Ateneo - UPO

The course focuses on production, firm growth and capital budgeting.

The course explores and discusses short-run operation costs; potential cost savings deriving from an increase of the firm size (scale economies) or from horizontal diversification and vertical integration; evaluation of firm productivity.

Giovanni Fraquelli (1997, 2001, 2003), Elementi di Economia Manageriale. Costi, produttività, investimenti, Utet, Torino, par. 1.9, 1.10, 2.3, 2.5, 2.8, 5.3.1, 5.4, 6.2,6.4, 6.5, 7.3, 7.4. Giovanni Fraquelli. “Impresa, mercato e gestione del valore.” Utet, 2006, Chapters. 3, 4.
The texts are available in the library.
The teaching material (slides, exercises, potential additional material) will be provided in the web page of the course at the URL: https://www.dir.uniupo.it/
An equivalent teaching material will be made available in English, by the teacher.

The course provides some useful tools for managing the short-run operation activity and the growth of the firm, with focus on operational activity and productivity. The student will be able to use cost information for decision-making purposes.

None. Students can effectively attend lessons with an appropriate knowledge of Business Administration’s principles.

Frontal lectures and exercises.

Lecture attendance is strongly 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/servicesstudents-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education 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.

The exam consists of a written test, with a maximum score of 30/30 cum laude.
The written examination consists of two parts.
The theoretical part (maximum score 18 points) aims at verifying knowledge and understanding of the program. It is composed of 12 closed-ended questions (1.5 points for each correct answer; 0 point in case of no answer; -0.5 points in case of wrong answer).
The applied part (maximum score 15 points) tests the ability of applying knowledge and making judgments, through a problem set, composed of three questions, or three separated exercises.
Students can choose to take the exam in English.
Warning: if a student does not pass the exam, or results as “not sufficient”, withdraws from the exam, or refuse the mark of the exam three times in the same year, he cannot participate again at the exam until the following year. The solar year is considered for the calculation.

Balance sheet, income statement and financial position of the firm.
Costs in the short-run.
Economies of scale and horizontal and vertical scope economies.
Use of cost information for decision-making in the short term and in a firm growth perspective.
Analysis of firm productivity.

At the end of the course, students will have theoretical knowledge and concepts understanding in relation to:
- firm integration and impact on costs: scale and scope economies
- the concept of firm productivity and the methodologies for its evaluation

The course requires students to develop the capability of applying knowledge and understanding of the acquired concepts with focus on:
- interpreting accounting information in an economic perspective
- using accounting information, in particular those related to costs, for operational decisions
- evaluating the productivity performances of firms