Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

The course aims at providing students with a basic knowledge of the main principles and the regulation of the agri-food sector, in order to give them skills and tools to orient themselves in the complex international, European and national law governing this field. Particular attention will be given to issues of environmental sustainability: the various themes will be addressed in the perspective of the principle of sustainable development, underlining their interweaving with the challenges of climate change and the need for environmental protection. Agritech students are also expected to acquire the knowledge and expertise to prevent negative impacts on environmental quality and occupational safety. The teaching aims at offering methodological criteria for describing and analyzing complex production and environmental systems.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

Industry 4.0 technologies have made available a set of innovative solutions that may dramatically influence the agrifood industry. Many contemporary firms have recently sought to adopt smart production and advanced manufacturing tools (e.g., sensors and actuators for monitoring harvesting procedures and reducing the use of scarce resources, automation to optimize production or packaging processes), big data analytics to improve soil productivity, or blockchain technologies to create trustworthy value chains, consistently improving quality and reducing waste. The impact of these technologies is highly significant and ranges from continuous improvement in internal efficiency to the development of open business models involving collaborations between agritech firms, other firms (e.g., buyers and suppliers), and institutions organized in complex value chains and innovation ecosystems. The course aims to provide students with an academically grounded and managerially oriented understanding of how technology and innovation in the agricultural industry can be proactively managed, leading to value creation and increased competitiveness. The first part of the course will consist of a general discussion of the main concepts in economics and innovation management, followed by an in-depth discussion of how 4.0 technologies and knowledge management can enable innovative strategies in the agrifood industry, making farming smarter and less vulnerable. Lectures will be accompanied by examples and followed by case studies directly introduced by firms operating in the sector. This approach aims to help students understand how theoretical concepts can be applied to management practice. Moreover, students will be organized in groups and required to carry out project work aimed at studying real-life cases and outlining potential innovation management practices and their strategic and operational impact on agritech firms.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

Agri-food law Students are expected to acquire a basic knowledge of the main topics of Agri-food law and of the related juridical terminology. They will develop skills for a critical reading of the regulatory framework in the light of the ecological crisis phenomena. They will also learn how to find the legal sources relevant to the various topics and to understand their scope and meaning for the purpose of carrying out their professional activities. Agri-food safety The teaching aims at providing students with the technical terminology concerning the topics covered and the ability to present simple issues in the field. Students are also expected to learn the relevant legal terminology. With regard to the skills acquired, the goal is to put the learner in a position to independently set up a scheme for identifying, describing and evaluating the situation under consideration; reference will be made to the production cycles involved, relating the case in question to the relevant regulatory framework, the responsibility roles and the contextual conditions in which one operates.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

At the end of the course, students will have acquired a deep understanding of some of the main theoretical foundations of management of technology and innovation and how they are translated into managerial practices that characterize the competitive environment of the agricultural industry. Particular emphasis will be placed on the role of enabling technologies and the management practices of innovative firms. Students will acquire a basic competence in analyzing and managing business decisions related to technology and innovation management in both strategic and operational terms.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

Agri-food law Prior knowledge of legal matters is not required. The knowledge necessary for the understanding of the legal concepts and instruments implied by Agri-food law will be provided by the professor. Agri-food safety Knowledge of physics, chemistry, and mathematics acquired in undergraduate courses will be required for Agri-food safety.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

Students might find it useful to know the fundamentals of Economics and Business Organizations in the agricultural industry and the basics of Business strategy to help them acquire the course content more easily.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

The course is organized in 2 modules (40 hours of Agri-food law and 20 hours of Agri-food safety): 1) The first module aims at giving students an introduction to law (including the sources of law relevant for the subject matters) and an overview of the main concepts of Agri-food law, covering topics like the right to an adequate food; SDGs and food law; food safety, food security, food sovereignty; the main principles implied, with particular reference to the precautionary principle; the multilevel system of agri-food policies and regulations; biodiversity protection; food from organic farming; sustainable agriculture; food deriving from GMOs; novel food; food labelling and information; quality schemes for agricultural and food products (PDO, PGI, TSG); food contact materials; controls and sanctions. 2) The second module examines aspects of Agri-food safety. Criteria for analyzing the object of study in its entirety and identifying the boundaries of investigation. Methodology of description of the production operations (cycles, machines, plants and materials involved), according to the different operational dynamics (organization, skills and operative roles), in order to carry out a correct 'picture' of the reality, knowing how to place the case under consideration in the environmental (external and work environment) and legislative context in which it occurs.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

The course will comprise theoretical and practical English lessons and will be composed of two main parts. Herein is a comprehensive but non-exhaustive list of the topics for the first part: - What is a business (neoclassical perspective, accounting, human resources, evolutionary) - Who is the entrepreneur? - Difference between invention and innovation - Types of innovation by impact and characteristics - Technological cycles, trajectories, diffusion patterns, discontinuities and dominant standards - Relationship between growth and productivity - Difference in innovation and technology strategies between large and small enterprises - Limits to the adoption of new technologies - Collaborations and appropriateness of investments - Investment projects analysis and evaluation The second section of the course will consist of a set of lectures, talks and laboratory activities focusing on specific technological domains that will be vertically aligned with the theoretical concepts and management implications described in the first part. The lectures will focus on technologies employed in the agritech processes (e.g. sensors, drones, AI applications, precision agriculture technologies) to link students’ technological skills to managerial practices.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

Since students of the degree program generally do not have a previous knowledge of legal subjects, it is strongly recommended to attend classes. Students must base their studies on the syllabus of the academic year in which they intend to sit the examination (regardless of their year of enrolment or of attendance). Students may not base their studies on syllabi and teaching material referring to past academic years. Students are also advised to check the moodle platform for information on teaching material. If necessary, during the course students will be indicated supplementary readings to update the contents of the subject matter. Such reading material will be part of the syllabus for examination purposes.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

The course is structured in: - 40 hours of Agri-food law - 20 hours of Agri-food safety Teaching of Agri-food law and safety consists both of lectures and of research activities and case study analysis aimed at deepening the main topics, as well as encouraging the comparison between different legal systems.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

The course will consist of interactive lectures with extensive use of examples, case studies and integrative reading materials. Company testimonials will be invited as part of the course for practical lessons based on real-life cases. Moreover, students must carry out group-based project work to study real organisations and outline potential innovation strategies based on 4.0 technologies and their impact on firms’ competitiveness.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

Agri-food law and safety Notes taken in class, in addition to any other supplementary reading from time to time indicated and published on the moodle platform.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

Cantamessa M., Montagna F. Management of Innovation and New Product Development, Springer, London Schilling, M. Strategic Management of Technological Innovation McGraw-Hill Education Presentations and other reading materials will be uploaded during the course.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

Slides; Materiale multimediale ;

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

Slides; Libro di testo;

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

Modalità di esame: Elaborato scritto prodotto in gruppo;

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

Modalità di esame: Prova scritta (in aula); Elaborato progettuale in gruppo;

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

Exam: Group essay;

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

Exam: Written test; Group project;

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Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Agri-food law and safety)

Agri-food law and security The final rating will be the weighted average of the two different modules, respectively (2/3 and 1/3). Assessment criteria vary according to the module. 1) Agri-food law ATTENDING STUDENTS Students who attend at least the 70% of class hours will give the final exam in the form of a final paper concerning some topics of the lectures identified by the teacher. Length, criteria of editing and time of delivering will be indicated by the teacher. Attending students who pass the written exam do not have to take the oral exam, but must in any case show up on the day of the oral exam to register their grade. Registration of the grade must compulsorily be done by the winter session of examinations, otherwise the exam will be considered as not taken. Attending students who do not pass the written final exam will sit for the oral exam. Attending students who pass the written final exam but decide to refuse or improve their grade can sit for the oral exam. NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS. Students who do not attend at least the 70% of class hours will give an oral exam. INFORMATION FOR BOTH ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS. Both the written and the oral exam will cover topics of the course syllabus. Subject of evaluation in both the written and the oral exam will be in particular knowledge of the course topics and ability to contextualize them. The evaluation will consider the correctness of statements, the appropriateness of the terminology, the relevance of the cited references, and the ability to expose clearly, accurately, and rationally, giving adequate reasons for the arguments developed. The evaluation of both the written and oral exam will be expressed in thirtieth. 2) Agri-food security Compulsory oral exam and Group discussion; Students are expected to lead a class discussion (with presentations, analyses of case studies) with a small group of other students on one of the course topics. At the end of the teaching activities, students will receive an assessment of their commitment. The evaluation will consider the correctness of statements, the appropriateness of the terminology, the relevance of the cited references, and the ability to expose clearly, accurately, and rationally, giving adequate reasons for the arguments developed. The evaluation will be expressed in thirtieth.

Technology and Innovation Management/Agri-food law and safety (Technology and Innovation Management)

The written test will evaluate the degree to which students have learned and understood theoretical concepts. It will be based on a mixture of closed questions and open questions. The written exam will lead to a score of 20/30. The group-based project work will allow us to evaluate how students can apply theoretical concepts in practice. It will lead to a score of 10/30 based on the following evaluation dimensions: theoretical soundness, internal coherence, business acumen, and presentation quality.

Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.