This course will highlight the most important issues of managing a business that markets an innovative product or service. It will delve into both internal (organizational, managerial, etc.) and external (marketing activities, industry dynamics, etc.) aspects. It will provide students with useful tools related to technology businesses and offer a number of case studies. Of particular focus will be the management of intellectual property rights and how universities contribute to research in many technology start-ups.

At the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of the main business dimensions in which a technology venture operates. Students will be exposed to the fundamentals and mechanics of Intellectual Property Rights and how they can be applied to the business decision matrix. Finally, the students will examine from a quantitative point of view issues that were examined during the course.

The course is designed to introduce students to the main concepts of agribusiness administration and the tools that agricultural and food enterprises are using to make their economic decisions. Specifically, the course begins with a brief review of the basic economic analysis tools. It then focuses on how the various market structures influence the decisions and behavior of food businesses and the pricing strategies they follow. Emphasis is placed on empirical applications using data from food and agricultural product markets. In addition, the course focuses on contemporary issues of food business organization and the methods of business cost management and risk management tools.

The course deals with issues related to the planning and operation of supply chains in companies and organizations, with an emphasis on agri-food products. We discuss topics related to procurement, inventory management, product distribution, and order fulfillment, as well as issues related to warehousing and freight operations. In addition, we examine the particularities and the main stakeholders of agri-food supply chains as well as issues related to the strategic role and importance of supply chain operations in achieving sustainable development goals.

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• explain the structure, components and particularities of agri-food supply chains
• apply modern approaches, tools and methods in supply chain management
• apply a systemic and holistic approach to supply chain management
• compare alternatives in the design and operation of supply chains