AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at providing the students knowledge on the principles of corporate governance. In a broad sense, the focus will be the different corporate governance models around the world; in a narrow sense, the focus will be the relationships between ownership and control. Particularly, the relations among corporate governance, financial markets and competitive advantage will be analysed.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course deals with a broad and narrow view of Corporate Governance since:

-  It explores the dynamic relationships among the ownership structures, the governance structures, and the strategies that firms adopt.

- It focuses on the different corporate governance models developed in the principal countries around the world

- It deals with ownership structures, business groups and corporate boards and other controlling mechanisms.

Learning outcomes.

Knowledge and Understanding: Students will acquire adequate knowledge and effective ability to understand the main forms of ownership structures of enterprises and corporate groups, as well as the various capitalisms that have developed internationally.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: Students will be able to apply the acquired knowledge in solving problems related to the relationships between ownership and control of enterprises and the financing models of enterprises. They will also be able to develop the ability to design ownership and governance structures that contribute to the development and growth of different types of enterprises.

Autonomy of judgment: Students will be able to use both conceptually and operationally the acquired knowledge with autonomous judgment and skill in different contexts.

Communication skills: Students will acquire the technical language typical of the discipline to communicate clearly and unambiguously with specialist and non-specialist interlocutors.

Learning skills: Students will develop adequate learning skills that will enable them to continue to explore independently the main issues in the discipline, especially in the contexts in which they will be working. Students will also know how to manage their social interactions with a cooperative attitude and constructive communication.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures, exercises, case studies.

The course is taught in Italian. It is however possible to study, only as not attending students, an English syllabus and to sustain the exam in English.

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

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

- The object of corporate governance.

- Main theories on corporate governance

- Governance models, ownership structures and financing models in the broad conception of corporate governance, with a focus on international contexts.

- Types and roles of ownership and management in the narrow conception of corporate governance.

- Corporate governance of the corporate groups.

- The composition, structure and functioning of corporate boards of directors and supervisory bodies.

- Ownership, control and financing structures of different types of enterprises in Italy (listed enterprises, family enterprises, corporate groups).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

If incoming students choose to study the ordinary syllabus in Italian, they can refer to the other section of the program.

Otherwise, an English syllabus an English syllabus may be organised, based on an English textbook.

Please contact the professor at the beginning of the course for deciding the textbook and the chapters that are more suitable for your learning objectives.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LARA PENCO (President)

SIMONE POLEDRINI (President)

GIORGIA PROFUMO (President)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The course is taught in the first semester, following the calendar and schedule defined by the department od economics and business studies (DIEC).

Schedule and classrooms are available at:Web Agenda | Università degli Studi di Genova (unige.it)

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

For incoming students that follow the Italian syllabus, please refer to the Italian exam description.

For incoming students that follow the English syllabus, the exam is written, with four open-ended questions on the agreed syllabus.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For incoming students that follow the Italian syllabus, please refer to the Italian assesment methods.

The evaluation of the written exam is done by assigning a value between 18 and 30 f(18/30 is the minimun grade - 30/30 is the maximum grade) for each question and making successively an overall average among the four open ended questions. The evaluation takes into account the level of knowledge of the topics, the ability to connect the different topics, the correct use of technical terminology, and the ability to comment and/or provide examples that demonstrate to know the studied theoretical tools.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Attendance is not compulsory; incoming students can choose to study the Italian syllabus for attending or not attending students or the English syllabus (only as not attending students).