ECONOMIA E GESTIONE DELLE IMPRESE TURISTICHE

The EGIT course deals with the issues of tourism business management, approaches and strategic analysis tools for  acquiring and maintaining a competitive advantage over time. Particular attention is given to the competitive differentials of tourism firms, such as tour operators, hotels, transport companies, catering, cruise sector,  MICE business, and to their ways of competing in a sector that is increasingly open to digitalization and increasingly attentive to the sustainability issue. The course highlights the role of innovation in the tourism management as a competitive source based on innovative and digital tourism products.

Knowledge and understanding: The course aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge of the main elements of the tourism firms. At the end of the course, students will understand the strategic choices and the tools adopted by the tourism firms to acquire and maintain a competitive advantage. Students will understand the changes taking place in the tourism sector as a result of digitalization and  environmental and social sustainability and how companies are reconfiguring their business in a digital and green way. Finally, students will understand the importance of  collaborations, alliances and interactions between the players operating in the same tourism system.

Applying knowledge and understanding: The course aims to develop students' critical and analytical skills on management of firms in the tourism sector. At the end of the course, the students will be able to apply the concepts learned and the analysis tools to entrepreneurial contexts (travel, hotel, restaurant, transport, cruise, congress) and to address the main strategic and operational management issues. The approach adopted is inductive. By examining case studies, testimonials from entrepreneurs, managers, operators in the tourism sector and institutional actors and company tours (if possible), the students will be able to reconstruct the conceptual categories and apply them correctly in the various business contexts. Practical activities, individually and in groups, and the presentation of reports in the classroom will allow these activities to be further reinforced.

Making judgments: At the end of the course, students will be placed in the conditions to evaluate business opportunities and competitive dynamics. They may address typical issues of business management as well as assess the nature of the strategic choices made by entrepreneurs and managers in the tourism sector. They will also be able to compare and evaluate theoretical models and strategic approaches emerging in the tourism management and propose solutions.

Communication skills: Students will be able to effectively communicate ideas in written and oral form, to use appropriate technical language and to critically evaluate issues related to tourism management. They will be able to communicate in an appropriate way with the professional players they will meet in the job market. Students will be encouraged to use digital tools and create content to be shared online.

Learning skills: At the end of the cycle of lectures, students will have acquired specific knowledge and critical evaluation skills that will allow them to explore the issues of business management independently. They will acquire the ability to critically read and summarize articles and case studies and will be able to select further training in master and bachelor's degree programs. Learning skills will be stimulated during the lessons through active and participatory involvement of students, research, laboratory activities and field observations. Learning will be gradual and will be favored by the analysis of experiences and examples, case studies, applied activities, in-class presentations and discussions with experts, start-uppers, entrepreneurs, and a thorough knowledge of the teaching material. Companies tour are also planned (if possible). Reports, individual and group assignments, and project works will further support the learning process and of understanding. Students will present and discuss case studies, papers and project work, developed by working in small groups.

• Lectures
  
• Applied Activities, Case Studies, In-Class Presentations
  
• Discussions with Executives, Managers, Start-uppers and Entrepreneurs
  
• Individual and Group Assignments.
  
• Final tests.
  

Pre- requisites: None. 

Attendance: Strongly recommended

Class discussion is a central part of the learning experience. Students are expected to actively participate in the classroom, read the teaching material in advance, discuss cases and readings, argue their ideas and respond to comments from others. Classroom interventions are expected to be constructive, articulated, documented and well motivated.

• Della Corte Valentina, Imprese e Sistemi Turistici, III edizione, Egea Milano, Capitoli: 1,  2 (pp. 57-73), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
• Supplementary teaching materials used during the course (slides, case studies, book chapters, scientific articles and other readings) available on Studium

Attending students

• Written test (50%  of the final grade), based on the whole program. The written test is divided into true / false, multiple and semi-open questions and takes place in 20 minutes. The vote is expressed out of thirty.
  
• Project work (50% of the final grade). The vote is expressed out of thirty and takes into account the relevance of the topic, the quality of the project and the oral presentation.
  

The written test and the presentation of the project will take place exclusively in the first exam session scheduled for January. Reservations are required on the student portal. To pass the final exam, it is necessary to obtain a pass in both tests.

 Non-attending students

• Written exam (100% of the final grade) is divided into true / false, multiple, semi-open and open questions and takes place in 40 minutes. The vote is expressed out of thirty. The written test is based on the contents discussed during the lessons, the book chapters and the supplementary teaching materials, as reported in the syllabus. 
  
• The written test is adopted for each session. Reservation is required for each exam session. 
  

Evaluation Criteria: The final evaluation expressed out of thirty will be carried out by assigning a partial score to the following criteria in line with the objectives indicated above: knowledge of the assigned topic, appropriateness of the technical language, relevance of the answers to the questions posed, ability to connect between the topic discussed and other topics inherent to the program, logical ability to argue the assigned topic, ability to contextualize the topic with practical examples taken from the company reality, active participation in the classroom.

 Readings, testimonials of firms and material distributed in the classroom are among the topics required for attending and non-attending students.

1. What are the main configurations of the tourism product.
   
2. Explaining the main characteristics of the integrated tourism system.
   
3. How digitalization represents new sources of competitiveness for the tourism firms.
   
4. Which traits characterize sustainability-oriented tourism firms. 
   
5. How the value chain makes it possible to evaluate the tourism product competitiveness.
   
6. Which elements characterize the smart hospitality firms.
   
7. Which logics push transport companies to adopt overbooking policies.
   
8. What are the advantages and limitations of advanced booking and last minute policies.
   
9. Why the catering companies represent a relevant player in tourism
   
10. What are the tools for the performance evaluation of the hospitality firms.