A91030 Cosmetic Industry World

In the cosmetic sector, the chemical, the pharmaceutical and the luxury approach rules the business. The growth dynamic, fostered by a long lasting social change trend, is particularly strong and produced a very high growth in turnover and export also during the global financial crisis period. The most important companies are global, but also very innovative and fast growing SMEs companies are operating. The most advanced techniques and management tools are commonly used. The Course has been developed with the support of Cosmetica Italia, the personal care association. All lessons are presented by entrepreneurs and managers of national and international cosmetic companies and offer to the students a direct contact with the top management of the most interesting global and local companies. The strong proactivity base of the course implies the admission only to the attending students. Some distinctive characteristics of the sector are: 

• The value of communication investments in cosmetics represent 44% of “non food” products.
• Science and research are the basis of the cosmetic industry. For innovation and technology, cosmetics companies in Italy invest more than 6% of their turnover, compared to an estimated national average of less than 3%.
• The industry provides employment for a total of 35.000 people: 54% women (by comparison the average percentage in manufacturing industry is 28%)
• Considering the total amount of people employed in the sector, 11% are graduated.
• Italy is a worldwide leader in the production of hairstyle products and a trend setter in design and packaging.
• Cosmetics is part of the excellence of Made in Italy.
• A sector where digital economy, from marketing to communication, to commercial activity, has become an essential element."

The course is structured in three main parts. In the first one the importance of Cosmetic organization is introduced and argued with the support of entrepreneurs, understanding the roles of firms and the complexity among several players included the consumer behaviour. The second part of the course provide the tools to analyse and understand the market, in way to support strategies with product and marketing policies, as well as the distribution channel and the complexity of the sector. The third part will present the structure of Italian Cosmetic System but also will focus on the communication and the importance of individual in networks. During the entire course will be the presence of company presentations: representative from leading cosmetic industries will be invited to tell their experience and in some occasions it will be the possibility to visit directly some firms.

The attendance to the course is strongly suggested. The 80% of the classes of each module is the minimum required. All the students  must achieve the “atending student” qualification in order to have access to the written final exam based on the materials presented in the course.