of the teacher is over 20 years of experience as Marketing Manager, Director and Marketing Consultant in different countries in leading fast moving Consumer Goods Companies and her approach is therefore fully business oriented, sharing with the students experiences in Marketing, Communication and Customers Management.
The objective is to develop the competences and the necessary knowledge to future managers operating in the areas of marketing and communication.
Course objectives
After completing this course, students should be able to:
- understand branding and its strategic implications, understand the consumers and economic value of brand equity, understand how crucial are brands in modern integrated marketing
- understand the importance of combining traditional and modern communication approaches such as online Marketing and social media on one hand and classical communication on the other hand.
- develop a conceptual framework that covers most of the variables that we bear in mind when we make decisions related to planning, implementation, and control of branding strategies and actions
- understand the increasing importance of Retailers Brands, as they are becoming a key element of the Sales relationship with Customers
- develop decision making competences, analysis and problems solving skills through business cases.
- develop competence and skills in order to be able to communicate effectively at both oral and written level
Marketing Principles
This course focuses on objectives and policies of marketing managers as influenced by marketing institutions, the functions performed and consumer wants and needs in a diverse culture. Prerequisite: completion of lower-division business core courses.
Operations Management
This course focuses on planning, organizing, directing and controlling all of the activities of processes that convert inputs into products and services. In addition, concepts, issues and problems are emphasized by requiring identification of operational problems, analysis of the alternatives, and recommending solutions using quantitative methods and models for decision-making. Topics include linear programming, inventory modelling, product and service design, location planning, scheduling and project management.
Prerequisite: lower-division business core courses.
Professional Communication Skills for Business
This is a business communications course which will interest management students looking to improve their reading, writing and analysing skills. The course will show students how to analyse business cases, write reports as well as research and prepare proposals. They will learn to produce press office material ranging from a brief company biography and mission statement to a persuasive press release.
Students will simulate a work environment by working both in teams and individually towards set goals. Subject areas will include technology, HR, finance and Marketing.
Lessons will cover:
- Identifying and organising key business concepts
- Recognising influences and impacts
- Analysing and critically evaluating business case studies
- Preparing SWOT and STEP analyses
- Summarising business texts
- Analysing cause and effect relationships
- Proposing solutions
- Enhancing management and business vocabulary
This course is designed to equip management students with the skills to analyse, prepare and deliver influential business documents.
Social Structure and Personality
Students will explore the topic of how who they are is a function of where they are. Sociologists refer to that as the intersection of social structures and personality. This course, would answer questions such as, is there an American personality or a German or an Italian personality? If so, what elements of each society shape these traits? How does race/ethnicity and gender make us who we are? What about the roles we play; do those help shape our personalities? Through what pathway does this influence occur?
Strategic Management
This module aims to promote a critical understanding of the key concepts, theories and tools of business strategy in an international context, and to provide the opportunity to apply such knowledge to specific problems. It will promote an ability to take a strategic view of organisations in dynamic, complex and global environments.
By the end of the course the participants should have:
- Developed a critical understanding of the nature and role of strategy and its theories and concepts
- An understanding of the complex national and international forces driving change and a critical awareness of the strategic decision making implications.
- Practised using strategic concepts, theories and tools of analysis applied to business problems in an international context.
- Developed strategic problem solving skills including diagnosis & problem formulation, analysis, generation of options and selection of possible solutions.
- Developed strategic thinking skills (critical, pragmatic, creative)
- Developed communication skills
Art, Architecture and Italian
Architectural Design Studio
Turin is a post-industrial historical city. Car factories and abandoned industrial buildings coexist with Baroque blocks and Roman and Medieval monuments. This course is an exploration of both the constraints and the potential for creativity offered by such a situation. Students are expected to translate their thoughts about the city into architectural solutions, which are deeply related to the context in which they are placed, establishing a dialogue between the designed buildings and the site.
History of Interior Design
Evolution of domestic architecture, interior design and decoration with a focus on Italy from the Etruscan period through the Baroque. It emphasises the relationship of interior design of space for human use and interaction with visual criteria.
History of Modern Design
This advanced-level course charts the history of design from roughly 1880 until the 1970s. The course covers the major trends, events, key figures and works in architectural interior design, focusing on a wide range of media including architecture and furniture, graphic arts, metalwork, ceramics and glass, fiber arts and new media. Special attention will be given to European and Italian design. Lectures will follow many of the chapters from the textbook and the subject matter will be illustrated through tangible, on-the-spot examples in Torino and completed with visits to museums, temporary exhibitions and videos. Guest lectures by specialists will amplify classroom activities. Will complete the topics of course a short but intensive seminar on car design consisting in a lecture and guided visits to the: “Car Museum” , “Fiat Historical Museum” and “Fiat Factory”.
Italian Cinema in English Translation
This Film course serves as a key to understanding Italian society. It introduces the history of Italian film and its major genres, studies the relationship of film to literature and the performing arts, and examines films currently released in the commercial and the film festival circuits. Students may be able to attend the Turin Film Festival and other major European film festivals that occur in the fall.
Italian Cuisine
Students are given the opportunity to observe the art of preparing Italian foods and study the relationship between food and culture. USAC provides instruction and facilities for this cooking class. Each student is charged a separate, non-refundable fee of $280 to help pay for the ingredients. Enrolment is limited to 20 on a first come basis. This fee also entitles you to enjoy the great dishes that are prepared in class!
Italian Culture
Intensive study of Italian culture, both in historical perspective and contemporary society. Students taking the course for 400 level Anthropology credit will write two research papers.
Italian Literature in English Translation
The course aims to explore several different kinds of narrative in Italy -- the Latin narrative, the medieval novella, the modern short story, the novel, and the diary. These varieties of narrative have all been adapted into film, the most popular form of contemporary narrative. How this happens is one of the issues that this course deals with. The works in the course are set in a variety of historical periods and places — first-century Southern Italy, fourteenth-century Florence, nineteenth-century Venice and Sicily, post-World-War-II Eastern Europe, and the Rome of the 1960s so-called economic boom.
Three works in the course – Satyricon, “The Overtaking,” and The Truce – have to do with journeys.
Three other works – I Malavoglia, Senso, and The Leopard -- are set in era of the founding of the modern Italian state. These three were all made into films by Luchino Visconti in the latter twentieth century and so reflected the concerns of post-World-War II Italy.
Although written in the fourteenth- century, Decameron can give us insight into life in modern Italy. All of these works (except one) have been adapted into film.
Modern Architecture
The history of modern architecture from the late 18th to 1965. We will consider the “prehistory” of modern architecture and follow its development as architects created a new architecture by addressing rapidly changing cultural, economic and technological forces unleased by the Industrial Revolution and modern science.
Urban Design Studio
This course focuses on design and architecture in an historic urban context. The course challenges notions of design and explores the relationships between design theory and practice in Italian and European tradition. Design principles are investigated in order to understand the development of urban sites, their morphological structure and their typological elements. The historic center of Torino and surrounding areas will provide the ideal framework for understanding the role of architecture in an urban context through the analysis of cultural, economical, functional paradigms. Design patterns are examined in relation to contemporary theories on urban renewal and to historical case studies.
20th Century Art
This advanced-level course provides a historical overview of the major ideas, social and political events, artists and art movement of the 20th Century. Throughout the course, we will engage with a wide variety of media from the last century including painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, collage, manifestos, sound art, film, design, architecture, performance art, and new media installations. Lectures will be presented in conjunction with in-class discussions.
The course will incorporate visits to local museums and art collections (paid for USAC students only). Special attention will be given to Italian art movements – such as Futurism and Arte Povera. The final grade will be based upon in-class activities,essays, and mid-semester and final examinations, etc.
Elementary Italian I and II
Introduction to the language through the development of language skills and through structural analysis. Particular emphasis on oral skills.
Intermediate Italian I and II
Intended to further develop Italian language skills, both oral and written. Conversation, reading, and writing focus on culture and modern literature. Particular emphasis on oral skills.
Italian Composition I and II
Designed to continue expanding accuracy in writing Italian. It covers syntax and idiomatic usage.
Italian Conversation
This course facilitates the acquisition of language necessary to express oneself in daily situations as well as in more difficult context. Functionally oriented conversational themes and related vocabulary and phraseology will be introduced for discussion and intensive practice.
