Course 2019-2020 a.y.

20281 - COMPARATIVE BUSINESS HISTORY: COMPETITION AND GLOBALIZATION

Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 31
CLMG (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - M (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - IM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - MM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - AFC (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - CLELI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - ACME (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - DES-ESS (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - EMIT (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - GIO (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - DSBA (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - PPA (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - FIN (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12)
Course Director:
FRANCO AMATORI

Classes: 31 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: FRANCO AMATORI


Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

A critical analysis of the role played by enterprises in modern capitalism represents a challenge for young scholars and students: the historical perspective would help them navigate the waters of globalization and allow for a better understanding of how they fit in and what role they might play in the process. The course adopts a long run global perspective introducing the study of enterprises in 20th century. Tools and methods developed in the field of business history are woven together with macro-economic, technological, political, and socio-cultural histories, allowing to develop a micro-macro level and multidisciplinary approach to the complexities of the current globalized world.

CONTENT SUMMARY

After defining the basic concepts of enterprise and entrepreneurs, students embark on a real world tour. They’ll visit the United States, Europe (with adequate space for Italy), Japan, South Korea, Latin America, China, India, Russia as well as Africa.

The focus is to outline an analysis of the most important forms of enterprise today. Each region is considered according to a “Gerschenkronian” methodology that considers a certain technological evolution connected to when an area jumps onto the train of “modernization”; the main determinants of its results depend on markets (considered in their extension but above all according to their dynamicity), business and government relations, cultures and institutionsm, i.e., the capacity to successfully face the challenges of modernization.


Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Identify the main forces of global economic development throughout the history of enterprises in their regional environment.
  • Explain the origins of the regional varieties of capitalism in comparative perspective.
  • Discuss the impact of technology, markets and institutions on economic development and business success.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Compare different interpretation and business histories by examining alternatives sources.
  • Analyze different regional paths of economic development in comparative perpective.
  • Develop skills in academic writing and teamwork.

Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures
  • Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
  • Group assignments

DETAILS

The learning experience of this course includes lectures and guest speaker' talks with special emphasis on dialog (i.e. with strong involvement of the students) and a group assignment: the students are required to write an essay of maximum 5000 words using selected readings, about the historic profile of an entreprise acting on national or global scene in the past two centuries.


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Oral individual exam
     x
  • Group assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
     x
  • Active class participation (virtual, attendance)
 x    

ATTENDING STUDENTS

  1. Oral examination (50% of the final grade) to test the basic knowledge of the course material and the ability to summarize the narrative interpretations dicussed in class.
  2. Group essay assignment (50% of the final grade) of maximum 5000 words to test the ability to construct an argument based on selected literature.

NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

General final oral exam (100% of the final grade) to test the basic knowledge of the course readings.


Teaching materials


ATTENDING STUDENTS

  • F. AMATORI, A.COLLI, Business History. Complexities and Comparisons, Routledge, London and New York, 2011.
  • A collection of chapters and articles from different textbooks and scientific journals is distribuited at the begining of the course.

NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

  • W.J. BAUMOL, et al., Good Capitalism Bad Capitalism and the Economics of Growth and Prosperity, New Haven and London, Yale University Press, 2007.
  • J. KOCKA, Capitalism. A Short History, Princeton University Press, 2016.
Last change 29/04/2019 12:17