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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "BUS/ITS 260-1"
COURSE NAME: "Made in Italy: The Italian Business Environment"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2026
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Giulia Rossi
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course analyzes the Italian Business environment, the characteristics of its culture and its inner workings. Students will be able to understand the different types of Italian corporate cultures and the role of family businesses in Italy. The course allows students to assess some of the most popular Italian brands and learn why "made in Italy" is a leading brand in the world, despite recent influences and threats from foreign investors. Company cases and special guests will be an important part of this course and will allow students to relate theory to practice.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course analyzes the Italian Business environment, the characteristics of its culture and its inner workings. Students will be able to understand the different types of Italian corporate cultures and the role of family businesses in Italy. The course allows students to assess some of the most popular Italian brands and learn why "made in Italy" is a leading brand in the world, despite recent influences and threats from foreign investors. Company cases and special guests will be an important part of this course and will allow students to relate theory to practice.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The course analyzes the Italian Business environment, the characteristics of its culture and its inner workings. Students will be able to understand the different types of Italian corporate cultures and the role of family businesses in Italy. The course allows students to assess some of the most popular Italian brands and learn why "made in Italy" is a leading brand in the world, despite recent influences and threats from foreign investors. Company cases and special guests will be an important part of this course and will allow students to relate theory to practice.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
TESTTEST (20% of the final grade): 10 questions (all the same weight), 100 words each, 1000 total. The test will be done on Moodle, in class. Allotted time 75’. Scheduled in class20%
MIDTERMMIDTERM: (30% of the final grade): 3 prompts, 2 to develop (500 hundreds words each) for a total of 1000 words. The test will be done on Moodle, in class. Allotted time 75’.30%
FINAL PROJECTFINAL PROJECT: (35% of the final grade): Group Work. Max 4. ppt presentation on a topic chosen from the program and connected with a guest lecture. The final project has to widen the topic not just to repeat contents already shared in class. Topics must be approved by professor, presented in class in front of professor and classmates and uploaded in Moodle. (All the components of a group must upload their final project on Moodle).35%
ELEVATOR PITCHELEVATOR PITCH (5% of the final grade): instructions will be given by EPC organizators at the beginning of the course. 5%
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION Attendance and participation: 10% Students’ degree of engagement with the material, active participation and level of preparation during open and structured in-class discussions, and overall classroom behavior will determine the participation portion of your final grade. In order to prepa- re well for discussions, students need to have read attentively and thoroughly the reading(s) assigned for each class (as specified in the syllabus schedule). Participation also includes proper classroom be- havior (such as refraining from using personal electronic devices).10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
The course analyzes the Italian Business environment, the characteristics of its culture and its inner workings. Students will be able to understand the different types of Italian corporate cultures and the role of family businesses in Italy. The course allows students to assess some of the most popular Italian brands and learn why "made in Italy" is a leading brand in the world, despite recent influences and threats from foreign investors. Company cases and special guests will be an important part of this course and will allow students to relate theory to practice.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE

Schedule (please note all guest speakers could be from remote and the calendar of their speeches can change)

 

 

Week 1

Introduction to the course.

Sociology of Made in Italy, a social history of an Italian phenomenon

 

Read:

S. Pelaggi, Sociology of Made in Italy, a social history of an Italian phenomenon

 

Week 2

The Italian Business Culture.

 

Read:

International Marketing, ch. 4

 

 

Week 3

Italian business etiquette

 

Read:

International Marketing, ch. 5

 

 

Week 4

The brand Made in Italy: a critical analysis

Industrialization, convergence and governance. Analysis of the two long-run equilibria between the northern and southern regions.

 

Read:  

V. Temperini, G. L. Gregori, P.Palanga, The brand Made in Italy: a critical analysis

A.Iona, L.Leonida and G. Sobbrio, Industrialization, convergence and governance, ch 15 (pp. 200-212) in Italy Today the sick man of Europe, by Andrea Mammone, Giuseppe Veltri, Routledge, London, 2010.

 

 

Week 5

How to manage the heritage: a new way to make business. Corporate Museums.

REVIEW for the TEST (1st assignment)

 

Read: 

F. Corsini, Corporate museums as a tool of brand communications.

 

 

Week 6

Test: (20% of your grade). The test (individual assignment) will consist in 10 short open questions about the topics already discussed in the class. 

Twenty years of European founding. Italy is still struggling with implementation. 

 

Read:

S. Milio,Twenty years of European founding. Italy is still struggling with implementation,, ch 16 (pp. 213-228) in Italy Today the sick man of Europe, by Andrea Mammone, Giuseppe Veltri, Routledge, London, 2010.

 

Week 7

Review for the MID-TERM EXAM

MID-TERM EXAM. (individual assignment).  3 prompts, 2 to develop (500 hundreds words each) for a total of 1000 words. The test will be done on Moodle, in class. Allotted time 75’.

 

WEEK 8

Spring Break

Week 9

Italian business districts.

Made in Italy and China. Parallel markets. The case history of Prato Fashion District.

 

Read:

V. De Marchi, R. Grandinetti, Industrial Districts

 

 

Week 10

Labour and welfare reforms.The short life of labour unity.

 

Read:

M. Simoni, Labour and welfare reforms.The short life of labour unity, ch. 17 (pp.  229-242) in Italy Today the sick man of Europe, by Andrea Mammone, Giuseppe Veltri, Routledge, London, 2010.

 

 

Week 11

The crisis of Italian firms and the decline of the Italian capitalism

 

Read: 

R. Minetti, The crisis of Italian firms and the decline of the Italian capitalism, ch. 18 (pp 243-251) in Italy Today the sick man of Europe, by Andrea Mammone, Giuseppe Veltri, Routledge, London, 2010.

 

 

Week 12

Food, Wine & Motors: The model of Emilia Romagna

Ducati case history, the Museum, the restaurant, the shop. 

 

 

Week 13

Nation, Region and City Branding.

 

 

Week 14

Review, Work on the group project.

 

 

Week 15

Presentation of Final group projects 

 

FINAL PROJECT:Group Work. Max 4. ppt presentation on a topic chosen from the program and connected with a guest lecture. The final project has to widen the topic not just to repeat contents already shared in class. Topics must be approved by professor, presented in class in front of professor and classmates and uploaded in Moodle.