ITAL 496: Special Topic Business Italian | Spring 2015 | SDSU
COURSE INFORMATION
Department Office: SH 224A
Telephone: 594-5111
LARC: SH 204-205
Hours: M-TH, 8-8 p.m.; F, 8-4:30 pm
Final Exam: Thur. May 14, 8-10am
Instructor: Clarissa Clò
Class Location, Days and Times: SH 205, T-TH, 9:30-10:45am
Office Hours Location and Days: SH 226C, T-TH, 12:30-2pm
Phone: 594-1131
Email: cclo@mail.sdsu.edu
COURSE OVERVIEW
Goals and Outcomes:
1. Students will learn and apply the language of business in Italian (i.e. will be able to read, speak and
listen to different forms of commercial communication, and compose CVs, letters, emails,
business plans).
2. Students will familiarize with the culture of business in Italian (i.e. will be able to understand
Italian business culture through various media and case studies).
3. Students will develop collaborative entrepreneurial projects based on real life business situations
that will enable them to acquire planning, curatorial, management and marketing skills in addition
to foster their collective intelligence.
4. Students will acquire digital literacy in the field and knowledge of selected digital tools for the
research, development and implementation of their business project (i.e, Wordpress, Articulate
Storyline, Scalar, Omeka).
5. Students will learn how to present and promote their skills and competencies (i.e. will critically
reflect on their own abilities and assets and consider which parts of their educational/professional
formation need to be strengthened or reframed).
Course Description and Methods
In this course we will study Italian commercial language, culture and practices. Some of the topics we
will address include business communication, advertising, marketing, entrepreneurship, cultural
management and curation. Rather than learning solely the abstract terminology and theory of business,
the course will be research-driven and project-based. We will concentrate on hands-on real life
situations and the bulk of the course will be occupied by students’ application of concepts to practical
events and case studies that will have a real and measureable impact and will allow students to develop
a final digital portfolio with the activities they help build and the professional skills they acquired in the
process. We will pay particular attention to cultural curation and management as well as social
marketing and digital media.
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ENROLLMENT INFORMATION
Prerequisites
Business Italian is an upper-division course open to all students of Italian who have fulfilled their lower
division requirements and completed ITAL 212 or equivalent. It especially recommended for Italian
minors, European Studies and International Business majors with a concentration in Italian.
Add/Drop: February 3, 2015 is the last day to add, drop, or change grading basis (11:59 p.m. deadline).
COURSE MATERIAL
Required texts
1. Nicoletta Cherubini, Convergenze: Iperlibro di italiano per gli affari, book + DVD-Rom (Bonacci, 2012);
2. Moodle for your course, online through the LARC website at: https://moodlelarc.sdsu.edu/moodle2.5/
3. Pinterest for your course: http://www.pinterest.com/ciaosdsu/business-italian/
COURSE STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTS
Class preparation and participation
Regular class preparedness and participation are a requirement for this course. You must have read the
assigned material and completed all assignments in advance of coming to class each time. Your
participation in class and group discussions are critical to ensure the success of the course.
Compiti
Homework will be assigned from the book Convergenze (i.e. readings, CV, letters, activities), although
the majority of compiti will be part of your case study project and will consist of regular reports in class
on its progress and on your role and tasks in its planning.
Case Studies Projects
You will participate in a semester long business project involving the planning and execution of a cultural
event, digital exhibition or campaign. The following three projects will involve extensive work with
different departments on campus and with the local Italian community:
Digitalization of the Italian Hip Hop Collection housed in the SDSU library and the creation of a
digital archive. The material is housed in Special Collections on the 4th floor of Library Addition,
room 4410, open M-F 10am-4pm: http://library.sdsu.edu/scua
The Italian Hip Hop Collection has been catalogued here.
Social media marketing campaign for the San Diego Italian Film Festival and development of
their membership program: http://www.sandiegoitalianfilmfestival.com
Management and promotion of the Circolo italiano’s cultural program for Spring 2015 entitled
“CineMaDonna” featuring recent films by Italian female directors, guest speakers, and film
introductions.
For each project students will work collaboratively to:

conduct research, assess and analyze the field and make a presentation about the results with
recommendations on how to develop/implement the project (different platforms will be used:
Prezi, Wordpress, TimeRime, Free Mind etc.).
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



develop the project through planning, curating, managing, marketing and implementation (using
social media, and platforms like Articulate Storyline, Omeka or Scalar).
Create an archive or digital ebook of their project open and available for consultation.
Present the results of their final product to the class and staff.
Prepare a digital portfolio illustrating the project, their individual tasks and contributions and
the competencies and skills they have acquired.
Presentazioni
Because of the nature of the course, you will be asked to provide frequent reports and presentations on
the progress of your work for the case study. Presentations will focus both on group and individual
activities for the project. You should expect to use various formats, including Powerpoint, Prezi, etc.
Presentations will be archived online.
Aztec Mentor Program as Professional Activity
In addition to the cultural activities organized by the Italian Studies Program and the Circolo italiano this
semester, you are asked to participate in the Aztec Mentor Program to learn about networking and
prepare for professional careers: http://go.sdsu.edu/student_affairs/career/aboutamp.aspx
COURSE ASSESSMENT AND GRADING
Participation
Compiti
Case Studies Projects
Aztec Mentor Program
Midterm
Final Exam
15%
15%
45% (Group work 20%; Individual work 15%; individual digital portfolio 10%)
5%
10%
10%
The Final Project Presentation is scheduled during the Final Exam slot on Thursday, May 14, 8-10am
Grades are defined at SDSU as:
A: Outstanding achievement; available for the highest accomplishment.
B: Praiseworthy performance; definitely above average.
C: Average; awarded for satisfactory performance; the most common undergraduate grade.
D: Minimally passing; less than the typical undergraduate achievement.
F: Failing.
C/NC: Some students may, subject to their major requirements and the conditions set out in the General
Catalog, choose to take the course credit/no credit. Work equivalent to C or above will result in a grade
of Credit; work equivalent to C- or below will result in No Credit.
WU: Indicates that an enrolled student did not withdraw from the course but did not fulfill the course
requirements. For purposes of grade point average computation, this grade is equivalent to an F.
Students who are failing when they stop attending class will receive an F, not a U.
A = 4.0 (93-100)
B = 3.0 (83-86)
C = 2.0 (73-76)
D = 1.0 (63-66)
CR = (73-100)
A- = 3.7 (90-92)
B- = 2.7 (80-82)
C- = 1.7 (70-72)
D- = 0.7 (60-62)
NC = (0-72)
B+ = 3.3 (87-89)
C+ = 2.3 (77-79)
D+ = 1.3 (67-69)
F = 0 (0-59)
WU = n/a
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ACCOMODATIONS
The learning environment should be accessible to all. SDSU provides reasonable accommodations in the
following situations:
 Disability: If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for
this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To
avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability
Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that
accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your
instructor with an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is
appreciated.
 Religion: By the end of the second week of classes, students should notify the instructors of
affected courses of planned absences for religious observances.
 Official university activities (e.g., Athletics): Within the first two weeks of classes, a student who
expects to be part of an official university event or activity shall notify the instructors of affected
courses. At that time, the student shall request accommodation for any missed examinations or
other assignments. If scheduling changes occur, the student shall immediately notify the
instructors.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Cheating and Plagiarism
The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism. These activities will not be
tolerated in this class. Become familiar with the policy (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html).
Any cheating or plagiarism will result in failing this class and a disciplinary review by Student Affairs.
Examples of Plagiarism include but are not limited to:
 Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include
phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work)
 Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your own
 Using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author credit
 Replacing words or phrases from another source and inserting your own words or phrases
 Submitting a piece of work you did for one class to another class
If you have questions on what is plagiarism, please consult the policy
(http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html) and this helpful guide from the Library:
(http://infodome.sdsu.edu/infolit/exploratorium/Standard_5/plagiarism.pdf)
Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. You are plagiarizing or cheating if you:
 for written work, copy down or cut anything from a book, article or website and add or paste it
into your paper without using quotation marks and providing the full reference for the
quotation, including page number
 for written work, summarize / paraphrase in your own words ideas you got from a book, article,
or the web without providing the full reference for the source, including page number
 for an oral presentation, copy down or cut anything from a book, article, or website and present
it orally as if it were your own words. You must summarize and paraphrase in your own words,
and bring a list of references in case the professor asks to see it
 use visuals or graphs you got from a book, article, or website without providing the full
reference for the picture or table
 recycle a paper you wrote for another class
 turn in the same (or a very similar paper) for two classes
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


purchase or otherwise obtain a paper and turn it in as your own work
copy off of a classmate
use technology or smuggle in documents to obtain or check information in an exam situation
In a research paper, it is always better to include too many references than not enough. When in doubt,
always err on the side of caution. If you have too many references it might make your professor smile; if
you don’t have enough you might be suspected of plagiarism.
In foreign language study, cheating also includes the following:
 Doing your written homework and then having a third party correct it, or having someone else
write your homework for you and turning that in for credit
 Doing assignments with another student and turning in the same or almost the same work.
(Unless you are specifically directed to work in pairs on in groups, college-level work is always
expected to be solely your own.)
 Using an automated translation engine to translate your homework
 Using an available translation of a text on which to base your own translation and turning that in
for credit.
What IS acceptable includes the following:
 Asking your professor for help.
 Brainstorming answers and/or ideas with another student; then, each student writes up the
homework separately and turns in his or her own work.
 Doing your written homework and/or translation and then having a third party circle your
mistakes; you then do the corrections on your own and turn in your own work.
If you have any question or uncertainty about what is or is not cheating, it is your responsibility to ask
your instructor.
TAKE THE TUTORIAL:
Test your knowledge of what constitutes plagiarism through a tutorial offered by the SDSU Library. To
access the tutorial go to: http://library.sdsu.edu/guides/tutorial.php?id=28
Consequences of cheating and plagiarism
SDSU instructors are mandated to report all instances of cheating and plagiarism to the Center for
Student Rights and Responsibility. Consequences are at the instructor’s and the Center for Student
Rights and Responsibility’s discretion. They may include any of the following:
 failing the assignment
 failing the class
 warning
 probation
 suspension
 expulsion
For more detailed information, read the chapter on plagiarism in the MLA Handbook for Writers of
Research Papers (6th edition, 2003), visit the following website:
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml and talk to your professors before turning in
your paper or doing your oral presentation.
The University of Indiana also has very helpful writing hints for students, including some on how to cite
sources. Please visit http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml for more information.
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COURSE SCHEDULE | PROGRAMMA DEL CORSO | PRIMAVERA 2015
PRIMA SETTIMANA
giovedì 22 gennaio
Introduzione al corso
SECONDA SETTIMANA
martedì 27 gennaio
Presentazione primo progetto: San Diego Italian Film Festival: ospite Victor Laruccia;
Via Skype Silvia Bottani, consulente social media
giovedì 29 gennaio
Presentazione secondo progetto: Italian Hip Hop Special Collection
Meet in Special Collection, Library Addition, Rm 4410
TERZA SETTIMANA
martedì 3 febbraio: Last day to add classes
Presentazione terzo progetto: CineMaDonna
giovedì 5 febbraio
Gli studenti scelgono il progetto
Convergenze: p. 15-40, Linguistic Intelligence: Business language competency, an overview.
QUARTA SETTIMANA
martedì 10 febbraio
Convergenze p. 325-329: Draft of CV and letter of presentation of current competencies and
aspirations.
Group Project: Students start research on their project, divide task, choose communication platform,
compile findings in communication platform, report to class
giovedì 12 febbraio
Convergenze p. 41-54, Logic and Creative Intelligence: Convergent and divergent thinking,
brainstorming, problem-solving
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QUINTA SETTIMANA
martedì 17 febbraio
Convergenze p. 55-64, Spatial, Kinesthetic and Interpersonal Intelligence: work space and cultural
proximity perceptions, non-verbal communication, verbal communication, POVs and opinions; p. 6667: Emotional Intelligence;
Group Project: Students continue research and begin analysis on their project posting results on
communication platform and report to class.
giovedì 19 febbraio
Convergenze p. 273-289: Work Meetings, Oral and Written Communication, Conflict Resolution.
Group Project: Students work on plan for the project. Students will decide on platform to use.
SESTA SETTIMANA
martedì 24 febbraio
Convergenze p. 77-81: Marca, marchio logo (Branding management); p. 93: Stakeholders; p. 94-96:
Azionisti e soci (investors and members);
giovedì 26 febbraio
Group Project: Students present their plan for the project with working ideas for branding,
management, curation and marketing of their (cultural) product/service.
SETTIMA SETTIMANA
martedì 3 marzo
MIDTERM
giovedì 5 marzo
Convergenze Il/la manager; p. 102-104: la concorrenza (competition); p. 105-109: I clienti
Group Project: Assessment and analysis of business plan, students work on revisions and prepare
for/strategize about development and implementation.
OTTAVA SETTIMANA
martedì 10 marzo
Convergenze p. 138-140: Marketing, an overview; p. 145-146: beni, prodotti, servizi;
Group Project: Students work on developing and implementing their project using selected platform.
giovedì 12 marzo
Convergenze p. 148-153, 160-168: il prodotto; p. 179-190: il prezzo.
Group Project: Students work on developing and implementing their project using selected platform.
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NONA SETTIMANA
martedì 17 marzo
Convergenze p. 194- 197: Communication and Promotion: an overview; p. 201-203: Radio and TV
advertisement;
Group Project: Students work on developing and implementing their project using selected platform.
giovedì 19 marzo
Convergenze p. 207-215: Print advertisements; p. 216-217 Internet and social media ads.
Group Project: Students work on developing and implementing their project using selected platform.
DECIMA SETTIMANA
martedì 24 marzo
Convergenze p. 222-229: Direct marketing; p. 232-239 PR: le pubbliche relazioni.
Group Project: Students work on developing and implementing their project using selected platform.
giovedì 26 marzo
NO CLASS – Prof. Clò OUT of TOWN to Conference
30 marzo-3 aprile PAUSA PRIMAVERILE – BUONE VACANZE
UNDICESIMA SETTIMANA
martedì 7 aprile
Convergenze p. 240-242: Passaparola (Word of mouth); p. 243-246: Packaging.
giovedì 9 aprile
Group Project: Students work on developing and implementing their project using selected platform.
This might include writing study notes, maps and guidelines for the use of the product/service/archive
they are creating).
DODICESIMA SETTIMANA
martedì 14 aprile
Group Project: Students work on developing and implementing their project using selected platform.
Individual Portfolios: Students begin assembling their individual portfolios reflecting on the
competencies and skills they have acquired and on how to best present them in their portfolio.
giovedì 16 aprile
Group Project: Students work on developing and implementing their project using selected platform.
Individual Portfolios: Students begin assembling their individual portfolios reflecting on the
competencies and skills they have acquired and on how to best present them in their portfolio.
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TREDICEDICESIMA SETTIMANA
martedì 21 aprile
Convergenze p.300-319: Il lavoro (job market); new and emergent professional profiles;
Group Project: Students work on developing and implementing their project using selected platform.
giovedì 23 aprile
Convergenze p. 330-335: Il colloquio di lavoro (Job interview).
Individual Portfolios: Students continue working their individual portfolios reflecting on the
competencies and skills they have acquired and on how to best present them in their portfolio.
QUATTORDICESIMA SETTIMANA
martedì 28 aprile
FINAL TEST
giovedì 30 aprile
Group Project: students will finalize their product/service/archive.
Individual Portfolios: Students continue working their individual portfolios reflecting on the
competencies and skills they have acquired and on how to best present them in their portfolio.
QUINDICESIMA SETTIMANA
martedì 5 maggio
Individual Portfolios: Students present their individual portfolios to class and staff, including potential
jobs they may target with their acquired profile.
giovedì 7 maggio
Group Project: students will finalize their product/service/archive.
Thursday, May 14, 8-10am:
FINAL PRESENTATION OF GROUP PROJECTS:
Students will present their product/service/archive to class and staff.
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