BUSINESS HISTORY

According to teaching objectives of the curriculum in Economics and Management, the course is an introduction to business history.
The specific teaching objectives are:
1) Make students acquainted with national and international historiographical debate on the historical evolution of the firm
2) Provide students with a large overview of the evolution of the forms of the enterprise from the first industrial revolution to more recent times, with a special focus on Italian business history
3) Provide students with the instruments to understand how firms react to changes in their political, social, institutional environment

Students will be acquainted with the major discontinuities in business history, from pre-industrial manufacturing to the third industrial revolution.
They will recognize major themes in business history’s historiography.
They will recognize the peculiarities of historical research vs research in social sciences.

Capacità di utilizzare conoscenze acquisite
Students will be able to provide an historically coherent definition of the enterprise in different historical times with a special focus on the Italian case.
Students will be familiar with major debates on forms of the enterprise.
Students will be able to define constraints posed by the historical and institutional context to the application of managerial theories.

Capacità di giudizio:
Students will recognize forms of enterprises in different historical contexts

Capacità di comunicazione:
Students will be able to present in public and defend research outcome

Capacità di apprendimento:
Students will be able to critically read and discuss an historical text and historical sources

Basic knowledge of modern history.

Week 1. Business history and the uses of the past
Week 2. The historical evolution of the firm: the industrial revolutions
Week 3. The emergence of the large enterprise and managerial capitalism in Italy
Week 4. Italian firms in the 20th Century: the State entrepreneur
Week 5. Italian firms in the 20th Century: SME and New Forms of Enterprises

Readings
Amatori F. & Colli A., 2011, Storia di impresa. Complessità e comparazioni, Bruno Mondadori, 2011 (selected chapters- Moodle)
Amatori F. (a cura di), L'approdo mancato. Economia, politica e società in Italia dopo il miracolo economico, Annale Feltrinelli, 2017 (selected chapters - Moodle)

The exam will be written, based on slides, textbook and compulsory readings (see Moodle).
Both slides and readings will be available online.
Written exam (open question) (50%)
Presentations (50%)

Frontal lessons with power point presentation. Q&A sessions and case studies by students.

Italian

Teaching language: Italian

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Cities, infrastructure and social capital" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development