Student guide Faculty of Economics A.Y. 2007/08

Corporate Finance
Aim of the course
To equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the finance function and its interactions with other company functions, pointing out its determinants and key attributes. The interrelations between economic and financial aspects will be analysed, with specific reference to investment and financing policies. Finally, the operations for raising risk capital (Private Equity, Venture Capital, Initial Public Offering) will be examined in depth. The novel teaching method employed differs from that of conventional economics and business management courses, with the material further explicated through discussions of business case studies, analysis and study of research papers, presentation of real-world examples, and the use of personal computers for the coursework. As a consequence of this pragmatic approach, the focus is chiefly on practical applications.
Syllabus
1.      Review and application of the main Business Finance concepts.
2.      Extraordinary transactions: acquisition processes.
3.      Opening up the capital: private equity and venture capital, initial public offering (IPO);
4.      Use of debt capital: structured finance, securitization, project finance.
 
Examinations
For students who attend class
Two intermediate written tests and an oral test at the end. The overall result will be a weighted average of the written and oral tests.
 
For distance students
Oral exam covering the specified portions of the textbooks.
 
Reading list
For students who attend class
The study materials will be supplied as required by the course lecturers and made available on the internet. The main reference texts are:
-          Gervasoni, Sattin, “Private Equity e Venture Capital”, 2005, Guerini; capitoli 1,3,4,5,8,9.
-          Gervasoni, “La gestione finanziaria dell’impresa”, Guerini.
 
For distance students
In addition to the study materials supplied by the course lecturers, and made available on the website, the following texts will also be covered in the exam:
-          Gervasoni, Sattin, “Private Equity e Venture Capital”, Guerini, 2005.
-          Brealey, Myers, “Principles of Corporate Finance”, terza edizione, McGraw Hill; capitoli 15,17,18,23,32.
-          Aswath Damodaran, “Finanza Aziendale”, Wiley, 2006; capitoli 1,2,3,4,7 e 8.
-          Gervasoni, Del Giudice, “Il Project Financing per le infrastrutture di trasporto”, Collana “Economia e Finanze”, DeAgostini Professionale, Roma, 2002, capitoli 2,3.