International Teaching | MANAGING INNOVATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY

cod. II22800014

MANAGING INNOVATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY

	II22800014
	DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
	EQF7
	FOOD ENGINEERING
	2025/2026

PERCORSO IN COMMON

	YEAR OF COURSE 1
	YEAR OF DIDACTIC SYSTEM 2025
	SPRING SEMESTER

TEACHING UNITS

	SSD	CFU	HOURS	ACTIVITY	TYPE OF ACTIVITY
	ING-IND/25	6	60	LESSONS	OPTIONAL SUBJECTS

	Objectives
	KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING THE AIM OF THE COURSE IS TO ANALYZE THE INNOVATION IN AGRI-FOOD COMPANIES IN ORDER TO VERIFY THEIR POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM AN IDEA INTO A MEDIUM-LONG TERM CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR. STUDENTS WILL BE GIVEN THE TOOLS TO ANALYZE AND INTERPRET THE EVOLUTIONARY TRENDS TAKING PLACE IN THE GLOBAL MARKET, IN ORDER TO OUTLINE THE POSSIBLE INNOVATIONS TO BE INTRODUCED IN THE COMPANY: NEW PRODUCTS, NEW PRODUCTION PROCESSES, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TO REPLACE OR INTEGRATE THOSE IN USE, AS WELL AS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR EFFICIENCY. THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING THE IDENTIFIED INNOVATION WILL HAVE TO BE VERIFIED FOR A SPECIFIC CASE STUDY, THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING CONSTRAINTS OF ECONOMIC/FINANCIAL, LOGISTIC, LEGISLATIVE NATURE AND IN TERMS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. THE PATH TOWARDS THE INNOVATION WILL BE BASED ALSO ON THE ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT ON THE COMPANY ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEM: NEW LAYOUT OF THE PLANT AND UTILITIES, NEW SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE PROPOSED INNOVATION AND THEIR IMPACT ON COMPANY ORGANIZATION, MAINTENANCE AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT, COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS. FINALLY, THE ROLE OF THE POSSIBLE FINANCING AND FUNDING TOOLS TO SUPPORT INNOVATION WILL BE PRESENTED, WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO TRADITIONAL AND/OR INNOVATIVE TOOLS. APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING – ENGINEERING ANALYSIS: ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND INTERPRET THE SIGNS OF CHANGE COMING FROM THE MARKET. ABILITY TO PROPOSE INNOVATION THAT MEETS THE IDENTIFIED NEEDS. ABILITY TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF INTRODUCING INNOVATION ON THE COMPANY SYSTEM. ABILITY TO CARRY OUT A CORRECT COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF INNOVATION. APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING – ENGINEERING DESIGN: THE STUDENTS, BASED ON THE INFORMATION TRANSFERRED DURING THE COURSE, WILL BE ABLE TO DEVELOP A PROJECT, THROUGH WHICH TO IDENTIFY THE VARIOUS TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND PROTECTION OF INNOVATION. MAKING JUDGMENTS - ENGINEERING PRACTICE: ABILITY TO INTERPRET A COMPETITIVE CONTEXT TO IDENTIFY INNOVATION IDEAS. ABILITY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF INNOVATION IN THE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM ALSO IN RELATION TO THE MICRO AND MACRO ENVIRONMENT OF REFERENCE. ABILITY TO IDENTIFY INNOVATION PROTECTION STRATEGIES. ABILITY TO SELECT POSSIBLE FORMS OF FINANCING TO FOSTER INNOVATION. TRANSVERSAL SKILLS - COMMUNICATION SKILLS: LEADERSHIP AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SKILLS STRENGTHENED THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATION PROJECTS. ABILITY TO DRAW UP A BUSINESS INNOVATION PROPOSAL. ABILITY TO DISCUSS, WITH APPROPRIATE TERMINOLOGY, THE CONTENT OF THE PROJECT. LEARNING SKILLS – TRANSVERSAL SKILLS: ABILITY TO APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED IN CONTEXTS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE PRESENTED DURING THE COURSE. ABILITY TO DEVELOP TOOLS FOR STRENGTHENING AND ENHANCING THE VALUE OF THE AGRI-FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN COMPANIES, ENHANCING THEIR HERITAGE OF TYPICAL AND QUALITY PRODUCTS THROUGH INNOVATION. LEARNING SKILLS – INVESTIGATION SKILLS ABILITY TO DECODE THE SIGNALS COMING FROM THE MARKET, IDENTIFYING INNOVATION THAT CAN BE TRANSFORMED FOR THE COMPANY INTO A MEDIUM-LONG TERM CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
THE AIM OF THE COURSE IS TO ANALYZE THE INNOVATION IN AGRI-FOOD COMPANIES IN ORDER TO VERIFY THEIR POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM AN IDEA INTO A MEDIUM-LONG TERM CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR. STUDENTS WILL BE GIVEN THE TOOLS TO ANALYZE AND INTERPRET THE EVOLUTIONARY TRENDS TAKING PLACE IN THE GLOBAL MARKET, IN ORDER TO OUTLINE THE POSSIBLE INNOVATIONS TO BE INTRODUCED IN THE COMPANY: NEW PRODUCTS, NEW PRODUCTION PROCESSES, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TO REPLACE OR INTEGRATE THOSE IN USE, AS WELL AS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR EFFICIENCY. THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING THE IDENTIFIED INNOVATION WILL HAVE TO BE VERIFIED FOR A SPECIFIC CASE STUDY, THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING CONSTRAINTS OF ECONOMIC/FINANCIAL, LOGISTIC, LEGISLATIVE NATURE AND IN TERMS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. THE PATH TOWARDS THE INNOVATION WILL BE BASED ALSO ON THE ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT ON THE COMPANY ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEM: NEW LAYOUT OF THE PLANT AND UTILITIES, NEW SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE PROPOSED INNOVATION AND THEIR IMPACT ON COMPANY ORGANIZATION, MAINTENANCE AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT, COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS. FINALLY, THE ROLE OF THE POSSIBLE FINANCING AND FUNDING TOOLS TO SUPPORT INNOVATION WILL BE PRESENTED, WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO TRADITIONAL AND/OR INNOVATIVE TOOLS.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING – ENGINEERING ANALYSIS:
ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND INTERPRET THE SIGNS OF CHANGE COMING FROM THE MARKET. ABILITY TO PROPOSE INNOVATION THAT MEETS THE IDENTIFIED NEEDS. ABILITY TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF INTRODUCING INNOVATION ON THE COMPANY SYSTEM. ABILITY TO CARRY OUT A CORRECT COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF INNOVATION.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING – ENGINEERING DESIGN:
THE STUDENTS, BASED ON THE INFORMATION TRANSFERRED DURING THE COURSE, WILL BE ABLE TO DEVELOP A PROJECT, THROUGH WHICH TO IDENTIFY THE VARIOUS TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND PROTECTION OF INNOVATION.

MAKING JUDGMENTS - ENGINEERING PRACTICE:
ABILITY TO INTERPRET A COMPETITIVE CONTEXT TO IDENTIFY INNOVATION IDEAS. ABILITY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF INNOVATION IN THE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM ALSO IN RELATION TO THE MICRO AND MACRO ENVIRONMENT OF REFERENCE. ABILITY TO IDENTIFY INNOVATION PROTECTION STRATEGIES. ABILITY TO SELECT POSSIBLE FORMS OF FINANCING TO FOSTER INNOVATION.

TRANSVERSAL SKILLS - COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
LEADERSHIP AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SKILLS STRENGTHENED THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATION PROJECTS. ABILITY TO DRAW UP A BUSINESS INNOVATION PROPOSAL. ABILITY TO DISCUSS, WITH APPROPRIATE TERMINOLOGY, THE CONTENT OF THE PROJECT.

LEARNING SKILLS – TRANSVERSAL SKILLS:
ABILITY TO APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED IN CONTEXTS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE PRESENTED DURING THE COURSE. ABILITY TO DEVELOP TOOLS FOR STRENGTHENING AND ENHANCING THE VALUE OF THE AGRI-FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN COMPANIES, ENHANCING THEIR HERITAGE OF TYPICAL AND QUALITY PRODUCTS THROUGH INNOVATION.

LEARNING SKILLS – INVESTIGATION SKILLS
ABILITY TO DECODE THE SIGNALS COMING FROM THE MARKET, IDENTIFYING INNOVATION THAT CAN BE TRANSFORMED FOR THE COMPANY INTO A MEDIUM-LONG TERM CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR.

	Prerequisites
	FOR THE SUCCESSFUL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE COURSE OBJECTIVES, THE STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE BASIC MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE, AND KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM AND MASS, ENERGY AND MOMENTUM BALANCES.

	Contents
	UNIT 1: AGRIFOOD SECTOR IN THE WORLD – PERSPECTIVES (3H THEORY) UNIT 2: TEAM BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT (1H THEORY, 6H PRACTICE) UNIT 3: TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN THE AGRIFOOD SUPPLY CHAIN (8H THEORY, 5H EXERCISES) UNIT 4: THE GROUP PROJECTS (3H THEORY) UNIT 5: MAINTENANCE AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT (6H THEORY) UNIT 6: MANAGEMENT OF MATERIAL AND IMMATERIAL FLOWS AND TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS FOR SUPPLY CHAIN TRACEABILITY (4H THEORY, 1H EXERCISES) UNIT 7: THE 2030 AGENDA: HOW TO BALANCE THE NEED FOR INNOVATION WITH THE GOAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY (3H THEORY, 2H EXERCISES) UNIT 8: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION IN ENTERPRISES (2H THEORY, 1H EXERCISES) UNIT 9: INNOVATION MANAGEMENT: FROM IDEA PROTECTION TO REGULATORY APPROVAL (2H THEORY, 2H EXERCISES) UNIT 10: THE COSTS AND BENEFITS DERIVING FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF INNOVATION TO EVALUATE ITS PROFITABILITY (8H THEORY, 3H EXERCISES)

Contents

UNIT 1: AGRIFOOD SECTOR IN THE WORLD – PERSPECTIVES (3H THEORY)
UNIT 2: TEAM BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT (1H THEORY, 6H PRACTICE)
UNIT 3: TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN THE AGRIFOOD SUPPLY CHAIN (8H THEORY, 5H EXERCISES)
UNIT 4: THE GROUP PROJECTS (3H THEORY)
UNIT 5: MAINTENANCE AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT (6H THEORY)
UNIT 6: MANAGEMENT OF MATERIAL AND IMMATERIAL FLOWS AND TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS FOR SUPPLY CHAIN TRACEABILITY (4H THEORY, 1H EXERCISES)
UNIT 7: THE 2030 AGENDA: HOW TO BALANCE THE NEED FOR INNOVATION WITH THE GOAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY (3H THEORY, 2H EXERCISES)
UNIT 8: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION IN ENTERPRISES (2H THEORY, 1H EXERCISES)
UNIT 9: INNOVATION MANAGEMENT: FROM IDEA PROTECTION TO REGULATORY APPROVAL (2H THEORY, 2H EXERCISES)
UNIT 10: THE COSTS AND BENEFITS DERIVING FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF INNOVATION TO EVALUATE ITS PROFITABILITY (8H THEORY, 3H EXERCISES)

	Teaching Methods
	L’INSEGNAMENTO PREVEDE 60 ORE DI DIDATTICA TRA LEZIONI TEORICHE ED ESERCITAZIONI (6 CFU). IN PARTICOLARE SONO PREVISTE 50 ORE DI LEZIONI TEORICHE E 10 ORE DI ESERCITAZIONI IN AULA SVOLTE IN PRESENZA DEL DOCENTE. SI FARÀ RICORSO ALLE METODOLOGIE TRADIZIONALI ORIENTATE PER LO PIÙ AD UN TRASFERIMENTO IN AULA DELLE ABILITÀ AUSPICATE ED A METODI FORMATIVI INDUTTIVI QUALE, AD ESEMPIO, I LAVORI DI GRUPPO CHE CONSENTIRANNO ALL’ALLIEVO DI SVILUPPARE CAPACITÀ PROPOSITIVE E RISOLUTIVE. IL VALORE AGGIUNTO È GARANTITO DAI SEGUENTI MOMENTI APPLICATIVI: -STUDIO DI CASE HISTORY -GRUPPI DI LAVORO PER LA REDAZIONE DELLE BUSINESS INNOVATION PROPOSALS -DOCENZE/TESTIMONIANZE: IL PERCORSO FORMATIVO PREVEDE COME ULTERIORE MODALITÀ A FORTE IMPATTO FORMATIVO LA TESTIMONIANZA DELL’ESPERIENZA DIRETTA DA PARTE DI MANAGER D’IMPRESA E RAPPRESENTANTI ISTITUZIONALI PUBBLICI, SCELTI DI VOLTA IN VOLTA A SECONDA DELLE TEMATICHE TRATTATE. LA FREQUENZA AL CORSO È FORTEMENTE CONSIGLIATA.

Teaching Methods

L’INSEGNAMENTO PREVEDE 60 ORE DI DIDATTICA TRA LEZIONI TEORICHE ED ESERCITAZIONI (6 CFU). IN PARTICOLARE SONO PREVISTE 50 ORE DI LEZIONI TEORICHE E 10 ORE DI ESERCITAZIONI IN AULA SVOLTE IN PRESENZA DEL DOCENTE. SI FARÀ RICORSO ALLE METODOLOGIE TRADIZIONALI ORIENTATE PER LO PIÙ AD UN TRASFERIMENTO IN AULA DELLE ABILITÀ AUSPICATE ED A METODI FORMATIVI INDUTTIVI QUALE, AD ESEMPIO, I LAVORI DI GRUPPO CHE CONSENTIRANNO ALL’ALLIEVO DI SVILUPPARE CAPACITÀ PROPOSITIVE E RISOLUTIVE.
IL VALORE AGGIUNTO È GARANTITO DAI SEGUENTI MOMENTI APPLICATIVI:
-STUDIO DI CASE HISTORY
-GRUPPI DI LAVORO PER LA REDAZIONE DELLE BUSINESS INNOVATION PROPOSALS
-DOCENZE/TESTIMONIANZE: IL PERCORSO FORMATIVO PREVEDE COME ULTERIORE MODALITÀ A FORTE IMPATTO FORMATIVO LA TESTIMONIANZA DELL’ESPERIENZA DIRETTA DA PARTE DI MANAGER D’IMPRESA E RAPPRESENTANTI ISTITUZIONALI PUBBLICI, SCELTI DI VOLTA IN VOLTA A SECONDA DELLE TEMATICHE TRATTATE.
LA FREQUENZA AL CORSO È FORTEMENTE CONSIGLIATA.

	Verification of learning
	THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE TEACHING OBJECTIVES IS CERTIFIED BY PASSING AN EXAM, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING PHASES: A) THE DISCUSSION OF THE INNOVATION PROJECT PREPARED BY THE STUDENTS IN WORKING GROUPS; B) QUESTIONS ON TOPICS PRESENTED DURING THE COURSE. THE TEST IS ASSESSED IN THIRTIETHS AND IS CONSIDERED PASSED WITH THE MINIMUM GRADE OF 18/30. THE FINAL GRADE WILL DEPEND ON THE DEGREE OF MATURITY ACQUIRED ON THE COURSE CONTENTS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALSO THE QUALITY OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE FINAL PROJECT, THE CONTRIBUTION TO TEAMWORK AND THE AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT DEMONSTRATED DURING THE EXAM. THE MINIMUM EVALUATION CRITERION IS BASED ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF INNOVATIVE DESIGN SOLUTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE SIGNALS OF CHANGE COMING FROM THE MARKET AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE COMPANY SYSTEM. THE EVALUATION OF EXCELLENCE REQUIRES THAT INNOVATION PROTECTION STRATEGIES AND THE POSSIBLE FORMS OF FINANCING IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED INNOVATION ARE ADEQUATELY DEVELOPED IN THE PRESENTED DESIGN SOLUTION

Verification of learning

THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE TEACHING OBJECTIVES IS CERTIFIED BY PASSING AN EXAM, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING PHASES:
A) THE DISCUSSION OF THE INNOVATION PROJECT PREPARED BY THE STUDENTS IN WORKING GROUPS;
B) QUESTIONS ON TOPICS PRESENTED DURING THE COURSE.
THE TEST IS ASSESSED IN THIRTIETHS AND IS CONSIDERED PASSED WITH THE MINIMUM GRADE OF 18/30. THE FINAL GRADE WILL DEPEND ON THE DEGREE OF MATURITY ACQUIRED ON THE COURSE CONTENTS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALSO THE QUALITY OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE FINAL PROJECT, THE CONTRIBUTION TO TEAMWORK AND THE AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT DEMONSTRATED DURING THE EXAM.
THE MINIMUM EVALUATION CRITERION IS BASED ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF INNOVATIVE DESIGN SOLUTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE SIGNALS OF CHANGE COMING FROM THE MARKET AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE COMPANY SYSTEM.
THE EVALUATION OF EXCELLENCE REQUIRES THAT INNOVATION PROTECTION STRATEGIES AND THE POSSIBLE FORMS OF FINANCING IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED INNOVATION ARE ADEQUATELY DEVELOPED IN THE PRESENTED DESIGN SOLUTION

	Texts
	BREAKTHROUGH FOOD PRODUCT INNOVATION THROUGH EMOTIONS RESEARCH BY DAVID LUNDAHL (AUTHOR) ISBN: 978-0-12-387712-3 INNOVATION STRATEGIES IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY: TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION EDITORS: CHARIS GALANAKIS ISBN: 978-0-12-803793-5 CORPORATE FINANCE DAVID HILLIER, STEPHEN A. ROSS,RANDOLPH W. WESTERFIELD (AUTHORS) EAN: 9780077173630 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT RAYMOND NOE, JOHN HOLLENBECK, BARRY GERHART, PATRICK WRIGHT (AUTHORS) ISBN: 9780071081887

Texts

BREAKTHROUGH FOOD PRODUCT INNOVATION THROUGH EMOTIONS RESEARCH
BY DAVID LUNDAHL (AUTHOR)
ISBN: 978-0-12-387712-3

INNOVATION STRATEGIES IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY: TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
EDITORS: CHARIS GALANAKIS
ISBN: 978-0-12-803793-5

CORPORATE FINANCE
DAVID HILLIER, STEPHEN A. ROSS,RANDOLPH W. WESTERFIELD (AUTHORS)
EAN: 9780077173630

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
RAYMOND NOE, JOHN HOLLENBECK, BARRY GERHART, PATRICK WRIGHT (AUTHORS)
ISBN: 9780071081887

	More Information
	TEACHING LANGUAGE: ENGLISH. PLACE AND TIME OF DELIVERY PLEASE LOOK UP INTO THE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE (HTTP://WWW.DIIN.UNISA.IT/) FOR THE INDICATION OF THE TIMETABLE AND OF THE CLASSROOM.

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International Teaching | MANAGING INNOVATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY

MANAGING INNOVATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY

PERCORSO IN COMMON

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International Teaching | MANAGING INNOVATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY