ITAL 433 - Italian Business

Italian Business is an advanced seminar in Italian language and general business culture for 400-level students. It will be structured in weekly modules in which students explore both cultural and practical aspects of the Italian economy within the European Union. For example, they will investigate how traditions and customs affect the country's economy and will learn commercial terminology and business practices. Moreover, the seminar will include Italian films dealing with the world of business. These films aim to familiarize students not only with business situations but also with pivotal moments in Italian economic history such as the economic boom, the Mattei case, and the Parmalat scandal. The seminar will provide an introduction to Italian economy from the 1950s to the present, focusing on key factors in the transition from an agricultural-based economy to a leading country in world trade and exports ('Made in Italy' brand, vehicles, clothing, furniture, food, wine, etc.). The seminar will also focus on the acquisition and reinforcement of the essential, practical content, vocabulary and style of every-day business situations and transactions. Each module will offer a specific business situation in which students in pairs or small groups introduce themselves in a business meeting, make travel arrangements, write their resume and cover letter, prepare for a job interview, create a business plan and launch a new product. Finally, while students will be familiarizing themselves with the language and the practices of Italian business, they will also review contextually-relevant, advanced grammatical structures in writing and speaking.