BUSINESS HISTORY AND SUSTAINABILITY

As required by the learning objectives of the Master in Management and Sustainability, the course reads the history of entrepreneurship and the firm through the lens of concepts such as corporate social responsibility and sustainability.
In this perspective, the course provides students with:
1) an overview of the historical evolution of the structure of the firm from the first industrial revolution to the end of the 20th century; 2) the theoretical and empirical tools to critically analyse how firms and entrepreneurs have engaged with social and environmental contexts during the 20th century; 3) a series of case studies on Italian entrepreneurs and business leaders who have combined profit with social and environmental purpose.

Students describe the evolution of business forms from the first industrial revolution to the early 21st century.
Students identify the main phases of Italian business history in the 20th century.
In the Italian context, students identify which companies and entrepreneurs have attempted to address social inequality and environmental degradation through their business activities.
Students use historical methods and sources to critically evaluate greenwashing narratives.

Ability to read scientific articles and chapters in English

Week 1: Business history, corporate responsability and sustainability: methods and approaches
Week 2: The evolution of the firm and entrepreneurship and the three industrial revolutions
Week 3. Italian firms during the 20th century: the private sector
Week 4: Italian firms during the 20th century: the public sector
Week 5: Paternalism, corporate social responsability and sustainability in Italian business history

Selected chapters of:
- Amatori F. & Colli A., 2011, Storia di impresa. Complessità e comparazioni, Bruno Mondadori, 2011 (capitoli scelti- Moodle)
- Amatori F. (a cura di), L’approdo mancato. Economia, politica e società in Italia dopo il miracolo economico, Milano, 2017
- Jones G., Profits and Sustainability. A History of Green Entrepreneurship, Oxford, 2017
- Jones G. , Deeply Responsible Business: A Global History of Values-driven Leadership, Harvard Unversity Press, 2023

Course materials will be on Moodle
Oral exam
Group projects and presentations will be assessed (50%)

oral

With regard to grading (mode by which marks are awarded), whether present or absent:
A. Marks in the range 18-22 will be awarded where:
- sufficient knowledge and ability of applied understanding with reference to the syllabus; - limited ability to collect and/or interpret data and to exercise independent judgement; - sufficient communication skills, particularly in relation to the use of specific economic history language; B. Marks in the 23-26 range will be awarded in the presence of
- adequate knowledge and ability of applied understanding with reference to the syllabus; - adequate ability to collect and/or interpret data, exercising independent judgement; - adequate communication skills, particularly in relation to the use of specific language relating to economic history; C. Marks in Bands 27-30 will be awarded in the presence of
- good or excellent knowledge and applied understanding in relation to the syllabus; - good or excellent ability to collect and/or interpret data, exercising independent judgement; - fully adequate communication skills, particularly in relation to the use of specific language relating to economic history.
D. honours will be awarded in the presence of knowledge and applied understanding with reference to the syllabus, judgement and communication skills, excellent.

Frontal lectures and class discussions;

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Circular economy, innovation, work" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development