MG/ET/BS 362 - Managing Small Business Enterprises with a Farm-to-Table Focus

The aim of this interdisciplinary business course is understanding the world of Small Business Enterprises. In light of the growing popularity of farm-to-table business and their prevalence in the Tuscan region surrounding Siena, there will be a specific focus on this topic. Students will learn how companies can achieve the benefits of moving toward a farm-to-table model such as gaining new customers, leading innovations, helping the local economy, improving general welfare of the community by decreasing the amount of fuel used to move around resources, and achieving greater scale and scope.

The aim of this course is to provide students with both a theoretical and practical understanding of managing small firms. It will consider key aspects like facing big challenges when planning delivery, organizing logistics, dealing with scarcity of resources, and addressing marketing and communication issues related to consumers’ food decisions and their cultural approach to food.

The course will aim to allow students to learn the key concepts of business and of farm-to-table start-ups. To achieve this, we will discuss some of the most brilliant and successful Italian business cases. The course will introduce state-of-the-art approaches to quality, risk, and compliance in business management.

The course uses interactive methods aimed at transmitting professional skills, abilities and attitudes which foster learning, teamwork, conflict resolution and leadership.