Ateneo - UPO

The course is divided into two integrated didactic modules, closely linked to each other. The current competitive context, characterized by consumption and information economy, digitalization, and a sustainable development approach, requires companies to adopt consistent and innovative managerial mechanisms. Among them, cost management and performance management tools are particularly relevant. These tools are represented by the entire set of managerial mechanisms that support the company’s strategies, deal with cost planning and management, and ultimately, contribute to profitability. The course presents tools and methodologies supporting the planning of future cost levels and profitability, both from the firm’s performance and sustainability point of view. The focus is not only on corporate performance but also on strategic units and functions. Moreover, the course tackles the issue of managers’ evaluation based on cost management and performance management tools. Then, a specific module is dedicated to non-financial communication for both internal and external stakeholders, considering the recent issues by the European Commission of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. In particular, sustainability performance measurement and communication tools are presented: social report, environmental report, sustainability report, integrated report. Teaching methods include case studies discussion, and companies’ presentations.

Adopted books, both for attending and non-attending students, are: - Songini L. “Target Costing: pianificazione e gestione della redditività”, Milano, EGEA. - Pistoni A., Songini L. “Reporting e valore. Misurazione delle performance aziendali”, Milano, EGEA, first part – chap. from 1 to 4. - Songini L., Pistoni A. “Sustainability Disclosure: State of the Art and new directions”, Emerald, 2015. - Paola Vola, in L. Brusa, “Sistemi Manageriali di programmazione e controllo” Giuffrè, seconda edizione, 2012, chap. 7, par 7.4 – L’Activity Based Management – e chap. 2, par. 2.19. – Altri approcci di cost accountig: cenni Only some parts of the cited texts have to be studied by students. Some texts will be available to students in pdf format. Both for attending and non-attending students, didactic material includes also slides, case studies and papers made available by teachers. Other teaching materials only for NON attending students are as follows: - Paola Vola “La pianificazione strategica per il family business: mappa strategica e balanced scorecard”, Aracne Editrice, 2012, cap 2 - Paola Vola, in L. Brusa, “Sistemi Manageriali di programmazione e controllo” Giuffrè, seconda edizione, 2012, capitolo 2 e 7 - Baret P., Songini, L. and Pistoni, A. (editors), Sustainability Accounting, Management Control and Reporting, Routledge, 2022 - PART II Measuring and Reporting Shared Value and Sustainability A part of didactic material is in English. Didactic material is available on DIR course web site at https://www.dir.uniupo.it

The course aims to present design criteria and operating modes of cost management and performance management tools, enabling students to use them in different contexts. Consequently, course objectives are: 1. Learning of cost management and performance management tools; 2. Developing skills to use acquired knowledge; 3. Developing skills to exploit cost management and performance management tools in different contexts; 4. Developing skills to implement cost management systems, balanced scorecards, and integrated reports and sustainability reports, including all non-financial measures.

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The course exploits three different teaching methods: 1. Traditional lessons, in which issues, problems, solutions, and tools are presented to students; 2. Case studies that present theoretical issues in practical and real situations (also multi-media case studies will be used); 3. Companies /professionals presentations by entrepreneurs, managers, foreign professors, and experts. 4. Students’ direct involvement with teamwork, case studies presentations, and “role games”. The course is highly interactive considering students’ involvement through teamwork, monographic insights and real case studies discussions. Teamwork will focus on course issues in order to put into practice principles, methodologies, and techniques presented during traditional lessons. Course attendance is not mandatory but is highly recommended.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudentsphysical-or-learning-disabilites Students with disabilites, learning disabilites or special educaton needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Both for attending and non-attending students, the exam will consist in a final written exam with open question to verify the skills acquired during the course, and with the discount of a case to verify the ability of students to apply knowledge and to judge and deal independently with a specific business environment Each didactic module cannot be done separately, but they must be taken on the same date. The exam will be considered passed if the student gets 18/30 in each of the two didactic modules. For those who have not participated in the teamwork, the exam will consist of a written test, which will include more questions than those provided for students who carry out the teamwork. Instead, in the case of participation in the teamwork, the written test will be shorter, and the score obtained in the written test will be added to the score obtained in the teamwork. This score will include, in particular, the capabilities and ability to understand a business environment, critical application of models and tools, and the ability to represent results reached effectively in class to other students (through, e.g., structured PowerPoint presentations).

The topics covered in the course are the following: PART ONE – STRATEGIC COST MANAGEMENT 1. The new competitive context. Information economics and lean enterprise: managerial challenges; 2. The determinants of company profitability; 3. Strategic cost management and performance management systems: an overview; 4. Methodologies and tools for strategic cost and profitability management: target costing, life cycle costing, functional analysis, inter-organizational cost management systems; PART TWO – MEASUREMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AND DISCLOSURE - 1. Creation of value for stakeholders, sustainable development and corporate social responsibility; 2. Measurement and communication of sustainability performance: social report, environmental report, sustainability report, Global Reporting Initiative; integrated report; 3. The new frontiers of non-financial reporting - Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive - International Sustainability Standards. PART THREE - MEASUREMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF COSTS AND PERFORMANCE 1. The methodologies and tools for managing and improving costs: activity based costing and activity based management, kaizen costing, etc.; 2. The methodologies and tools for measuring and evaluating company performance to support the implementation of the strategy: balanced scorecard, performance pyramid, etc.; 3. The sustainable balanced scorecard. Gender mainstreaming: Approaches to ensure equal benefits in actions and activities to eliminate gender inequalities.

At the end of the course students will able to: 1. design, understand and use autonomously tools to plan and manage the future cost level, and mechanisms to measure and evaluate costs and corporate performance for a strategic and sustainability point of view; 2. design, understanding and use systems to measuring corporate performance; 3. read and understand an integrated reporting and sustainability reporting.