Applications

The seminar aims to introduce the fundamental concepts related to the analysis of consumption behaviors, with a focus on the ways in which these dynamics are manifested and transformed in contemporary societies.

The approach will be theoretically multidisciplinary: while relying mainly on the sociological perspective, the seminar will also draw on relevant contributions from economics, psychology, anthropology and communication studies, in order to offer a broad and articulate view of the phenomenon.
The teaching methodology adopted will be participatory. Each thematic module will be accompanied by the collective discussion of practical cases, examples and empirical evidence, in order to encourage the active involvement of students and stimulate critical discussion.
At the end of the seminar, participants will have acquired a basic knowledge of consumer behavior, as well as the ability to critically analyze the relationship between producer and consumer and the new emerging forms of consumption.
Seminar structure:
The importance of consumer behavior analysis for business.Historical introduction to the evolution of consumption, main trends and implications for business strategies.
Materials: slides, statistical data, sectoral examples.
Consumer profiles in contemporary society. Analysis of different types: Traditional, Digital, Ethical, Alienated, Sovereign, Prosumer.
Materials: slides, examples, case discussion.
Key variables in consumer behavior analysis. Implications for business decisions and defining marketing campaigns.
Materials: slides, real business cases.
Group work and reflection on Green Consumer profile. Collaborative activity aimed at identifying relevant dimensions for the company in understanding and engaging the sustainable consumer.
Materials: operational outline for group work and plenary sharing.

The course aims to provide an overview of theoretical and empirical research related to the economics and management of credit intermediaries, highlighting connections with the real economy and corporate financial management. The course, structured in three modules, analyzes developments in the academic literature on the topic, stimulating discussion on future research perspectives. 
Seminar structure:
Financial Intermediaries. Theoretical and empirical knowledge on more current issues concerning the economics of financial intermediaries. The following will be covered in detail: the structure of the financial sector and the role of financial intermediaries; the transmission of monetary policy through the banking system; interest rate determination; banking regulation and supervisors; and the impact of financial crises and bank failures on the economy.
Banking and organization models. Banking operations and the management of assets and liabilities of credit intermediaries to combine profitability, solvency and liquidity requirements. Essential concepts such as capital requirements, liquidity management and risk diversification will be explained. Banking business models, from traditional commercial banking to investment and universal banking models, will also be discussed.
The bank-firm relationship. The different relational approaches to customers and the role of information in the bank-enterprise relationship. In detail, the following will be analyzed: soft and hard information, the different approaches in the customer relationship, and the implications in terms of credit availability, pricing, and banks' demand for collateral. The territorial organization of banks and the influence on the bank-enterprise relationship.