Management Engineering

General objectives The Environmental Economics and Management course is aimed at providing students with the basic knowledge concerning the complex relationships between the economic system and the environment. To this aim, the course is aimed at discussing with students that the current linear economic model “take-make-dispose” is no more sustainable, given the strong environmental constraints that our society must tackle, as well as the main policy and business strategies aimed at favoring the transition towards the circular economic model, able to respect the above-mentioned environmental constraints. The main topics addressed during the class are the following: theories and evidences related to climate change; relationships between economic system and the environment; international agreements and policy measures related to the environment; production-based and consumption-based environmental accounting, with particular focus on climate and energy; principles of circular economy; industrial ecology and industrial symbiosis; sustainable supply chain management. Through the analysis of case studies, the course is aimed to provide students with the critical ability to interpret the companies’ behavior towards the circular economy, design new sustainable and circular business models, and reconvert the current business models according to the principles of circular economy. Specific objectives Knowledge and understanding: The course allows students to know the main managerial strategies supporting the company’s transition towards the circular economy. Apply knowledge and understanding: Students will be able to design circular business models and sustainable business models, also thanks to the experience of project work. At the end of the course, students will be able to assess how much a given business model is sustainable. Critical and judgment skills: Students will be able to assess ex ante the implications – from the economic, social, and environmental perspective – of a given circular business model. Communication skills: At the end of the course, students will be able to discuss the topics addressed during the class by using the consolidated terminology, both from the scientific and the managerial perspective. Learning ability: Students will develop the autonomous ability to study and critically assess the business choices of companies. The use of business games for some topics of the class will allow students to learn by doing.