Firms, competitivness and development

PROF. GIOVANNI MARSEGUERRA

COURSE AIMS The course aims at presenting the main elements characterizing the Italian and European production structure (small firms, family capitalism, the industrial districts) highlighting the predominant role of small and medium enterprises and the (almost total) disappearance of large firms. Special attention is devoted to analyse innovation processes in small and medium enterprises. The issues of corporate financing and financial development both in Italy and in the rest of Europe are also examined. Finally, the main methodological aspects relating to the analysis of competitiveness both at firm and at systemic level are discussed, bearing in mind that competitiveness needs to be considered as a mean to reach the goal of human development.

COURSE CONTENT 1. Entrepreneurial opportunities and entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurial opportunities: main characteristics. The main sources of entrepreneurial opportunities. Some examples. How to recognise an entrepreneurial opportunity. 2. The firm: Organisation, resources and objectives. What is a firm? Firm objectives. A look at various theories of the firm. Firm organisation and decision- taking processes. Firm structure and management. Human resources management. Firms, reputation and organisation. 3. Different models of capitalism. Various types of capitalism: an overall look. Models of capitalism, growth and development. The Italian model of capitalism. Different types of stakeholders. Interaction between stakeholders and firms. Corporate governance: main issues. 4. Small firms. Small firms: defining aspects. Advantages and disadvantages of small dimensions. The role of small firms in Italy and in the rest of Europe.. 5. Family capitalism. General introduction. Alternative definitions of family firms. Relevance of family firms. Type of family firms. The relationship between family and firm. Continuity in family firms. The succession process. 6. The industrial district model. Main features. The Italian industrial district model. The district firm. Cooperation and competition. 7. The growth path of small firms. Growth as an option. Motivations triggering growth. Various growth processes: internal growth strategies and external growth strategies. 8. Innovation processes in small and medium enterprises. Product innovation, process innovation, organizational innovation, service and marketing innovation. 9. Analysis of competitiveness. Competitiveness at firm level: competitive advantages, the value chain, competitive strategies. Competitiveness at systemic level: measuring competitiveness, degrees of competitiveness and the structural aspect of an economic system. Firms’ dimensions, governance and competitiveness. The competitiveness of Italy.

READING LIST

BENEDETTO XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Città del Vaticano, 2009. FRANCESCO, 2013, Esortazione apostolica Evangelii Gaudium, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Città del Vaticano, 2013. A. CALOIA, Letture per il corso di Economia politica, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2002 (II - 1, II - 2, II - 3, II - 4, II – 5, II - 6, II - 7 ). A. CORTESI-F. ALBERTI-C. SALVATO, Le piccole imprese, Carocci, Roma, 2004 (capp. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10). G. ECCHIA-G. GOZZI, Mercati, Strategie e Istituzioni, il Mulino, Bologna, 2002 (cap. 8). FONDAZIONE PER LA SUSSIDIARIETÀ, Sussidiarietà e…piccole e medie imprese – Rapporto sulla Sussidiarietà 2008, Mondadori Università 2009. G. MARSEGUERRA, Tra profit e non profit: una ibridazione dei comportamenti per la civilizzazione dell’economia” (con M. Pedrini), in Ripensare lo sviluppo - Sfide e prospettive dalla Caritas in Veritate, a cura di S. Beretta-E. Botto-F. Citterio, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2011. G. MARSEGUERRA, La sussidiarietà per la competitività delle piccole e medie imprese, in “Sussidiarietà e… piccole e medie imprese”, Rapporto sulla Sussidiarietà 2009, Mondadori Università, Milano, 2009, pp. 151-158. G. MARSEGUERRA, Responsabilità, continuità, sviluppo: i valori dell’impresa di famiglia, in “La verità è il destino per il quale siamo stati fatti”, (a cura di Giorgio Vittadini), Mondadori Università, Milano, 2008, pp. 227-231. G. MARSEGUERRA, Le reti di capitale sociale in Italia, Atlantide, Anno IV, n.15/3, dicembre, 2008, pp. 47-50. G. MARSEGUERRA, Lo sviluppo della piccola impresa familiare: le sfide della sussidiarietà, Atlantide, n.1-2007, marzo 2007, pp. 74-79. S. MICELI, Futuro artigiano – L’innovazione nelle mani degli italiani, Marsilio, Venezia, 2011. A. QUADRIO CURZIO, Riflessioni sul liberalismo comunitario per lo sviluppo italiano, in A. QUADRIO CURZIO-M. FORTIS (a cura di), Valorizzare un’economia forte – L’Italia e il ruolo della sussidiarietà, Collana della Fondazione Edison, il Mulino, Bologna, 2007. A. QUADRIO CURZIO, Riflessioni su istituzioni, società, mercato: la sussidiarietà, in A. QUADRIO CURZIO- G. MARSEGUERRA (a cura di), Intrapresa, Sussidiarietà, Sviluppo, Collana della Fondazione Centesimus Annus - Pro Pontifice, pp. 111-118, Scheiwiller, Milano. A. QUADRIO CURZIO-G. MARSEGUERRA, Introduzione: Intrapresa, Sussidiarietà, Sviluppo, in A. QUADRIO CURZIO-G. MARSEGUERRA (a cura di), Intrapresa, Sussidiarietà, Sviluppo, Collana della Fondazione Centesimus Annus - Pro Pontifice, Scheiwiller, Milano, 2007, pp. 11-20. V. VALLI, Le varie forme di capitalismo: uno sguardo di medio-lungo periodo, in Il futuro del capitalismo (a cura di B. Jossa), Bologna, il Mulino 2004 (par. 1,2,3).

TEACHING METHOD Lectures with assignments and examples based on the Italian experience.

ASSESSMENT METHOD Oral exam.

NOTES Further information can be found on the lecturer's webpage at http://docenti.unicatt.it/web/searchByName.do?language=ENG or on the Faculty notice board.