Category: Events

Future Uzbek managers to be trained at MIP Politecnico di Milano

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Dedicated Master in Global Project Management starting in January

Agreement signed with the Republican Graduate School of Business Management of Tashkent, which will recruit the candidates for selection. In the words of Andrea Sianesi, Dean of MIP: “This Master is an invaluable plus point for professionals entering the work market in Uzbekistan: there is no equivalent program on offer in their country, while there is a great need for management skills for its development projects”. 

In addition, forty or so Uzbek executives are coming to Milan in November for a short course.

 

MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business is to train the Uzbek managers of the future. MIP’s Master in Global Project Management will be held in Milan. Starting in January, this two-year program will provide young Uzbek students with the specialised education they need to manage projects in a systematic and multi-disciplinary perspective.

The program originated from a collaboration between MIP and RGSBM, the Republican Graduate School of Business Management of Tashkent in Uzbekistan, agreed in MIP’s Milan premises and signed by Andrea Sianesi, MIP Dean and the Master’s Co-Director, and Rustam Abduraupov, RGSBM Director. The course Director is Professor Antonio Calabrese.

“Uzbekistan is a country in rapid growth, and as such needs the competences to successfully manage projects relating to industry, infrastructure and development in general”, explained Sianesi. “This is why the RGSBM turned to the Business School of Politecnico di Milano, and we responded with enthusiasm to their request to train future Euro-Asian managers. On top of this, we are welcoming about forty Uzbek executives to Milan for a six-day course on ‘Project and Portfolio Management’. This course also includes presentations by top managers from the private and public sectors, together with company visits”.

Andrea Sianesi then continued by saying: “The natural career opportunities for students completing this Master are within companies, government bodies and project-based organisations in Uzbekistan. In combination with the fact that students can also take an exam certifying their project management qualifications according to the IPMA (International Project Management Association) model, this Master in Global Project Management is an invaluable plus point for young professionals entering the Uzbek employment market, because there is currently no equivalent program in their country”.

The course will be taught in English to students proposed by the Republican Graduate School of Business and Management of Tashkent, which will take care of the recruitment side, and these young candidates will then go through a selection process. The lessons will be split between Uzbekistan and Italy, and will consist of class-room lessons, study case discussions, simulations, company testimonials, completed by personal study periods.

 

 

A New Awareness: an inclusive and proactive change agent for responsible fashion

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10 Corso Como, Fashion Revolution Italy, Politecnico di Milano School of Management and WRAD Living come together to create a unique platform to promote awareness about sustainability in fashion.

A New Awareness will challenge the status quo. Through a series of engagement events A New Awareness will illustrate how fashion can become more sustainable, not simply less unsustainable.

 

A New Awareness will engage non-profit leadership. Through a multi-actor collaboration involving academia, media, non-governmental organisation, industry and civil society,
A New Awareness will become a focal point to accelerate sustainable transformation in the fashion context.

Economic and socio-political events, including labour costs, supply network complexity, market instability, volatile commodity prices, geographical dispersion and economic crisis have resulted in fashion’s significant environmental and social footprint. The fashion industry is now characterised by critical issues and challenging trade-offs. 93 billion cubic meters of water is annually used for textile production ; 20% of the global freshwater pollution comes from textile treatment and dyeing stages ; 100 billion garments are manufactured annually while 35% of the total material input ends up becoming waste throughout fashion supply chains , resulting in 92 million tons of waste that makes 4% of the global solid waste .

Sustainability in fashion matters. Given already the fashion industry’s actions to accelerate its transition to sustainability, greater awareness is needed for truly transformative actions to ensure collaboration, innovation and coordination at the system level.

A New Awareness, through a novel multi-actor collaboration, creates a unique platform to reinforce how today’s linear business models can truly change. With a multi-disciplinary approach, A New Awareness will showcase how radical innovation can inspire design, and will encourage opinion leaders as well as decision makers to discuss how fashion’s sustainability transition can be enhanced.

The first edition of A New Awareness will be at 10 Corso Como – Tazzoli from 18- 20 September 2019. Exclusively featuring Fashion Revolution, Wrad Living, Bethany Williams, Helen Kirkum, Duran Lantink, Awareness Infinitum, Greenpeace Detox Campaign, Manteco, Marini Industrie and Com.i.stra that present cutting edge solutions for today’s sustainable lifestyle.

A New Awareness wishes to thank 10 Corso Como, 24 Bottles, CNMI Fashion Trust, ES Progetti, Favini, From Studio, POLIMI Sustainable Luxury Academy, Stella Stone, Studio Punto Zero and Wrad Living.

Forming a New Awareness A New Awareness is conceived by Sara Maino Sozzani and jointly developed by fashion thinkers Marina Spadafora, Matteo Ward and Hakan Karaosman.

Sara Maino Sozzani, Deputy Editor in Chief Vogue Italia, Head of Vogue Talents and International Brand Ambassador Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, comments: “Today we all need to think in a more responsible way for a better future. Big changes do not happen in one day but we need to convert our way of consuming to make this happen. A New Awareness wants to bring consciousness to consumers.”

Marina Spadafora, Country coordinator of Fashion Revolution Italia and the United Nations ambassador, states: “Humankind is finally awakening to the reality of climate emergency. This will be a central focus of the platform A New Awareness and it will, at the same time, address social justice and innovation towards a circular economy. A unique scenario will have designers, artists, activists, opinion leaders and policy makers meet to discuss how we can all join forces to create a viable transition towards a sustainable future.”

Matteo Ward, founder and CEO of Wrad Living, explains: “In a post-truth society like ours, developing a new awareness is the first step we can take together to challenge a status quo which failed our Planet and catalyse the shift from linear individualism to circular collectivism. This is the essence of this project, dedicated to people who let their sense of purpose and creative thinking come together to pioneer a new approach to fashion, design, food, art and more.”

Dr. Hakan Karaosman, Researcher at Politecnico di Milano School of Management and the United Nations expert, remarks: “Systemic transformations are required to change the way fashion business is coordinated. Practitioners, academics, consumers and policy makers need to act together. A New Awareness is a pivotal platform to inspire and acknowledge what must change. By facilitating collaboration and proactive communication, this is a great example to illustrate why multi-actor partnership is antecedent to fashion sustainability.”

A New Awareness starting with a launch in September 2019 will structure a series of events going forward at 10 Corso Como – Tazzoli to unlock the next phase for sustainable fashion. Through transparency in communication and frank discussions on the circularity and responsibility in production, A New Awareness will become a catalyst for the acceleration of sustainability in the fashion context by fostering industrial collaborations, supporting talented creative across a spectrum of applications and bringing together major opinion leaders and decision makers.

Milan-Cortina 2026: the challenge of resilience

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Italy will once again host an Olympic event. But for the event to become a real opportunity, professionalism and preparation are needed. For this reason, Politecnico di Milano is offering a Master in Design, Construction and Management of Sports Infrastructure

 

 

For Milan and Cortina, the real challenge begins now. With the initial enthusiasm for being assigned the 2026 Winter Olympic Games having died down, now it’s necessary to think about how to organize and manage the event in the best possible way, to capitalize on what could be an important opportunity: «The virtuous management of an important sporting event represents a great opportunity for revitalization, both social and economic.  Not only for the cities involved directly, but potentially for the entire country» explains Davide Allegri, research fellow at a Politecnico di Milano and coordinator of the Master in Design, Construction and Management of Sports Infrastructure.

The legacy of an important event

Among the most recent positive examples, the most important case study is provided by London 2012. «An edition of the Games that highlighted a few concepts which by now can’t be ignored. Whoever has as an objective the social and economic sustainability of an event, can’t overlook careful planning, and in particular the upgrade of existing facilities» continues Allegri. «Eventual new infrastructure, instead, must be conceived with a high level of resilience, thus it must have characteristics of flexibility, adaptability and convertibility.

Once the event is over, it must be possible to reconvert infrastructure. It’s the concept of legacy: everything that an important event can bequeath to a territory, both in tangible and intangible terms».

More sports, more inclusiveness

And it’s precisely this approach that guided the Milan-Cortina candidacy: the recovery of existing infrastructure on one hand, the construction of a large new facility on the other, namely the Palaghiaccio (ice skating rink) that will indirectly redevelop the San Giulia neighbourhood and the village at the Porta Romano rail yard which will subsequently become university housing. «This new infrastructure will help make Milan even more of a touristic city, with increasingly innovative areas for sports and free time. That’s what happened, by now several years ago, in Barcelona thanks to the 1992 Olympics, whose effect is still quite visible today» explains Allegri.
In this way, the city becomes closer to the people and thus more inclusive: «Today sports invade every sector of the modern city. It involves everything related to well-being, cure of one’s body, entertainment, free time, for every age and group and social category. Having adequate sporting infrastructure means laying the foundation for a society based on shared and recognized educational values» explains Allegri.

A change of mindset

But Italy still has much to do. «In France, the sports ministry is among the most important, while in Italy it rarely has enjoyed its own autonomous strength and recognition. The facilities we have largely date back to the fascist period; others were built in the ‘70s and ‘90s, but none of these was designed with their long-term management in mind. Not to mention the numerous school gyms that dot our territory and lie in a state of disrepair: the small sports facilities, starting from scholastic and church ones, are fundamental cells that generate virtuous processes of social requalification» says Allegri. «We need to start again with a new cultural approach, that views sports and its spaces as essential values of contemporary society. For this reason, training focused on management is important»,

This is exactly the objective of the Master in Design, Construction and Management of Sports Infrastructure, established by Politecnico di Milano with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Italian public bank Istituto per il Credito Sportivo, public sports development group Sport e Salute Spa, Coni Lombardia (the Lombardy region arm of Italy’s Olympic committee) and Italian first-division football league Lega Serie A. «This course is for post-graduate students in architecture, engineering and design. But it is such a multidisciplinary field that it also involves economic and legal disciplines, for example. The sports sector by now is one that requires great scientific preparation and specialization. There are numerous employment opportunities: sports clubs in all levels and sectors; public and private sports facility management institutes; public administrations».

Prada Group gives its support to MIP Politecnico di Milano’s International Master in Luxury Management

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Prada Group and Taittinger Champagne alongside prestigious IMLux Master, world leader in training luxury sector professionals

 

Held in collaboration with France’s NEOMA Business School, this programme awards a double qualification. 7th edition about to start, enrolment to the 8th opening in October

 

EdUniversal 2018 ranking places the International Master in Luxury Management (IMLux) in first place globally among all luxury management Masters (the two MBAs listed above it have a different focus). International luxury sector leader Prada Group is sponsoring the programme from this year, together with Taittinger Champagne.

This course is an Italo‐French collaboration between two of the world’s major countries for top‐of‐the‐range products. Participants will gain a double degree, a Master’s degree (1st level) from Politecnico di Milano and a “Master in Science from NEOMA Business School.

IMLux begins on 9th September 2019, and students can register to the 2020 edition from this October. Taught jointly by MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business and NEOMA Business School, in collaboration with Prada Group and Taittinger Champagne, this programme is designed for people keen to learn the skills necessary to hold key positions in luxury sector companies, which, by definition, demand very specific abilities and creativity.

The 12‐month full‐time programme and concluding project, all taught in English, is split into two, with half the course held in Rheims ‐ city of champagne ‐ and half in Milan ‐ a fashion capital ‐ within a very international environment, both for its student body (representing about 20 nationalities every year) and for its faculty and partner companies. This is a great opportunity for students to make contact with leaders in the worlds of fashion, cosmetics, furnishing, food and drink, hotels and automotive industry.

Stefano Rastrelli, HR Director for Prada Group: “We are fully aware of the great value of education in today’s landscape, and are delighted to announce that Prada Group is enthusiastically joining this project. We welcome the multicultural background of students from many countries and their wide range of multidisciplinary skills. It is a pleasure to support this programme with its geographic diversity and different inputs from the academic and business worlds”.

“This Master is unique in that it works so closely with companies”, added Fabrizio Maria Pini, Course Director. “We do not restrict exposure to in‐class presentations and testimonials given by entrepreneurs and managers, or to proposing on‐site company visits, however important these are for a full immersion into the world of luxury. A key aspect is that companies are actively involved in the course and its material, students take on a real project and help to resolve problems and face challenges where a solution is really needed at that point in time”. Fabrizio Maria Pini then continued, “Another factor that makes this programme so unique is its integrated approach to creating value in the luxury sector. IMLux provides a detailed and extensive overview of the entire value creation chain, from coming up with an idea to the manufacturing processes, from supply chain to retail, and from online to offline communication”.

Machines? Smarter and smarter!

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Exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning, technologies that bring accelerating change to our habits (and those of businesses)
 

 

Algorithms that can anticipate people’s tastes. Tests that can provide early diagnosis of a series of illnesses or predict which mechanical components are most likely to fail. Applications in a broad array of other fields, from manufacturing, marketing, and social media to voice recognition and self-driving cars. If the future is already here, this is partially thanks to artificial intelligence and one of its components: machine learning.
“Machine learning is a discipline that develops algorithms to make machines intelligent, that is, able to learn from past experience and make decisions regarding the future,” explains Carlotta Orsenigo, Associate Professor of Computer Science at the Politecnico di Milano and expert in machine learning algorithms.
“The advantages are enormous, also economically: more revenues at lower costs. Better forecasting of demand allows us, for example, to optimize stock management and offer better service to our customers.”
Carlotta Orsenigo is also co-director of a master’s program in data science at the Politecnico di Milano School of Management, whose graduates may find work in the business sector. “The International Master’s Program in Business Analytics and Big Data is addressed to people who have a degree in science or economics and less than five years of work experience. The objective is to develop competencies in three different areas: technology, methodology, and business. The one-year program prepares students for a job market with a very high rate of placement.”

Predicting demand

The key figure in machine learning is the data scientist, who analyzes data and develops algorithms that make it possible to use similar data as an effective prediction (and decision-making) tool and also interfaces with key company representatives (head of marketing or production, for example) on specific objectives.
“Machine learning can be very useful in retail for analyzing and predicting demand for products and services. Based on what customers have bought in the past, predictions are made as to what they will buy in the future. Likewise, the algorithm can analyze an analogous customer pool, that is, one with characteristics similar to our own, to predict what our customers will choose” continues Orsenigo.
The other aspect of demand prediction are recommendations, i.e., the suggestions that big players such as Amazon or Netflix make to their customers (If you liked that film, you’ll also like this one! Are you looking for something to read? Readers with similar tastes also enjoyed this one!). The intelligent machine processes a huge quantity of data and extrapolates patterns and trends without any help from humans.

A host of applications

“Another field of application is the manufacturing sector. In this case, the data to be analyzed are collected by the various sensors. Here we are getting into the Internet of Things (IoT). This makes it possible to identify potentially defective pieces in advance and prevent future failures.”
Actually, the most important field of application of machine learning is medicine and medical science. “The analysis of genetic expression, for example, allows for the detection of patterns between healthy and unhealthy people and the design of targeted diagnostic tests” says Orsenigo.
Another very important area is voice recognition /vocal interfaces, as we have seen from the success of Alexa and similar virtual assistants. “Our generation still prefers the option of typing, but young people are increasingly used to interacting vocally with their devices.”
And there are also chatbots, applications designed to simulate human conversation and learn from their interlocutor (tone of voice, topics of conversation, questions asked…) so they can provide increasingly well-targeted answers.
Not to mention self-driving cars…
In a word, the future is still there to be written—sorry, coded.

Thesis Award “SOM for SDGs: Thesis aimed at Sustainable Development Goals” 

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The School of Management of Politecnico di Milano promotes the principles of responsible and sustainable management in all its programs, and supports learning and research activities consistent with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda 2030 of United Nations. In this context the award “SOM for SDGs: Thesis aimed at Sustainable Development Goals” has been created.

Thesis or dissertation submitted should represent a contribution to solve the current social challenges and identify models of sustainable development in terms of environmental, economic and social impact.

The call targets students who have obtained a Laurea Magistrale or Laurea Specialistica or V.O. in Management Engineering at Politecnico di Milano from November 2018 to October 2019.

Deadline for submission: 9 October 2019.

 

For more information please download the call at https://www.som.polimi.it/albo-e-bandi/

 

https://www.som.polimi.it/albo-e-bandi/

From e-commerce to omnichannel marketing

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Customer needs and business opportunities
Manuela Balli, Adjunct Professor at MIP, and Giulio Lampugnani, Head of FBA seller services for Amazon, explain why the integration of online and physical sales channels is a winning strategy.

The time of conflict between digital and brick-and-mortar stores has passed. The future of e-commerce is omnichannel. If properly developed, it a virtuous model, but also one of notable complexity, emerging as a response to the recent trend toward multichannel purchasing behaviours by customers. One figure stands out clearly: according to a survey by the Osservatorio Multicanalità of the Politecnico di Milano, 67% of Italians above the age of 14 have adopted a multichannel buying approach.

Digital and retail: a necessary alliance

«Today, for example, customers have learned to seek product information in brick-and-mortar stores and then complete the purchase online, or vice versa: generally speaking, the two channels are used in a seamless manner, depending on specific needs», explains Manuela Balli, Adjunct Professor at MIP. «In such a scenario, company synergy and consistency become key factors. The omnichannel approach demands a cooperative, collaborative model. There might initially be conflicts between digital and retail, perhaps caused by pricing, advertising, or responses to various external stimuli. But we have to find a solution in line with the overall company strategy. Companies’ competitive edge will be determined by the response to this challenge».
The goal is to create an impeccable buying experience at every step of the way. As Manuela explains, luxury companies provide an excellent example: «In this sector, the logic behind customer experience is enhanced. The consumer has strong expectations all along the process. To meet them, it is necessary to analyze consumer behaviour, identify the rationales behind new buying behaviours, and focus on customer relationship management».

The Amazon model

New strategies based on new tools – namely, digital channels – are actually grounded on a proven principle: the key importance of the customer and their satisfaction. Amazon is certainly an example of success here. According to Manuela, «Amazon is an example of reverse business development. They started in the digital and then decided to develop brick-and-mortar stores in an omnichannel orientation».
Giulio Lampugnani, Head of FBA seller services for Amazon, also confirms this approach. «To grasp exactly why our company has set out to develop physical stores, it is important to understand the three tenets that have guided our company since its birth: the first is to offer customers the broadest selection of products possible; the second is to offer them at the lowest price possible, and the third is to provide the most convenient service possible».
It was this last tenet that led to Amazon’s decision to develop brick-and-mortar stores. «We realized that it was better for customers to have the choice of purchasing some products in person», explains Giulio. «We started with Amazon Books and Amazon Go, two chains where we have sought to replicate some of our most distinctive online mechanisms. In the bookstores, for example, we have paired each book with a display showing customer reviews, this being one of the most disruptive elements introduced by Amazon. In Amazon Go outlets, on the other hand, we chose to replicate the simplicity of online shopping: no cash registers, no lines. The customer makes the purchase with one click».

More digital, more Made in Italy

Giulio Lampugnani goes on to explain that Amazon also generates momentum for companies that would like to implement an omnichannel strategy abroad. «Amazon is an international showcase that can be leveraged as a development channel to generate brand visibility while working toward a second stage that may involve opening a brick-and-mortar channel».
This is a great opportunity for Italian businesses, as well as one of the reasons that prompted Giulio to accept an invitation to be guest lecturer in the course led by Manuela Balli titled “Developing e-Commerce Revenues through Omnichannel Marketing”, which will be held at MIP on October 29, 2019. Giulio closes by saying, «We care about the growth of Italian companies. The level of penetration of e-commerce in the retail market in Italy is still around 7%, whereas in the United Kingdom the figure has already reached 19%. Once we have bridged this gap, Italy will be able to showcase a much more powerful commodity, that is, the Made in Italy brand».

From personalization to collaboration with PoliHub. The new MBA and EMBA programmes

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Specific orientation towards the managerial and entrepreneurial fields. Course organization as a function of the latest trends. These are the two main elements of innovation in the MBA and EMBA courses at Politecnico di Milano’s School of Management. «These are different paths of study able to guarantee expertise independently of the work environment, whether it be in a large company or entrepreneurial firm, indispensable in the current complexity of markets» explains Antonella Moretto, deputy director of the MBA and Executive MBA programmes. «As a result of our programmes, a manager will be able to make decisions with an entrepreneurial spirit and, vice versa, the entrepreneur will be able to take a managerial approach».

One diploma, six formats. The new MBA and MBA Executive MBA programmes of the School of Management at Politecnico di Milano are also characterized by a high degree of personalization. «The individual participant can pursue a path of study that includes up to 50% of “customized” activities drawing on a completely new “library”» continues Antonella Moretto. «The final part of the courses can be defined by opting for more “frontier” subjects, so less tied to the academic path, but you can also choose what lessons to follow in the classroom and what to follow via streaming, allowing to fully personalize your use. For example, the Executive MBA can be pursued over four different platforms: evening (Monday and Tuesday evening in the classroom), part-time (weekend), Flex (distance learning through the digital platform) ) and i-Flex (distance learning in the English language). The classes are the same, but they can be accessed in different ways. The last aspect of flexibility, which I believe we are the only ones in a position to offer, involves the time required for the discussion of a student’s project work, which can be shortened compared to the traditional two-year study path».

The new FLEXA platform

Innovation also isn’t lacking when it comes to digitalization. «First, we changed classroom tools so that all our lessons can be streamed. That way we offer the opportunity to also follow lessons online or to review lessons followed in the classroom. All this with a completely new platform, decidedly more user friendly than the previous version and with a completely new library of clips. Moreover – continues Antonella Moretto – all those who use FLEXA will have a digital mentor that will accompany them from the beginning and through the entire programme both in learning and in training, but also in the start of a career path, that is in contacts with startups and companies. We offer 360-degree digital support. From the first day with FLEXA an assessment is carried out for every participant and the digital, hard and soft skills that are identified are conveyed to our Career Development Officer who, through one-to-one meetings, helps participants to define their career strategy. In the meantime, we create a series of relevant support opportunities favouring contacts with businesses and startups». This is one of the key aspects of the MBA and Executive MBA programmes of the School of Management. «To this end – explains Antonella Moretto once again – we strengthened our relationship with PoliHub, Politecnico di Milano’s company and startup incubator, to allow us to enter into contact with startups when they are in the stage of incubation of entrepreneurial ideas or to develop project work with existing startups».

The relationship with PoliHub

«We decided immediately to collaborate to offer students entrepreneurial career opportunities but also to enrich the managerial skills of our startuppers who, when they have technical backgrounds, require support from those with managerial expertise» explains Claudia Pingue, general manager of PoliHub. «In fact, startups, in particular those in deep tech, often have an initial team that is inadequate to guarantee competitive growth on international markets and a time comes when the integration of managerial skills and the strengthening of leadership is required, with the eventual presence of a CEO. It was therefore decided to make available to MBA and EMBA students the Switch to Product programme, that annually supports and awards the best entrepreneurial projects presented within the Politecnico di Milano and selected by researched centres like CNR, for example. It’s an opportunity for students, who gain access an entrepreneurial acceleration platform and thus take part in a complex experiential mechanism that allows to measure their potential».

Politecnico di Milano, a virtuous ecosystem

This collaboration with PoliHub is planned from the first year of the programme. The objective is to create a panel of MBA and Executive MBA assistants to vet the candidacy of entrepreneurial initiatives, allowing programme participants to receive feedback and join an incubation programme. The Politecnico di Milano is the only academic institution with an incubator this strong, among the best in the world, so much so that 30% of participants decide to launch their own entrepreneurial activity after classes are concluded.
Finally, considering that all career support services are valid for six months after the diploma is received, the innovative scope of the Politecnico ecosystem must be highlighted. «Projects are carried out – concludes Antonella Moretto – also because there’s the contribution of the entire system that gravitates around the university: the Technology Transfer Office, the venture capital fund link, technical support for implementation of technologies and so on».
The entire programme is illustrated to potential users in a series of open days that include a road show at university laboratories. The next appointment is 23 May 2020 at the Bovisa Campus.

Why people are the best investment

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The secret of Italian excellence? People, without a doubt. It’s one of the teachings that students enrolled in the International Master in Marketing Management, Omnichannel and Consumer Analytics programme of the School of Management at the Politecnico di Milano “took home”. Five days, from 6 to 10 May, in which well-known Italian companies talked about their approach to the Italian Way, illustrating the characteristics that led to their brand’s success.

Studying and innovating

«We at Artemide have always been very supportive of collaborating with all those groups in which research and training are priorities, in the university setting but not only», explained Laura Salviati, marketing and communication manager of the company which is a leader in the lighting sector. «For over twenty years now we have worked with the Politecnico and other educational institutions. The spirit of Artemide is to support training accompanying it with research. We launched a campaign, GenerAction, that follows this double track. We support young talents that have distinguished themselves for their ideas: for example, using the laser to connect to Internet (Valerio Pagliarino) or coming up with a way to detect lead in water (Gitanjali Rao). Intuitions that are also far from our company, tied to light and its variants, but on which we want to focus on all the same. Because we care about innovation regardless of its application». And Piaggio also cares about innovation, as stresses the executive vice president for marketing and communication Davide Zanolini: «Piaggio is the ideal environment for those who want to address the new challenges offered by the present and the future. We work on hybrid, on sustainability, on artificial intelligence systems. We have even opened in Boston, in the United States, a plant entirely dedicated to robotics. We are strongly oriented towards continuous growth». A characteristic that is also encouraged among employees.

The team spirit is born at the university

However, the proactive approach must also involve studying. Indeed, it would be a mistake to passively face this period of learning. Dennis de Munck, head of employer branding in Ferrari, wanted to offer some very clear advice: «There’s nothing more precious than curiosity, a characteristic that shouldn’t be set aside when studying, but instead should be cultivated. It’s the best moment for learning, discussing not only with professors but also colleagues. A one-of-a-kind opportunity, that helps to improve oneself and the ability to work in a team». As de Munck explains, Ferrari believes that the education of people is fundamental. «Throughout the world we form selective partnerships with the best universities, in every field. It’s a two-way relationship: we bring our experience to students, but at the same time we listen to know the needs of the workers of today and tomorrow».
A similar approach is taken by Alessi, a historic Italian design brand, as explains CEO Marco Pozzo: «We want the people who work with us to be put in the best condition to maximize their skills. Our Omnichannel division, for example, was born thanks to the creation of a new team made up of human resources already present in the company and hailing from different fields like marketing, sales, information systems. Thanks to the union of their expertise, we can face the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities offered by digital».

Training: a corporate mission

The value of companies, therefore, no longer consists solely of the product. It’s a consideration that applies to consumers, increasingly inclined to reward groups with a strong brand identity, but also for those who are considering a job: «Today more than ever, the sense of purpose conveyed by the company is important. What is the goal? What is the purpose? What are the values in play, and what can a company give its workers? Those who choose Ferrari», continues de Munck, «want to share their capabilities and increase their skills, in a perspective that is both top down and bottom down. In addition, training no longer takes place solely upon entering the company, but over one’s entire career. For us it is important that this applies to everyone, blue-collar and white-collar employees, labourers and managers. Our company professions school is open to everyone.».

The strength of ideas

Learning and knowing how to enhance your capabilities, therefore. The same message that came from Tancredi Alemagna, chief executive of T’a Milano, a Milanese confectionary company also active in the events, catering and banquet sectors: «Our country is facing an economically turbulent period. I and my brother started out in two, working from a room, entering a ruthless sector like food. Despite the difficulties, today we have 54 employees. We are a country with many brilliant minds. This makes the difference compared to competitors. With a strong and original vision, emerging is a possible challenge».

The three I’s of excellence: identity, ideas, innovation

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The ability to innovate without losing sight of tradition, combined with the highest expressions of design and industry. These are the crucial elements that characterise the excellence of Italian business in the world, as emerged in the Italian Way module, which took place in May and is part of the International Master in Marketing Management, Omnichannel and Consumer Analytics programme of Politecnico di Milano’s School of Management. Numerous companies took part, telling students about their own experiences, in a wide variety of fields, and surprisingly similar global challenges.

Growing without losing your identity

One of the common challenges that was illustrated during the Italian Way module is the necessity of growing, while not losing one’s identity.

«In Alessi (a well-known Piedmont-based producer of design objects) we undertook an internationalization strategy that aims at expansion in the US and Asian markets», explains chief executive Marco Pozzo. «We want to grow, but also during this process our priority is preserving our Italian DNA. Adapting to the needs expressed by the different geographical areas doesn’t mean distorting the brand, not at all. We want Alessi to preserve its own identity, embracing approaches to the table that are different like the Asian one, but also democratizing the approach to design products. In the United States, for example, there are several of our objects that are part of the permanent collection of the MoMA in New York. But we want design objects to become an integral part of everyone’s daily life».

The courage to risk

From the table to the street, the distance is shorter than you think. Indeed, in the MoMA in New York, we also find the Vespa.

«Our philosophy is clear: to maintain a strong   coherence with the past, but always focussing on innovation, both technological and design», says Davide Zanolini, executive vice president for marketing and communication at Piaggio. «What distinguishes us in the world is the courage to risk a bit more than others. We were the first to present a three-wheel scooters, the first to experiment with hybrid. In this we recognize our Italian character, as well as in a very strong engineering-technological vocation that is displayed to the public with elements of iconic design».

The team spirit  

Innovation, technology and design are also three of the characteristics on which Ferrari concentrates to consolidate its brand identity in the world. «We are proud to represent Italian excellence», explains Dennis de Munck, head of employer branding. «Above all, we want to focus on team spirit. Just as Ferrari is the racing team that all Italians and millions of people in the world root for, in the same way we want whoever works with us to feel they are part of a great team, whose goal is to respond to challenges with the strength of ideas and innovation. Excellence is what sets us apart, on and off the racetrack, and will continue to deliver it. For this reason, we are always on the lookout for top talent».

Welcoming diversity

Openness to the world and to diversity is therefore another characteristic on which Italian companies focus.

«To be international we try to open ourselves to different cultures», stresses Laura Salviati, training and communication manager at Artemide, a leading company in the lighting sector. «In the world, the approach to light varies greatly from one country to another. In industrial production, however, Italian excellence must be recognized. Abroad it’s much more difficult to find industries able to support us in productive processes. In Italy we have at our disposition know-how that succeeds in putting together craftmanship and industry. We’re not interested in producing at the lowest possible cost, but in quality».

 

Local taste, global excellence

If Artemide values territorial know-how, there are those who focus on other resources and a completely different type of raw materials, this time in the food sector. One such person is Tancredi Alemagna, founder and chief executive of T’a Milano:
«We take the best chocolate on the market and we combine it with almonds from Avola, lemons from Sorrento, Sicilian pistachios. We feature, when possible, the food specialties of our country, proposing a real Italian journey of taste. From the chocolate bar to packaging, everything must reflect our values: Italianness, quality and design».