Teaching

Proff. Laura Anderlucci, Beatrice Biondi, Mario Mazzocchi.

The course recalls the essential elements of the methodology and methods of social research and offers the foundations for the application of statistical methods to support public policies.
At the end of the course, students:
- are familiar with the fundamental elements of a research report, also from a methodological point of view;
- know the characteristics and contents of the main national and international official statistical sources;
- are able to plan an empirical research with direct data collection through a sample survey;
- know the fundamental principles of statistical inference and have the basis for learning the techniques of causal inference;
- recognize the distinction between monitoring public policy outcomes and impact assessment with tools of causal inference.

Topics of the course:
- Introduction to Statistics & Inference;
- Measurement & surveys;
- Inference;
- Regression + Intro causal inference;
- Advanced modelling (random forests, economic models;
- Discrete choice experiment;
- Recap / advanced seminars.

Proff. Mattia Casula, Michela Ceccorulli, Elisabetta De Tona, Sabrina Ragone, Federico Toth.

The course provides the tools which are necessary for understanding the challenges to current governance in view of its more adequate management and organization, in synergy with the digitization and innovation processes underway at local, national and international level.

Topics of the course:
- Foundations of Policy Analysis;
- Foundations of Public Administation Theory;
- Current challenges in International politics: sovereignty, borders and security;
- Qualitative Methodology;
- Basic Notions of Public Law;
- Fundamentals of Organization Theory.

Proff. Federica Bandini, Daniela Bolzani, Giuseppe Cappiello, Paolo Ferri, Rebecca Levy Orelli, Emanuele Padovani, Ileana Steccolini.

The objective of the course is to provide the knowledge necessary for the management of organizations that intervene directly or indirectly in the planning and provision of public services. In particular, the course offers different perspectives of investigation, relating to critical aspects representing specific lines of research.
In particular, at the end of the course participants will be able to:
- Identify the critical success factors of organizations operating in and for public administration and the conditions under which they are achieved
- Recognize the main areas of investigation of public management
- Knowing how to develop critical thinking about possible research questions that are not yet answered in the literature and of importance due to the impacts that their solution causes in the creation of public services and policies.

Prof. Gaetano Onorato

The course aims to understand how the political-institutional framework influences economic policies. The impact of different electoral laws and forms of government will be analysed, with a focus on how the democratization process can influence fiscal and redistributive policies as well as economic performance. Additionally, the course aims to study the historical evolution of spending and taxation capacity in different states, with a particular reference to the European experience. By the end of the course, it is expected that students will have acquired the methodological foundations of positive analysis and be able to critically evaluate issues related to the aggregation of individual preferences and institutional changes.

Over the last few decades, increasing evidence have emerged that in making many economic decisions, individuals seem to deviated from what the standard, rational-agent paradigm would predict. Compared to what a selfish, perfectly informed, and forward-looking person (“homo oeconomicus”) would do, for example, people tend to excessively procrastinate welfare-enhancing actions, save too little for retirement, take too much or too little risk, act for the benefit of others at their own costs, or do not pay attention to information that is relevant for their decision problems. These behaviors then translate into collective outcomes -- e.g., organizational or societal. On the one hand, these conducts are costly deviations from utility-maximizing choices; on the other hand, because these deviations are often systematic, they are likely to be inherent to human nature -- after all, full disciplines, such as cognitive and social psychology, have long considered and studies these behaviors. The field of Behavioral Economics emerged to study decisions and behavior with economic relevance, combining the tools of classical economics with those of social and cognitive psychology. This course covers applications of Behavioral Economics to the study of managerial and strategic decisions, and the sources of heterogeneous performance between organizations. The course will be divide in three parts (10 hours each). One part will be compulsory for all students, while the other two modules would be optional so that students can pick the module that best fits their research agenda.

Prof. Nicola Lacetera

Over the last few decades, increasing evidence have emerged that in making many economic decisions, individuals seem to deviated from what the standard, rational-agent paradigm would predict. Compared to what a selfish, perfectly informed, and forward-looking person (“homo oeconomicus”) would do, for example, people tend to excessively procrastinate welfare-enhancing actions, save too little for retirement, take too much or too little risk, act for the benefit of others at their own costs, or do not pay attention to information that is relevant for their decision problems. These behaviors then translate into collective outcomes -- e.g., organizational or societal. On the one hand, these conducts are costly deviations from utility-maximizing choices; on the other hand, because these deviations are often systematic, they are likely to be inherent to human nature -- after all, full disciplines, such as cognitive and social psychology, have long considered and studies these behaviors. The field of Behavioral Economics emerged to study decisions and behavior with economic relevance, combining the tools of classical economics with those of social and cognitive psychology. This course covers applications of Behavioral Economics to the study of managerial and strategic decisions, and the sources of heterogeneous performance between organizations. The course will be divide in three parts (10 hours each). One part will be compulsory for all students, while the other two modules would be optional so that students can pick the module that best fits their research agenda.

As part of the research activity of the departments, in-depth seminars on specific topics are organized in which PhD students can participate.

• Behavioural Economics of Strategy and Organizations: Concepts and Methods (Prof. Nicola Lacetera)
Over the last few decades, increasing evidence have emerged that in making many economic decisions, individuals seem to deviated from what the standard, rational-agent paradigm would predict. Compared to what a selfish, perfectly informed, and forward-looking person (“homo oeconomicus”) would do, for example, people tend to excessively procrastinate welfare-enhancing actions, save too little for retirement, take too much or too little risk, act for the benefit of others at their own costs, or do not pay attention to information that is relevant for their decision problems. These behaviors then translate into collective outcomes -- e.g., organizational or societal. On the one hand, these conducts are costly deviations from utility-maximizing choices; on the other hand, because these deviations are often systematic, they are likely to be inherent to human nature -- after all, full disciplines, such as cognitive and social psychology, have long considered and studies these behaviors. The field of Behavioral Economics emerged to study decisions and behavior with economic relevance, combining the tools of classical economics with those of social and cognitive psychology. This course covers applications of Behavioral Economics to the study of managerial and strategic decisions, and the sources of heterogeneous performance between organizations. The course will be divide in three parts (10 hours each). One part will be compulsory for all students, while the other two modules would be optional so that students can pick the module that best fits their research agenda.

• Public management seminars offered within the 24/25 DISA seminar program (in progress)
- Ines Mergel (full professor at Universitat Kostanz): 25/02/2025, 1-2PM - https://phd.unibo.it/[…]/public-management-seminars-iv-ines-mergel


• 2025 Oxford Spring School in Advanced Research Methods - Monday 31 March to Friday 4 April - applications opening - check newsletter https://newsletters.socsci.ox.ac.uk/[…]/164h3pSukGgnLLpk0Ut1Z1kmvqlP

In the strategic plan of the University of Bologna, in relation to PhDs, the following objectives are set, among others:
- qualifying the doctorate in an international dimension and strengthening its role in the productive world and in public administration;
- improving the professional prospects of PhDs by increasing orientation activities and training activities aimed at acquiring soft skills;
- planning and recognizing doctoral teaching through the development of a shared formal system.

To achieve these goals, in the second half of 2023, a training plan dedicated to the development of the Soft Skills of PhD students will be implemented, in an initial trial phase.

The main training areas will be:

- research enhancement and communication;
- methods, techniques and tools;
- future-planning.

PhD Public GoMaP PhD students are invited to enroll to and attend the following courses:

• Communicating research: Scientific Public Speaking.

The program offers 3 modules on Open Science principles and practices
1) PhD Information Literacy, Open Access & Copyright Workshop;
2) Research data management and Open Science principles;
3) Valuing research to generate impact.

• Career guidance for non-academic career development [for 1st year PhD students not already employed and not interested in changing]

• Suggested training activities

Within the second year of the doctorate and subject to the approval of the teaching board, Phd students continue their learning by attending additional doctoral elective courses offered by the teaching staff at the four related departments in relation to the specific research areas of the thesis project. Among these, at the Department of Political Science (SPS) (only the main training activities are listed):

a) Doctorate in Political and Social Sciences (EN)
https://phd.unibo.it/pss/en
Contents: Big Data for the Social Sciences; Political Research Methods; Research Design for Social and Political Research; Understanding Political Dynamics.

b) Master's Degree in Politics, Administration and Organization (IT/EN)
https://corsi.unibo.it/[…]/PoliticaAmministazioneOrganisation
Content: Comparative public administrations; Governance and public policies; PA law; Company organization and structures; local public services policies; prediction and the future of public policy; organization analysis; HR organizational strategies.

c) Master's Degree in Local and Global Development (IT)
https://corsi.unibo.it/magistrale/SviluppoLocaleGlobale
Content: Sociology of innovation and sustainable development; organizational and institutional processes; Regional economic policies; Project management, monitoring and evaluation.

d) Master's Degree in Public and Corporate Journalistic Communication (IT)
https://corsi.unibo.it/[…]/ComunicazionePubblicaImpresa
Content: Information techniques and practices; Digital Journalism; Social stratification and economic inequality (EN); Public communication

e) Master's Degree in Governance and Digital Innovation Policies (IT)
https://corsi.unibo.it/[…]/PoliticheInnovazioneDigitale
Content: Governance of innovation in PAs; IT Methods for Digital Transformation; Analysis And Evaluation Of Public Policies; Governance And PA Law; Politics in the digital age; Society, algorithms and digital transition; Digital platforms, data and the public sphere; Institutions, decisions and change; Cybersecurity Governance; Activation policies and welfare platforms; Health Policies and Digital Transformation; Environmental and social sustainability in the public sector.

Within the second year of the doctorate and subject to the approval of the College, candidates continue their learning by attending additional doctoral elective courses offered by the teaching staff at the four related departments in relation to the specific research areas of the thesis project. Among these, at the Department of Management (DISA) (only the main training activities are listed):

a) PhD in Management (EN)
https://phd.unibo.it/management/en
Contents: Strategic Management, Marketing Strategy, Organizational Behavior, Corporate Finance, Economics and Management of Innovation, Research in Accounting.

b) Master's Degree in Social Economy Management (IT)
https://corsi.unibo.it/magistrale/EconomiaSociale
Contents: Management of social and cooperative enterprises, Social economy, Mission and accountability of cooperative enterprises, Welfare and third sector policies, Third sector law, Economic ethics, Business plan for social entrepreneurship, Finance for non-profit companies, Economics development and international cooperation.

Within the second year of the doctorate and subject to the approval of the College, candidates continue their education by attending additional doctoral elective courses offered by the teaching staff at the four related departments in relation to the specific research areas of the thesis project. Among these, at the Department of Economics (DSE) (only the main training activities are listed):

a) Doctorate in Economics (EN)
https://phd.unibo.it/economics/en/phd-programme
Contents: Experimental Economics –Topics, Behavioral Law and Economics and Enforcement Mechanisms, Experimental Economics – Methods, Climate Macroeconomics and Finance, Nudging, Political Economy, Comparative Development, Institutions and Demography, Text as a source of data, Topics in Macroeconomics with Heterogeneous Agents .

b) Master's degree in Economics - LMEC, Resource Economics and Sustainable Development - RESD (EN)
https://corsi.unibo.it/2cycle/lmec
https://corsi.unibo.it/[…]/ResourceEconomicsSustainableDevelopment
Contents: Advanced Panel Data Methods, Behavioral Economics, Political Economy in Macroeconomics, Introduction to Python for Econometrics, Advanced Microeconometrics, History of Economic Thought, Machine Learning For Economists, Structural Macroeconomics, Economic Development, Public Economics, International Monetary Economics, Causal Inference and Program Evaluation, Theory and Empirics of Comparative Development, Labor Economics, GIS Tools Laboratory, Research Methods and Communication; Resource Valuation and Decision Making Methods, Regional and Transport Economics.

c) Master's degree in Economics and Economic Policy, curriculum Policy Analysis and Evaluation (PAE) and curriculum Health Economics, Management and Policy (IT/EN)
https://corsi.unibo.it/2cycle/EconomicsPolicy
https://corsi.unibo.it/2cycle/HealthEconomicsManagement
https://corsi.unibo.it/[…]/2023
Contents: Industrial and Antitrust Policies, Quantitative Methods, Advanced Econometrics, Health Economics, Welfare State and Taxation (Economics of Taxation, Public Policies and Income Redistribution), Environmental Economics and Policy, Regulatory Economics, Community Policies and Regulation, Python and R for economists, Statistics.