Student guide Faculty of Economics A.Y. 2008/09

To illustrate the economic and legal frameworks for the governance of companies, from a perspective of its fundamental attributes and interactions with the market. The principal characteristics of company institutions as they relate to governance are described, at both the national and international level, in order to equip students with the essential tools for understanding and defining business frameworks and governance patterns appropriate to the changeable conditions--in terms of management, organisation and scale--under which firms operate. Students will additionally gain awareness of the legal and economic interrelations between the different topics covered. The study method will rely extensively upon discussions of case studies, including presentations by guest speakers from the business world.

1. Corporate Governance: introductory ideas
2. Reform of the law and of corporate governance
3. Corporate governance and the internal environment
4. Separation between ownership and control
5. The system of internal control
6. Corporate governance, management control and intangible resources of the company
7. Corporate governance and the external environment
8. Corporate governance and the social responsibility of firms
9. Corporate governance: a global perspective
10. Corporate governance in Italy
11. Corporate governance in Italy: SMEs
12. Corporate governance in listed companies: code of self-discipline
13. Failure and bankruptcy proceedings: impact of objectives of legal institutions on corporate governance
14. Governance of non profit institutions

There will be an oral examination at the end of the course. Students who attend lectures will have the opportunity to sit a written test.

- Bertacchini, E., Le ragioni del credito nelle società riformate. Linee di
tendenza e profili evolutivi, Cedam, Padova, 2004.
- Enriques, L., (a cura di), Diritto societario comparato, Il Mulino,
Bologna, 2006.
- Montalenti, P., La società quotata, in Trattato di diritto commerciale.
Diretto da G. Cottino, n. IV, 2, Cedam, Padova, 2004.
- Lordi, A., Corporate governance e prezzo contrattuale. Contributo allo
studio delle regole formanti la giustizia contrattuale. Profili comparativi, in Contratto e impresa, 2005, fasc. 1, p. 338 e ss.