Unit MANAGEMENT OF AGRO-LIVESTOCK ENTERPRISES
- Course
- Animal science
- Study-unit Code
- A003317
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Biancamaria Torquati
- Teachers
-
- Biancamaria Torquati
- Hours
- 54 ore - Biancamaria Torquati
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2026
- Offered
- 2026/27
- Learning activities
- Caratterizzante
- Area
- Discipline economiche, statistiche, informatiche e gestionali
- Sector
- AGRI-01/A
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- The course addresses the management of agro-livestock enterprises by interpreting them as complex economic and production systems, in which technical, economic, organizational, and environmental factors interact.
The analysis is developed along five main dimensions:
the operational logic of agro-livestock enterprises and production combinations;
organizational structures, farm management systems, and farm management information systems;
the relationships between enterprise and environment, including externalities and sustainability;
accounting tools, management control, and economic-financial analysis;
strategic management, innovation, marketing, and entrepreneurial design through business planning.
The course combines a theoretical perspective with a strong applied orientation, aimed at developing operational skills in the management and evaluation of agro-livestock enterprises. - Reference texts
- Torquati B. – Economia e gestione dell’impresa agraria. Sole 24Ore Edagricole, Bologna, 2003.
Messori F. – L’azienda agraria. Clueb., Bologna, 2007 (capitoli 13 e 14)
Fontana F., Caroli M. – Economia e gestione delle imprese. McGraw.Hill, Milano 2009 (capitolo 3)
Osterwalder A., Pigneur Y. – Business Model Generation
Additional materials (lecture notes, datasets, Excel models) will be provided by the instructor. - Educational objectives
- At the end of the course, students will be able to:
analyse agro-livestock enterprises as systems, interpreting the relationships between production factors, processes, and economic outcomes (LO1);
evaluate production combinations and farm management forms in relation to territorial and competitive contexts (LO2);
use general accounting tools and financial statement analysis to assess firm performance (LO3);
analyse the relationships between enterprise and environment, including externalities and sustainability implications, also through bioeconomy principles and sustainability reporting tools (LO4);
identify business strategies according to market dynamics, agricultural policies, and innovation processes (LO5);
design a business model and develop a business plan, assessing its economic and financial feasibility (LO6);
apply data processing tools (Excel) to support managerial decision-making (LO7). - Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge of microeconomics and agricultural policy is required.
- Teaching methods
- The course is structured as follows:
lectures covering all course topics;
practical sessions in a computer lab aimed at:
developing a farm management information system;
conducting a farm audit;
implementing general accounting and financial statement analysis;
developing a business plan;
use of datasets and Excel-based analytical tools;
farm visits to livestock enterprises;
seminars with entrepreneurs and sector experts.
Students are required to upload all assignments on the Unistudium platform in order to be admitted to the final exam. - Other information
- The course promotes active learning through practical activities, farm visits, and interaction with professionals, fostering technical, relational, and decision-making skills.
Attendance is strongly recommended.
In addition, students may participate in activities promoted within the framework of the National Rural Network (Rete Rurale Nazionale) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MASAF), in collaboration with the Umbria Region, including the opportunity to take part in Mini-camps. - Learning verification modality
- The assessment consists of:
a written exam (10 open-ended questions covering theoretical contents);
an oral exam, consisting of the discussion of a technical report:
development of an entrepreneurial idea and preparation of a business plan.
Assessment criteria include:
theoretical understanding;
correct application of analytical tools;
design and project development capacity;
clarity and rigor in presentation. - Extended program
- The course is structured into five thematic areas:
1. Agro-livestock enterprise as a system and farm management information system (10 hours) (LO1, LO2, LO7)
Farm system and enterprise system
Economic analysis of agricultural enterprises
Production combinations
Management operations and value dynamics
Farm management information system
Practical exercises on data construction and analysis
2. Organization, labour, and environment (10 hours) (LO2, LO4)
Organizational structures and farm management forms
Labour organization and contractual arrangements
Micro and macro environmental analysis
Stakeholder analysis
Production and externalities
Enterprise and environmental sustainability
Life Cycle Costing
3. Accounting and management control (10 hours) (LO3, LO7)
General and analytical accounting
Accounting recording systems
Opening and closing balance sheets
Agricultural taxation
Economic and financial analysis
Financial performance indicators
4. Strategy, innovation, and marketing (10 hours) (LO5)
New forms of agriculture and multifunctionality
Competitive strategies (cost leadership, differentiation, focus)
Collaborative strategies
Innovation in agricultural enterprises
Marketing in agro-livestock systems
Case study analysis.
5. Business planning and entrepreneurial design (14 hours) (LO6, LO5, LO3)
Entrepreneurial ideas
Business Model Canvas
SWOT analysis
Marketing, production, and sales plans
Financial planning
Sensitivity analysis
Practical exercises on business plan development and evaluation - Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile
- The course contributes to the following SDGs:
SDG 1 – No Poverty, by strengthening the economic sustainability of rural enterprises;
SDG 2 – Zero Hunger, by promoting efficient and sustainable agro-livestock systems;
SDG 5 – Gender Equality, particularly in relation to labour organization;
SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, through efficient resource management and reduction of externalities.