The course objectives are in line with the bachelor degree ones, aiming to provide students with a strong command of both theoretical and applied economics topics together with relevant teaching in business, legal, mathematical and statistical disciplines, as well as providing knowledge to understand effectively from domestic and international points of view the production process, through an effective economic and business culture in order to understand in detail the considerable changes currently occurring in firms and in the management of economic activities in the face of global competition. In particular the course of Economic Geography is aimed at reaching the following objectives. KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING Know the main elements characterizing space and the economical space Know the main instruments used by geography and economic geography to tackle spatial issues Know the models used to represent and analyse geographical reality Understand the theoretical foundations of economic geography within the framework of the geographical and economical sciences Understand the importance of space in human and economic decisions Understand the importance of spatial thinking Understand the benefits and limitations of models used in economic geography to represent and analyse the geographical realm. APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING Know how to study a geographical space Know which methods and models to apply to the different economical sectors Know how to evaluate an economical choice over the geographical space MAKING JUDGEMENTS: Students have to demonstrate - at the end of the course - that they have not only memorised the concepts but they have understood and interiorized them through possible application in situations other than those presented during the course COMMUNICATION SKILLS: The purpose of the oral exam is to verify the student's ability to communicate effectively and with technical language properties the concepts learned during the course LEARNING SKILLS: At the end of the course, a student must demonstrate that he/she can apply the minimum knowledge and understanding descripted in this syllabus

No prerequisites required.

Economic Geography represents the study of the location, distribution and spatial organization of economic activities across the Earth. The course examines the way in which individuals and enterprises organize their economic activities in space and the extent to which society recognizes the socio-economic impacts of such activities across space and uses its institutions to influence these interdependencies and impacts. The course is focused on how geographic and economic conditions affect the products, industries, commerce and resources in a variety of regions. The course tackles the concepts, theories, and methodologies used by geographers to analyze economic change. Topics covered Geography, economy and business Human and Economic Geography; Population Distribution and Structure; Demographic Theory; Migration The foundations of spatial economics; Rent theory in space. Central Place Theory - The System of Cities; Urban retail – Trade Area Analysis; Gravitation and spatial interaction models; Markets and locations of services; The geography of transport systems. Transport and space; Transport Networks; Transport Costs; Telecommunications GIS and spatial models: Geographic Information Technologies: GIS, GPS, Remote Sensing and their applications in business, economics and planning; A particular focus will be made on sustainability and circular economy from the geographical point of view. A focus on new geographic and non geographic ICT will be made: virtual globes, geographic 3d modelling, Virtual and Augmented Reality, 360 deg. photos as new means for understanding and representing spatial issues.

Materials – Powerpoint presentations, key articles, case studies materials - will be made available throughout the course and delivered by means of the Moodle and Teams platforms. Readings presented in class can represent an alternative to the below mentioned textbook. Powerpoint presentations alone WILL NOT represent sufficient sources for the preparation of the exam, but need to be integrated with the materials loaded onto the Moodle Platform and/or Teams Platform and presented in class. The textbook is Anderson W. P., Economic Geography, Routdledge, London, 2012, limited to the following chapters. Part I, ch. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6. Part III, all chapters Part IV, all chapters Part V, all chapters Part VI, ch. 25 (reading) Appendixes and boxes are not mandatory. The following books can be used as supplemental material and sources for selected topics as presented by teacher in class: • Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Claude Comtois and Brian Slack (2013) The Geography of Transport Systems, 3rd edtion or (or latest one), New York: Routledge, 284 pages. Also available on: https://transportgeography.org/wp-content/uploads/GTS_Third_Edition.pdf • Frederick P. Stutz and Barney Warf (2012) The World Economy: Resources, Location, Trade, and Development, 6th Edition. Prentice Hall, Saddle River, NJ. Specific materials are made available by means of the Moodle Platform and represent the teaching materials for the preparation of the exam.

Economic Geography represents the study of the location, distribution and spatial organization of economic activities across the Earth. In today’s highly competitive economy, many companies, firms and organizations are aware that understanding geography, possibly through mapping, can represent a competitive strategic advantage. Significant cost savings and profit opportunities can result from the understanding of the geographic context of activities such as sales and marketing, distribution and logistics, as well as competitor activity. The course examines the way in which individuals and enterprises organize their economic activities in space and the extent to which society recognizes the socio-economic impacts of such activities across space and uses its institutions to influence these interdependencies and impacts. The course is focused on how geographic and economic conditions affect the products, industries, commerce and resources in a variety of regions. The course tackles the concepts, theories, and methodologies used by geographers to analyze economic change. The course provides an introduction Economic and Human Geography, particularly in terms of the geographical pattern of residentiality, production and consumption, as well as the consumer’s behaviour. These topics include theories and basic economic geography models as, for instance, location theories, gravity and spatial interaction models. 1. the perspective of location and spatial distribution of economic activities, including questions of "place", "locality", "site and situation" and land use; 2. the perspective of spatial interaction and economic dependence and interdependence (exchange, trade, transportation, migration, information Testi in inglese Language English Economic Geography represents the study of the location, distribution and spatial organization of economic activities across the Earth. The course examines the way in which individuals and enterprises organize their economic activities in space and the extent to which society recognizes the socio-economic impacts of such activities across space and uses its institutions to influence these interdependencies and impacts. The course is focused on how geographic and economic conditions affect the products, industries, commerce and resources in a variety of regions. The course tackles the concepts, theories, and methodologies used by geographers to analyze economic change. and capital flows, communication networks and the economic geography of the Internet); and 3. the perspective of economic change in a spatial context (regional growth or decline, technological innovation, processes of structural change [i.e. long-run compositional and interdependence changes in the economy] regional economic development etc.). 4. the perspective of transport systems, in terms of the capacity of allow the spatial interaction over the Earth’s surface at local and global levels, examining their role in a globalized world, as well as the effect on the local and regional markets. Topics covered Topics covered Geography, economy and business Human and Economic Geography; Population Distribution and Structure; Demographic Theory; Migration The foundations of spatial economics; Central Place Theory - The System of Cities; Urban retail – Trade Area Analysis; Gravitation and spatial interaction models; Markets and locations of services; Real estate, retail. The geography of transport systems. Transport and space; Transport Networks; Transport Costs; Telecommunications GIS and spatial models: Geographic Information Technologies: GIS, GPS, Remote Sensing and their applications in business, economics and planning.

Classroom lessons Ex cathedra teaching Classroom discussion Classrooms will be implemented with seminars and classes (remote and in presence), also with the participation of colleagues and experts from other universities and organizations. Materials will be made available also through digital platforms as video and multimedia presentations.

Students are required to understand the course contents and to express them properly using the appropriate economic and geographical terms. The final exam will be based on a written test, consisting on a set of multiple choices (5, worth 3 points each) and open questions (3, worth 5 points each. One open question is dedicated to a topic of student’s choice) on the main geographical topics tackled during the course. The set of questions will sum up to a maximum mark of 30/30. Multiple choices and open questions have different weights in defining the final suggested marks according to their level of difficulty. For the written test a maximum duration of 90 minutes can be allowed in case of a test in presence in class. On-line tests could be realized in case of restrictions to presence by academic authorities. In this case, the written test will be based on a 60 minutes timeframe. Samples of tests and solutions are uploaded on the Moodle platform of the current and previous academic years. An oral examination could follow the written test and it spans over a range of questions covering the course contents (3 to 5 questions). During an oral examination the typical timeframe is around 15 to 20 minutes per person. A minimum of 18/30 mark will mean the exam can be passed. Students regularly attending classes, which effective presence will be checked in class, can benefit of an extra-exam day to be defined during the term. It is foreseen to develop individual presentations and working groups during the term that can result in a in-class discussion throughout the term, that will be evaluated and will contribute to the final marks of the exam. Participating to such initiative will translate in a reduction of the programme to be inserted into the final exam.

Geography deals with the human-environment relationship. So, the concept of Sustainability is rooted into the geographical thought and therefore all the aspects of sustainability finds room into geographical courses.