Areas

Corporate communication
The Corporate Communication research area investigates the management of communication by applying an integrated approach that encompasses various areas of communication, especially corporate identity, branding, marketing communication, public relations, and internal communication. This research area addresses the effects of organizations’ communication activities on its stakeholders as well as the influence of stakeholders’ communicative actions on organizations and the interaction of the two. Qualitative research methods such as surveys and content analysis are mainly used.


Accounting
The Accounting research area deals with reporting issues that concern both the traditional accounting and non-traditional forms of accounting such as social accounting and integrated reporting. This area considers accounting and accountability tools such as the economic-financial and social performance reporting systems, sustainability reports, the integrated report in various forms of for-profit, non-profit and hybrid organizations. The field analyzes the factors that lead to the development of forms of voluntary reporting, the quality of the information proposed by the companies, the methods of dissemination and the main implications at the organizational and managerial level. It also observes the practices of accounting education, evaluating the best ways of learning and the inclusion of issues such as corporate social responsibility and business ethics. Research methodologies embrace both quantitative and qualitative methods in data collection.


Agricultural and resource economics
The Agricultural and Resource Economics research area covers activities related to the fields of economy, policy, business administration and appraisal applied to the production, transformation, distribution, market and consumption of products from the primary sector (agriculture, forestry and fishery), of agri-food economics and agricultural biotechnology and their interconnection with socio-economic, environmental and extension systems. The research area embraces the economic aspects concerning environmental impact, socio-economic development of the rural areas, dynamical interactions between urban and rural areas and the relative planning of the innovation processes in the territory.


Corporate finance
The Corporate Finance research area deals with issues concerning the decisions of companies that have financial implications, the corporate restructuring operations and the evaluation criteria of companies and single assets. In particular, the following topics are investigated: firms’ capital structure, innovative financing instruments, with focus on crowdfunding and its equity and civic typologies, dividend policy, private equity, business networks and their financial performance, firms’ crisis and restructuring, the valuation of non-financial companies, banks, asset management companies and investment firms, the estimate of the value of intangible assets, and mergers and acquisition.


Management of financial institutions
The Management of Financial Institutions research area examines the strategic, management, organizational and operational models of banks and other financial intermediaries. In particular the following topics are covered: strategies, capital management and performance of the banks, the digitization of banking processes and products, the supervision of the banks, depositor protection schemes, banks’ crisis, the impact of MiFid 2 on banks and networks, and the efficiency and economies of scale of financial intermediaries such as insurance companies.


Service management
The Service Management research area studies the strategic and operative aspects related to the services design and delivery, which have become a critical successfully factor for all companies of goods and services that operate in hypercompetitive contexts. The studies focus on models about service quality and customer satisfaction. Extensive research is carried out with specific reference to the tourism, hospitality, retail, healthcare, and public services industries. Qualitative research methods, such as data collections based on in-depth interviews and focus groups, and quantitative research methods, such as questionnaire-based surveys, as well as experiments are used.


Management information systems
The Management Information Systems research area studies people, technology, organizations, processes, and the relationships among them. The purpose of any Management Information System is to help an Organization manage its business better. In particular, analyzes the role of data analytics in the digital economy, and how companies can deal with the challenges and opportunities provided by the increasing availability of data, which is changing the business landscape. The main subareas are: ERP, Knowledge Management, Big Data, Business Intelligence, eBusiness, eGovernment, eMarketplace, eCommerce, etc.


Performance management
The Performance Management research area includes the analysis of factors that influence the economic-financial performance of different organizations including for-profit companies, public utilities, healthcare sector and universities. The determinants that affect the organizations’ performance, such as the governance system (public and private), the level of internationalization of the business, the company innovation, the forms of collaboration, the implementation of sustainable practices and strategic control are investigated. This also includes the analysis of the costs and effectiveness of innovative organizational models, compared to traditional ones. The analysis also considers the measurement systems and tools for planning, reporting and monitoring the level of performance and the influence of various factors on the same. These accounting systems are studied highlighting strengths and weaknesses in representing company performance and being a valid support tool for organizational strategies.


Innovation management
The Innovation Management research area studies the innovative paths of firms, with particular attention to product, process and organizational innovation. Specific attention is also paid to the less “visible” forms of innovation that are typical of the SMEs. This research area investigates innovative firms, strategic players in technology transfer processes and approaches to innovation in SMEs, paying particular attention to new emerging forms of innovation including social innovation and frugal innovation. Qualitative research methods, such as interviews, focus groups and case study analysis are used.


Risk Management
Risk management
standard compliant  Scimago
The Risk Management research area deals with the management of corporate risks under the perspectives of process management, corporate governance and accounting; and the management of network risks in the supply chain perspective. In particular, regarding the organization's perspective, the research team works on models and techniques for risk assessment (identification, analysis and evaluation) and risk treatment with the scope to assure effective and efficient process management, minimizing the Total Cost of Risk. From the corporate governance and accounting perspective, the research interests focus on the mechanisms of risk management within the corporate governance structures, the implementation of enterprise risk management models, and the effects of risk management on the firm's performance and the quality of financial and non-financial disclosure. Referring to the supply chain perspective, the research team investigates risk assessment and mitigation strategies in the supply chains, resilient supply chains, business continuity and the management of emergent risks which are particularly critical for supply chains (business interruption, cyber risk, reputational risk, commodity price risk). The research field relies both on qualitative research designs and empirical quantitative analyses based on primary as well as secondary sources.


Tourism management
The Tourism Management research area studies the demand expressed by tourists and the strategies through which that demand is satisfied by the offering, at both the tourism destination level and the tourism services business level. As regards demand, the studies address tourists’ needs, motivations, behaviours, perceptions and satisfaction. As regards the offering, the research activity examines the strategic planning and management of tourism destinations (based on the expectations of the involved stakeholders, such as: policy makers, economic actors, residents and tourists) as well as management and marketing decisions of the firms of the tourism supply chain. Qualitative research methods, such as data collections based on in-depth interviews and focus groups, and quantitative research methods, such as questionnaire-based surveys, as well as experiments are used.


Corporate governance and strategy
The Corporate Governance and Strategy research area aims to analyze trends in the design of business strategies in different contexts, such as those of a single company or a multitude of organizations. The research scope embraces the issue of internal and external controls, considering the level of compliance with certain regulatory provisions, such as Legislative Decree 231/2001. The area considers aggregation phenomena, such as business networks, exploring the factors that enhance the collaborative strategy and the advantages in favor of the companies that collaborate in the network. The individual companies have been analyzed in their specific business models in order to identify the success factors deriving from certain forms of governance (e.g., cooperatives) and business value systems. Although the area embraces all types of organizations, particular attention is given to small and medium-sized enterprises more closely linked to the local territorial context.


Health care management
L’area di ricerca Health Care Management si occupa dello studio delle competenze specifiche per gestire al meglio i cambiamenti organizzativi e le policy nei sistemi sanitari complessi sia a livello globale (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale e Servizio Sanitario Regionale) che a livello locale (ospedali, distretti, ULSS, etc.) per consentire il perseguimento delle opportunità professionali in molti settori della sanità pubblica e privata. Nell’area si analizzano anche gli impatti che le tecnologie hanno sulla governance e in generale sulla struttura organizzativa, nonché la gestione dei processi organizzativi per il miglioramento dell’efficacia e dell’efficienza del sistema.


Entrepreneurship
The Entrepreneurship research area includes topics related to competitive entrepreneurship and to the links between entrepreneurship and territory. The research topics mainly are the following: entrepreneurial learning models and effectiveness of peer to peer systems, business decision-making processes in SMEs, learning processes of the entrepreneur, values underlying competitive entrepreneurship, the territory as a resource generating entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship in historical firms, the development of social entrepreneurship in for-profit firms, assessment of corporate vitality in long-lived firms, barriers to entrepreneurship in SMEs, entrepreneurial skills and dynamics, SMEs and management of family businesses, and local entrepreneurial start-ups and ecosystems for the development of new entrepreneurship. Mainly qualitative methods such as focus groups, interviews and case studies are used. In some cases. A multidisciplinary approach is also used: on the one hand, it is based on the combination of managerial thinking with both urban-architectural thinking and, in the other hand, on the combination of managerial thinking with the socio-psychologic disciplines.


Logistics and supply chain management
The Logistics and Supply Chain Management research includes the following topics: supply chain management and logistics management, supplier-customer relationship management in the B2B context, supply chain risk management, procurement and raw materials price volatility, reverse logistics and closed loop supply chain, sustainable supply chain and circular economy, the role of the shopper in the supply chain, digitalization and Industry 4.0, logistics outsourcing, 3pl and logistics customer service, interface between marketing and logistics, supply chain marketing, urban logistics e last mile delivery.


Marketing
The Marketing research area studies the relationships between the firm and its customers both in business-to-consumer and in business-to-business markets. The studies focus both on the customers, examining their needs, expectations, satisfaction and loyalty, and on the firm’s marketing strategies and activities aimed to understand, segment, involve and satisfy the customer. Specific theoretical research activities are carried out about brand management, corporate identity and reputation, communication and events, involving also aspects related to sustainability. In addition, the use of social media and of the other digital marketing tools together with their social impact are analysed. Omnichannel issues are addressed as well, investigating consumer behaviour across online and offline marketing channels. The marketing research activity encompasses also the study of international markets. Specific research activities are devoted to the study of food and wine firms’ marketing and communication strategies. Qualitative research methods, such as data collections based on in-depth interviews and focus groups, and quantitative research methods, such as questionnaire-based surveys, as well as experiments are used.


Financial markets
The Financial Markets research area includes the functioning of stock markets, the innovation of financial instruments, the advisory activities on customer investment choices and the applications of digital technologies to financial markets. Among the research topics there are the following: the evolution and performance of stock markets, covered bonds, the skills and knowledge of investment advisors, and technological innovation in the financial field (FinTech).


CSR, sustainability and business ethics
The CSR, sustainability and business ethics research area is multidisciplinary because it includes a number of study streams such as accounting, accountability, agribusiness, management, marketing and organizational studies. Essentially, it is focusing on creating and maximizing value in the medium to long term in an economic, environmental and socio-cultural perspective in order to address the challenges of the today’s environment faced by public and private companies, for profit and non-profit organizations, and SMEs. From the methodologic point of view, qualitative methods (e.g., interviews, focus groups and case studies) and quantitative methods (e.g., field surveys that are conducted through questionnaires processed using statistical software) are used.


Accounting history
The Accounting History research area considers the forms of accounting and accountability in the historical context, addressing the relationships between the accounting system developed in a given period and the related social, economic and political context, stakeholders and governance. These relationships are examined using different lens and also under the modern perspective of the New Accounting History. This research area is based on the development of interpretative models and analysis with multidisciplinary value, which lead to read historical phenomena through current lenses. Historical analysis considers various epochs, types of companies (e.g. religious organizations, lay organizations) and a vast number of daily and periodic reporting tools, as well as the economic-social ones. Elements characterizing accounting systems in different historical periods are considered in terms of main characteristics, purposes, methods of reporting, dissemination and internal and external controls.


Organizational studies
The Organizational Studies research area is an inter-disciplinary academic field interested in a collective activity, and how it relates to organization, organizing, and management. This area examinants how individuals construct organizational structures, processes, and practices and how these, in turn, shape social relations and create institutions that ultimately influence people", organizational studies comprise different areas that deal with the different aspects of the organizations, many of the approaches are functionalist but critical research also provide alternative frame for understanding in the field. Researchers studying organizations and/or organizing processes have a recurring concern that those who work in organizations do not find organizational research particularly relevant. The main subareas are: Organizational behavior, Organizational ecology, Organizational theory, Organizational culture, Organizational learning, and Human Resource Management.


Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting   standard compliant  JEL

Marketing and Advertising, Marketing
M31 - Branding strategies and relationships in business-to-business markets - M 31 Il problema di genere quale opportunità per le aziende (gender question and company s growth) - M31 Il valore per il cliente in un contesto business to business (Customer value in business to business context) - M 31 Marketing, comunicazione d’impresa e relazione con la clientela (Marketing, corporate communication and customer relationship) - M31 - Marketing strategies and marketing performance measurement in tourism & hospitality - M31 - Services management and marketing


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