Business and Law Courses

This course addresses the procedures involved in managing a fashion retail enterprise and the decision-making inherent in successful merchandising for smaller-scale stores. Knowledge will be acquired through lab practice gained by running a real enterprise in which students and professionals exchange their knowledge and propose successful solutions to be applied. Coursework includes site visits to well-known Italian luxury brands in Florence such as Ferragamo, Gucci, and Cavalli (companies may change according to availability), and special guest lectures from local prominent emerging designers.

The front of house area of any restaurant should be carefully planned in order to balance ambiance with function. Restaurant seating, wait stations, and waiting areas are just a few of the areas to consider when planning a restaurant dining room. The course focuses on all aspects that characterize the front of the house experience. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the front of the house to properly reflect the restaurant concept and the necessity of planning front of the house spaces for efficiency. Furthermore, the course considers the pivotal role of excellent customer service and the training methods of front of the house staff.

This course examines two critical areas of hospitality management such as management operations and front office procedures. In the first part of the course, students will examine the industry from a managerial perspective by covering the business procedures, accounting controls, legal issues, and policies. Such topics are necessary in order to effectively manage hospitality structures such as hotels, resorts, restaurants, and clubs. The second half of the course focuses on front office procedures from business flow to reservation processes, revenue management, accounting, internal control, night audit, and computer systems for guest management. Housekeeping operations, guest accounts, room management, and other services will also be studied from a service-oriented perspective.

This course examines the managerial role in the arts and the related competency required to bring artistic and cultural programs such as exhibitions, festivals, film screenings, and performing arts events to audiences. Course topics cover the business side of the arts, providing students with an overview of the careers in arts management and the current issues and trends affecting professionals in the field. Topics covered include the evolution of the field, the internal culture and structure, external influences, governance, planning, human resources, marketing, fundraising, financial management, economic impact, and other topics such as non-profit organizations in the arts. Students will be introduced to a wide range of organizations, administrative figures, and institutional models through coursework that also includes site visits and guest lectures.

This course is an introduction to the concept of business strategy in both internal and international contexts. Covered topics include economic and market analysis, market entry, contracting with intermediaries, investment, strategic alliances, and internal organization of businesses. Students will be expected to simulate individual strategies based on case studies.

Upon successful completion of this course, student will know the fundamentals of business strategy, understand how a solid, sustainable competitive advantage is gained and defended on a multinational stage, master the decision-making mechanisms operating at the corporate level, have a direct awareness of the cause-effect relationship when making strategic decisions, increase analytical skills and presentation techniques through case discussions and class presentations and develop a team playing approach.

This introductory course provides an overview of management functions and managerial problem-solving strategies. Students will be instructed in the areas such as the qualities of successful managers, elements of strategic decision-making at various levels of an organisation, global business issues, goal-setting processes, and basic business controls. This course also teaches the fundamental principles of management built on human relations in order to manage and lead people effectively, resolve conflicts, and build productive teams.

This course examines the problems of the financial structures of restaurant management, in parallel with the objectives and techniques of the individual owner. The planning and decision-making tools available to managers in an organization and comparison between single or partnership managements will be discussed. Personnel organization and food preparation plans will be covered. The course is based on a double approach, combining theory and practice: students will be introduced to the basics of restaurant management and will be given the opportunity to discuss their ideas and questions with selected professionals who are successfully running their restaurant businesses in Florence. Extensive site visits to local restaurants be organized. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.

This course has an introductory characteristic and with a special focus on Japanese management style. In this course you will learn: how historical, social and cultural patterns affect the management practices of Japanese organisations; how other factors, such as the legal, political/governmental, economic and technological system, socio-cultural factors enable Japanese companies to operate successfully in an international business context; how Japanese companies develop strategies for international operations; how to improve cross-cultural communication and negotiation skills in an East-meets-West setting.

This course will prepare students to work, run, and manage a retail shop successfully and provides theoretical insights into customer expectations and service delivery. Throughout the course, standard elements of a retail shop will be analyzed and focus on retail management will be given. This class will strengthen decision-making skills regarding expense planning, suppliers, store layout, and promotional strategies. Under the supervision of seasoned professionals, students will spend a portion of the course operating the school retail spaces (fashion retail store, restaurant, pastry shop) that are open to the local community. Here, theoretical knowledge, shop floor management skills, and ability to perform head office functions will all be developed in the context of retail. In order to offer a comprehensive view of retail management, experiential learning activities are scheduled in varying types of retailers, each of them characterized by different competitors, products sold, customers, and style of service required. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.

This course addresses the procedures involved in managing a fashion retail enterprise and the decision-making inherent in successful merchandising for smaller-scale stores. Knowledge will be acquired through lab practice gained by running a real enterprise in which students and professionals exchange their knowledge and propose successful solutions to be applied. Coursework includes site visits to well-known Italian luxury brands in Florence such as Ferragamo, Gucci, and Cavalli (companies may change according to availability), and special guest lectures from local prominent emerging designers.

This course introduces a fundamental area of study in the hospitality industry. Students will study the concepts and procedures of food and beverage control systems, cost control, operating budgets, and the effective management of food and beverage operations and cycles. Cost calculation, menu planning, storage, receiving, profit and budget forecasting, labor costs, service payment systems, and other topic-specific areas will be covered. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.

The front of house area of any restaurant should be carefully planned in order to balance ambiance with function. Restaurant seating, wait stations, and waiting areas are just a few of the areas to consider when planning a restaurant dining room. The course focuses on all aspects that characterize the front of the house experience. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the front of the house to properly reflect the restaurant concept and the necessity of planning front of the house spaces for efficiency. Furthermore, the course considers the pivotal role of excellent customer service and the training methods of front of the house staff.

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Management or equivalent.

This course is designed for students interested in international business ventures and partnerships. Management, leadership, human resource management, organizational skills, and strategies will all be analyzed from a cross-cultural business perspective. A major focus is on strategies adapting managerial skills across cultures. Guest lecturers and on-site visits to international business ventures are an integral part of the course.

This course examines the problems of the financial structures of restaurant management, in parallel with the objectives and techniques of the individual owner. The planning and decision-making tools available to managers in an organization and comparison between single or partnership managements will be discussed. Personnel organization and food preparation plans will be covered. The course is based on a double approach, combining theory and practice: students will be introduced to the basics of restaurant management and will be given the opportunity to discuss their ideas and questions with selected professionals who are successfully running their restaurant businesses in Florence. Extensive site visits to local restaurants be organized. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.

Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Introduction to key concepts of entrepreneurship, including new product development, finance, business plan development, and technology commercialization. Basic tools and personal characteristics required for entrepreneurship. Terminology used by lawyers, accountants, venture capitalists, and other investors when forming and financing new companies to be developed as startups, spinouts from existing company, or acquisitions of existing company (or its assets). Assessment of feasibility of business concept and communication of concept to potential investors, employees, and business partners. Discussion of technology feasibility, intellectual property, and licensing. Letter grading.

We live in exciting times where leaders need to prove what they are worth.

Governments and companies are confronted with issues such as increasing speed of innovation, cultural diversity, health issues, increase in refugees, rising energy costs and stricter regulations on CO2 emissions, etc. These issues are connected to a world of rapidly changing technological, political, economic, climate and environmental developments. Who do we trust to guide us through all these crises?

Leadership is about putting dots on the horizon, creating a shared vision, leading the change and working together with the followers towards new perspectives. Leadership is about understanding that crises are an opportunity for change.

This course deals with leadership and change in both a global and business context. It confronts students with current important issues with the aim to develop knowledge and to improve leadership skills to deal with these issues in a creative way. Understanding the system at hand is important, but also understanding how leadership has an impact on the system.

To make optimal use of a vision it must be converted into a strategic operation for companies (Collins & Porras, 1996). The blend between vision, strategy, leadership and co-workers means that entrepreneurs must act like leaders with a clear indication of the direction to mobilise the organisation in order to achieve goals and at the same time maintain employee motivation.

We will introduce examples of leadership that changed the rules of the game, such as Al Gore who tries to create awareness of the impact of climate change or Ellen MacArthur’s ambition to change the world towards a circular economy by building a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design. And Jamie Oliver, the British Chef who tried to change the food culture.

We think that leadership is not only about charisma or personal characteristics, but about personal dedication to a goal or vision far beyond personal interests. This type of leadership is embedded ‘in context’. This implies that leadership is not a personal characteristic but a part of a relationship among people in a community where qualities like trust, playfulness, and creativity are involved. Students are invited to share and discuss their personal leadership experiences and inspirations.

As Scotland’s University of Sporting Excellence, the University of Stirling is the perfect place to learn about the integration of culture, management and sport. The aim of this module is to teach you about how sport is managed in Scotland and in the UK mode widely, and about how it is incorporated into the thread of Scottish culture. The module will include a mixture of lectures and seminars accompanied by academic field trips, providing you with an understanding that sport is influenced by cultural traditions, social values and economic factors.

This course has an introductory characteristic and with a special focus on Japanese management style. In this course you will learn: how historical, social and cultural patterns affect the management practices of Japanese organisations; how other factors, such as the legal, political/governmental, economic and technological system, socio-cultural factors enable Japanese companies to operate successfully in an international business context; how Japanese companies develop strategies for international operations; how to improve cross-cultural communication and negotiation skills in an East-meets-West setting.