OVERVIEW

Business economics is a basic course whose object is the study of the principles and operating logic of business systems.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Business Economics Teaching aims to provide students with a common knowledge about the principles and logic of operating systems. In particular, the nature and functions of enterprises, the nature of unitary systems for the production of wealth, the working conditions linked to economic and financial equilibrium, will be discussed. Students will also have to master the themes of income, capital, and financial needs that are needed to measure the management, organization and detection issues that are subject to specific lessons in the next few years.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims to provide a common basic knowledge of the principles and operating logic of business systems.

In particular, the nature and functions of enterprises as units of production of goods and services intended for market exchange will be examined in depth.

The characteristics of enterprises as unitary systems aimed at the production of wealth will be clarified and the operating conditions linked to the achievement and maintenance of economic and financial equilibrium will be illustrated.

Through this teaching, students will have to acquire mastery of topics - operating income and working capital, profitability, costs, financial needs and sources of financing - fundamental in business economics and indispensable for dealing with management, organization and control which are the subject of specific teachings in subsequent years of the course.

PREREQUISITES

There are no prerequisites.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching takes place through lessons aimed at presenting the concepts, models and analytical tools that are the subject of the course and in exercises dedicated to the presentation of specific applications.

The teaching is available on Aulaweb.

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities  and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Serena Scotto (scotto@economia.unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Business Economics as a scientific discipline. 
The function of the enterprise in the economic system.
Management operations: financing, supplies, transformation, and sales. 
The economic and financial equilibrium.
The accounting reporting of management operations. 
Working capital and operating income. 
The components of capital and income. 
The valuation of assets and liabilities.
Profitability analysis: operating income and net income, ROE and ROI. 
The determinants of profitability.
Cost determination and analysis. 
The break-even analysis.
Introduction to financial needs and their coverage.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mandatory material for exam preparation:

(1) Teaching material published on AulaWeb

Optional material, for non-attending students:

(2) L. Marchi - A. Paolini (a cura di), Introduzione all'economia aziendale, Torino, Giappichelli, 2021.

or

(3) P.M. Ferrando - M. Zuccardi Merli, Capitale e reddito nel funzionamento del sistema aziendale, Torino, Giappichelli, 2005.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Second semester

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written exam, with optional oral exam.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The written exam and the oral exam both focus on the theoretical and applied aspects of the discipline. The exam tests aim to verify understanding and the ability to communicate the topics covered by the course. Overall, it is a necessary condition for passing the exam to be able to effectively communicate the nature of enterprises, the operating logic of business systems, that of income generation and financing needs and to be able to (1) apply the knowledge acquired to the solution of problems relating to the verification of the achievement/maintenance of positions of economic and financial equilibrium, (2) detect simple management operations in accounting terms, analyzing them from an economic and financial perspective.

The oral exam is optional.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Expected learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding: Learners must acquire adequate knowledge and an effective ability to understand the operating logic of business systems, with an in-depth study of the nature and functions of enterprises, their character as unitary systems aimed at producing wealth and the conditions of functioning linked to economic and financial equilibrium.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: Learners must be able to apply the knowledge acquired and understand and solve problems relating to management, organization and control, with particular reference to verifying the achievement/maintenance of positions of economic and financial equilibrium.

Independence of judgment: Learners must be able to use the knowledge acquired both on a conceptual and operational level with independent evaluation ability and skill in different application contexts.

Communication skills: Students must acquire the technical language typical of the discipline to communicate clearly and without ambiguity with specialist and non-specialist interlocutors.​

Learning skills: Learners must develop adequate learning skills that allow them to continue to independently explore the main topics of the discipline, especially in the work contexts in which they will operate.

Additional information for non-attending students: There are no differences between attending and non-attending students.