Course 2011-2012 a.y.

Course Objectives

The course aims at:

• analyzing the relationship between ownership, governance and management in cultural industries,  cultural institutions and heritage;
• examining governance structures and mechanisms, given the juridical boundaries related to the government owned, non profit and private status; 
• exploring corporate level strategies of cultural firms and institutions;
• analysing the relationship between ownership and governance structures, economic and financial viability and corporate strategy
• discussing metamanagement structures and mechanisms related to the preservation and exploitation of a given territory.

Course Content Summary

The course builds upon existing know-how on principles of business administration, management of nonprofit organizations, management of public administration, principles of public and private law to provide participants with the theoretical background necessary to understand:

• Ownership, governance, management, control in media companies, cultural institutions, no profit institutions;
• Stakeholders management in the media as well as in cultural institutions;
• Cooperation between private and public actors;
• Institutional structure and economic and financial viability;
• Institutional structure and corporate strategy;
• The principles of corporate level strategies.

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

This is a highly complex and rich graduate level course, in which issues of governance and corporate level strategy are discussed with referral to very diverse situations, i.e. companies and non profit institutions, in industries characterised by a high level of involvement of the government. Unlike an undergraduate class, the issues under evaluation are not so much related to having read the material, but to the ability of the students to be able to identify controversial issues associated to the topics discussed in class. Therefore, the list of references provided is used as a basis for discussion, both in class and in the final exam, which consists of a written essay.

The course provides 6 credits. Attendance is not compulsory, but is warmly recommended, as the program is highly interactive. Students attending the course are graded by the written text, three written assignments on one of the cases discussed in class and by class participation. Students can hand in as many assignments as they wish; the top grade is considered for the grade. The three pages document has to be handed in class the day in which it is discussed. Students non attending the course are graded for 100% by the written text.

Textbooks

• Collis, Montgomery, Corporate Strategy: a resource-based approach, McGraw-Hill, 2005
• SOLOMON, Corporate Governance and accountability, Wiley, 2007, 2nd ed.
• Documents distributed by prof. Dubini
• Reading package for Prof. Turrini part