Syllabus
EN
IT
Learning Objectives
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT course is structured in two modules and aims to bring to first-year master students direct field experience about what strategies companies have to plan and execute to adapt to their competitive environment. This includes a specific lens on how companies need to manage their key business processes, with a focus on understanding how digital technologies are transforming these processes.
The ENTERPRISE EVOLUTION module focuses on competition. In particular, how does it work? How do firms survive, adapt and evolve towards sustainability? And how do the mechanisms of co-evolution between firms, markets and country systems work? It is a matter of fact that Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species (1859) has been representing a catalyst publication also for the development of the management literature. Although the contribution of Darwinism to understanding how firms and country-systems evolve remains controversial to date, a number of heterogeneous research perspectives have been developed within the enterprise evolution research and teaching fields. On this basis, this module aims at explaining how the enterprises’ governance and management evolve under uncertainty in dynamic and complex environments. In this regard, key attention will be devoted to strategic decision making in both the stages of natural and competitive selection,
The DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION MANAGEMENT module focuses on the main business changes enabled by the digital transformation both in terms of innovative business models and redesigned business processes. The module analyses how enterprise information systems have been playing a major role in the digital transformation process and how the artificial intelligence is expected to further accelerate the changes both in the relationships with the customers and in the internal operations. The final section dives into the strategic thinking that is driving the company’s decisions in the digital transformation journey.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
1. Developing a theoretical and practical understanding about how competition works, how firms survive, adapt and evolve and how the mechanisms of co-evolution between firms, markets and country systems work.
2. Develop an understanding about how digital transformation is managed and how companies are transforming their business model and their key business processes, through the acquisition of a digital transformation toolbox.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
1. Applying knowledge related to on how enterprise adaptation works, how enterprises and their competitive environments mutually co-evolve, and how the fundamentals of enterprises’ strategy can be implemented through their life cycle.
2. Applying knowledge related to the Business Model Innovation (BMI) and the Business Process Management (BPM) and understanding the key role played by the Enterprise Information System.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS
1. Evaluating the sustainability of firms as competitive forces at different stages of their life cycle.
2. Identifying key business decisions companies have to face in their digital transformation journey.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Exposing business cases in group and in public, also summarizing them, in terms of data visualization, through a brief report/presentation.
2. Presenting and defending a business proposal in a digital forum, in interaction with the classmates.
LEARNING SKILLS
1. Analyzing critically competition through a "theory and practice" mixed approach.
2. Analyzing critically the digital transformation impact on business models and business processes.
The STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT course is structured in two modules and aims to bring to first-year master students direct field experience about what strategies companies have to plan and execute to adapt to their competitive environment. This includes a specific lens on how companies need to manage their key business processes, with a focus on understanding how digital technologies are transforming these processes.
The ENTERPRISE EVOLUTION module focuses on competition. In particular, how does it work? How do firms survive, adapt and evolve towards sustainability? And how do the mechanisms of co-evolution between firms, markets and country systems work? It is a matter of fact that Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species (1859) has been representing a catalyst publication also for the development of the management literature. Although the contribution of Darwinism to understanding how firms and country-systems evolve remains controversial to date, a number of heterogeneous research perspectives have been developed within the enterprise evolution research and teaching fields. On this basis, this module aims at explaining how the enterprises’ governance and management evolve under uncertainty in dynamic and complex environments. In this regard, key attention will be devoted to strategic decision making in both the stages of natural and competitive selection,
The DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION MANAGEMENT module focuses on the main business changes enabled by the digital transformation both in terms of innovative business models and redesigned business processes. The module analyses how enterprise information systems have been playing a major role in the digital transformation process and how the artificial intelligence is expected to further accelerate the changes both in the relationships with the customers and in the internal operations. The final section dives into the strategic thinking that is driving the company’s decisions in the digital transformation journey.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
1. Developing a theoretical and practical understanding about how competition works, how firms survive, adapt and evolve and how the mechanisms of co-evolution between firms, markets and country systems work.
2. Develop an understanding about how digital transformation is managed and how companies are transforming their business model and their key business processes, through the acquisition of a digital transformation toolbox.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
1. Applying knowledge related to on how enterprise adaptation works, how enterprises and their competitive environments mutually co-evolve, and how the fundamentals of enterprises’ strategy can be implemented through their life cycle.
2. Applying knowledge related to the Business Model Innovation (BMI) and the Business Process Management (BPM) and understanding the key role played by the Enterprise Information System.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS
1. Evaluating the sustainability of firms as competitive forces at different stages of their life cycle.
2. Identifying key business decisions companies have to face in their digital transformation journey.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Exposing business cases in group and in public, also summarizing them, in terms of data visualization, through a brief report/presentation.
2. Presenting and defending a business proposal in a digital forum, in interaction with the classmates.
LEARNING SKILLS
1. Analyzing critically competition through a "theory and practice" mixed approach.
2. Analyzing critically the digital transformation impact on business models and business processes.
Prerequisites
no pre-requisites
Program
The key topics taught in Module I – ENTERPRISE EVOLUTION – are the following:
PART I – EVOLUTION AND SOCIAL DARWINISM
• Enteprise Evolution: Charles Darwin’s Legacy?
• From Evolution to Co-Evolution
• Case Studies: General Motors, Tesla, Apple
PART II – ENTEPRISES AND NATURAL SELECTION
• The First Years of Life
• The “Liability of Newness” and Unicorns
• Case Studies: Stripe, SpaceX, Canva
PART III – ENTEPRISES AND COMPETITIVE SELECTION
• On Competition
• Corporate and Business Strategies
• Case Studies: Facebook, N26, Vice, Vinted
PART IV - MODELS OF ENTERPRISE EVOLUTION
• Models of firm's life cycle - Part I (Levitt, Steinmetz, Parks)
• Models of firm's life cycle - Part II (Dewhurst & Burns, Pettigrew, Scott)
• Case Studies: Unilever, Accenture
PART V – CRISIS AND RESTRUCTURING OF ENTEPRISES
• Corporate Crises as Ineffective Adaptations
• Boards of Directors and Turnaround Management
• Case Studies: Enron, Fiat Group Automobiles
PART VI – STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING
• Bounded Rationality, Traps and Self-Reinforcing
• Personality-Based Executive Decision Making
• Behavioral Strategy
PART I – EVOLUTION AND SOCIAL DARWINISM
• Enteprise Evolution: Charles Darwin’s Legacy?
• From Evolution to Co-Evolution
• Case Studies: General Motors, Tesla, Apple
PART II – ENTEPRISES AND NATURAL SELECTION
• The First Years of Life
• The “Liability of Newness” and Unicorns
• Case Studies: Stripe, SpaceX, Canva
PART III – ENTEPRISES AND COMPETITIVE SELECTION
• On Competition
• Corporate and Business Strategies
• Case Studies: Facebook, N26, Vice, Vinted
PART IV - MODELS OF ENTERPRISE EVOLUTION
• Models of firm's life cycle - Part I (Levitt, Steinmetz, Parks)
• Models of firm's life cycle - Part II (Dewhurst & Burns, Pettigrew, Scott)
• Case Studies: Unilever, Accenture
PART V – CRISIS AND RESTRUCTURING OF ENTEPRISES
• Corporate Crises as Ineffective Adaptations
• Boards of Directors and Turnaround Management
• Case Studies: Enron, Fiat Group Automobiles
PART VI – STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING
• Bounded Rationality, Traps and Self-Reinforcing
• Personality-Based Executive Decision Making
• Behavioral Strategy
Books
For Module I – Enterprise Evolution – the references are the following articles:
- Abatecola G. (2009), “Bridging Adaptation Perspectives to Explore Corporate Crisis Determinants. Evidence from Fiat”, International Journal of Business & Economics, 8(1): 163-185.
- Abatecola G. (2012), “Interpreting Corporate Crises. Towards a Co-Evolutionary Approach”, Futures, 44(10): 860-869.
- Abatecola G. (2014a), “Research in Organizational Evolution. What Comes Next?”, European Management Journal, 32(3): 434-443.
- Abatecola G. (2014b), “Untangling Self-Reinforcing Processes in Managerial Decision Making. Co-Evolving Heuristics?”, Management Decision, 52(2): 934-949.
- Abatecola G. (2019), “Prioritizing Short-Term Goals in Behavioural Strategy: Lessons from Enron – 20 Years On”, International Journal of Business and Management.
- Abatecola G., Cafferata R., Poggesi S. (2012), “Arthur Stinchcombe’s Liability of Newness. Contribution and Impact of the Construct”, Journal of Management History, 18(4): 402-418.
- Abatecola G., Farina V., Gordini N. (2014), “Board Effectiveness in Corporate Crises. Lessons from the Evolving Empirical Research”, Corporate Governance, 14(4): 531-542.
- Abatecola G., Mandarelli G., Poggesi S. (2013), “The Personality Factor. How Top Management Teams Make Decisions. A Literature Review”, Journal of Management and Governance, 17(4): 1073-1100.
- Cafferata R. (2016), “Darwinist Connections between the Systemness of Social Organizations and their Evolution”, Journal of Management and Governance, 20(1): 19-44.
- Cafferata R., Abatecola G. (2017), Enterprise Evolution. Teaching Notes, Texmat, Rome.
- Cristofaro M. (2017), “Countervailing the Liability of Newness by Bringing in Active Investors: The Case of Facebook”, Strategic Direction, 33(8): 1-3.
- Abatecola G. (2009), “Bridging Adaptation Perspectives to Explore Corporate Crisis Determinants. Evidence from Fiat”, International Journal of Business & Economics, 8(1): 163-185.
- Abatecola G. (2012), “Interpreting Corporate Crises. Towards a Co-Evolutionary Approach”, Futures, 44(10): 860-869.
- Abatecola G. (2014a), “Research in Organizational Evolution. What Comes Next?”, European Management Journal, 32(3): 434-443.
- Abatecola G. (2014b), “Untangling Self-Reinforcing Processes in Managerial Decision Making. Co-Evolving Heuristics?”, Management Decision, 52(2): 934-949.
- Abatecola G. (2019), “Prioritizing Short-Term Goals in Behavioural Strategy: Lessons from Enron – 20 Years On”, International Journal of Business and Management.
- Abatecola G., Cafferata R., Poggesi S. (2012), “Arthur Stinchcombe’s Liability of Newness. Contribution and Impact of the Construct”, Journal of Management History, 18(4): 402-418.
- Abatecola G., Farina V., Gordini N. (2014), “Board Effectiveness in Corporate Crises. Lessons from the Evolving Empirical Research”, Corporate Governance, 14(4): 531-542.
- Abatecola G., Mandarelli G., Poggesi S. (2013), “The Personality Factor. How Top Management Teams Make Decisions. A Literature Review”, Journal of Management and Governance, 17(4): 1073-1100.
- Cafferata R. (2016), “Darwinist Connections between the Systemness of Social Organizations and their Evolution”, Journal of Management and Governance, 20(1): 19-44.
- Cafferata R., Abatecola G. (2017), Enterprise Evolution. Teaching Notes, Texmat, Rome.
- Cristofaro M. (2017), “Countervailing the Liability of Newness by Bringing in Active Investors: The Case of Facebook”, Strategic Direction, 33(8): 1-3.
Bibliography
For module 1 - Enterprise Evolution
- Abatecola G. (2009), “Bridging Adaptation Perspectives to Explore Corporate Crisis Determinants. Evidence from Fiat”, International Journal of Business & Economics, 8(1): 163-185.
- Abatecola G. (2012), “Interpreting Corporate Crises. Towards a Co-Evolutionary Approach”, Futures, 44(10): 860-869.
- Abatecola G. (2014a), “Research in Organizational Evolution. What Comes Next?”, European Management Journal, 32(3): 434-443.
- Abatecola G. (2014b), “Untangling Self-Reinforcing Processes in Managerial Decision Making. Co-Evolving Heuristics?”, Management Decision, 52(2): 934-949.
- Abatecola G. (2019), “Prioritizing Short-Term Goals in Behavioural Strategy: Lessons from Enron – 20 Years On”, International Journal of Business and Management.
- Abatecola G., Cafferata R., Poggesi S. (2012), “Arthur Stinchcombe’s Liability of Newness. Contribution and Impact of the Construct”, Journal of Management History, 18(4): 402-418.
- Abatecola G., Farina V., Gordini N. (2014), “Board Effectiveness in Corporate Crises. Lessons from the Evolving Empirical Research”, Corporate Governance, 14(4): 531-542.
- Abatecola G., Mandarelli G., Poggesi S. (2013), “The Personality Factor. How Top Management Teams Make Decisions. A Literature Review”, Journal of Management and Governance, 17(4): 1073-1100.
- Cafferata R. (2016), “Darwinist Connections between the Systemness of Social Organizations and their Evolution”, Journal of Management and Governance, 20(1): 19-44.
- Cafferata R., Abatecola G. (2017), Enterprise Evolution. Teaching Notes, Texmat, Rome.
- Cristofaro M. (2017), “Countervailing the Liability of Newness by Bringing in Active Investors: The Case of Facebook”, Strategic Direction, 33(8): 1-3.
- Abatecola G. (2009), “Bridging Adaptation Perspectives to Explore Corporate Crisis Determinants. Evidence from Fiat”, International Journal of Business & Economics, 8(1): 163-185.
- Abatecola G. (2012), “Interpreting Corporate Crises. Towards a Co-Evolutionary Approach”, Futures, 44(10): 860-869.
- Abatecola G. (2014a), “Research in Organizational Evolution. What Comes Next?”, European Management Journal, 32(3): 434-443.
- Abatecola G. (2014b), “Untangling Self-Reinforcing Processes in Managerial Decision Making. Co-Evolving Heuristics?”, Management Decision, 52(2): 934-949.
- Abatecola G. (2019), “Prioritizing Short-Term Goals in Behavioural Strategy: Lessons from Enron – 20 Years On”, International Journal of Business and Management.
- Abatecola G., Cafferata R., Poggesi S. (2012), “Arthur Stinchcombe’s Liability of Newness. Contribution and Impact of the Construct”, Journal of Management History, 18(4): 402-418.
- Abatecola G., Farina V., Gordini N. (2014), “Board Effectiveness in Corporate Crises. Lessons from the Evolving Empirical Research”, Corporate Governance, 14(4): 531-542.
- Abatecola G., Mandarelli G., Poggesi S. (2013), “The Personality Factor. How Top Management Teams Make Decisions. A Literature Review”, Journal of Management and Governance, 17(4): 1073-1100.
- Cafferata R. (2016), “Darwinist Connections between the Systemness of Social Organizations and their Evolution”, Journal of Management and Governance, 20(1): 19-44.
- Cafferata R., Abatecola G. (2017), Enterprise Evolution. Teaching Notes, Texmat, Rome.
- Cristofaro M. (2017), “Countervailing the Liability of Newness by Bringing in Active Investors: The Case of Facebook”, Strategic Direction, 33(8): 1-3.
Teaching methods
The Strategic Management course will be taught partly in the classroom (module 1) and partly on an online platform (module 2). In both modules the course will include:
- live case discussions and videos
- combined talks with business experts
- group presentations by students.
The teaching approach will be also cross-disciplinary for more than one aspect, with elements drawn from biology and psychology constituting one of the distinctive features.
- live case discussions and videos
- combined talks with business experts
- group presentations by students.
The teaching approach will be also cross-disciplinary for more than one aspect, with elements drawn from biology and psychology constituting one of the distinctive features.
Exam Rules
The exam is based on an open-ended written test, taken in two steps (in the morning the written test on Module I [1 hour, 3 questions] and in the afternoon the written test on Module II [1 hour, 3 questions] respectively). The overall grade is the average of the performance in the two modules:
- in module I students will have the possibility to improve their final evaluation through performing group works (up to 3 additional points). In this regard, details will be given during the lectures.
- in module II students will have the possibility to improve their final evaluation through the participation to the online forum (up to 3 additional points). In this regard, details will be given during the lectures.
On this premise:
1) Excellent answers are those that represent an appropriate mix between theory and practice (i.e. business examples). Theoretical connections among the different topics are also very welcome.
2) Only students booked through the Delphi system can perform the exam.
3) Students can receive insights about their written evaluation during the first office hours immediately available after the test’s date.
4) Students can decide to refuse a grade when not satisfied. Being present in any given call automatically means refusing a grade taken previously.
5) Students who result not sufficient in one given call can perform the exam again in any subsequent call.
The final mark of the exam is expressed out of thirty and will be obtained through the following grading system:
Fail: important deficiencies in the knowledge and understanding of the topics; limited analytical and synthesis skills; frequent generalisations and limited critical and judgemental abilities; the topics are set out inconsistently and with inappropriate language.
18-21: the student has acquired the basic concepts of the discipline and has an analytical capacity that emerges only with the help of the teacher; the way of speaking and the language used are on the whole correct.
22-25: the student has acquired the basic concepts of the discipline in a discreet way; knows how to orient him/herself among the various topics covered; and has an autonomous analysis capacity knowing how to express using the correct language.
26-29: the student has a well-structured knowledge base; he/she is able to independently rework the knowledge acquired in the context of the choice of conventional and unconventional materials according to the application; the way of speaking and the technical language are correct.
30 and 30 cum laude: the student has a comprehensive and thorough knowledge base. The cultural references are rich and up-to-date, which are expressed with brilliance and properties of technical language.
- in module I students will have the possibility to improve their final evaluation through performing group works (up to 3 additional points). In this regard, details will be given during the lectures.
- in module II students will have the possibility to improve their final evaluation through the participation to the online forum (up to 3 additional points). In this regard, details will be given during the lectures.
On this premise:
1) Excellent answers are those that represent an appropriate mix between theory and practice (i.e. business examples). Theoretical connections among the different topics are also very welcome.
2) Only students booked through the Delphi system can perform the exam.
3) Students can receive insights about their written evaluation during the first office hours immediately available after the test’s date.
4) Students can decide to refuse a grade when not satisfied. Being present in any given call automatically means refusing a grade taken previously.
5) Students who result not sufficient in one given call can perform the exam again in any subsequent call.
The final mark of the exam is expressed out of thirty and will be obtained through the following grading system:
Fail: important deficiencies in the knowledge and understanding of the topics; limited analytical and synthesis skills; frequent generalisations and limited critical and judgemental abilities; the topics are set out inconsistently and with inappropriate language.
18-21: the student has acquired the basic concepts of the discipline and has an analytical capacity that emerges only with the help of the teacher; the way of speaking and the language used are on the whole correct.
22-25: the student has acquired the basic concepts of the discipline in a discreet way; knows how to orient him/herself among the various topics covered; and has an autonomous analysis capacity knowing how to express using the correct language.
26-29: the student has a well-structured knowledge base; he/she is able to independently rework the knowledge acquired in the context of the choice of conventional and unconventional materials according to the application; the way of speaking and the technical language are correct.
30 and 30 cum laude: the student has a comprehensive and thorough knowledge base. The cultural references are rich and up-to-date, which are expressed with brilliance and properties of technical language.