MSc Management study trip: Rome

Lorena De Virgiliis Zyba, MSc Management student, shares her experience of visiting the LUISS Business School to learn more about the Italian business market, and exploring the magical city of Rome.

Developing my entrepreneurial skills

I graduated in Nutrition and Dietetics from the Medical University of Genoa, in Italy. For the past four years I have worked in the healthcare sector and in brand development within the event management sector. I have always wanted to start my own business and my desire to do this led me to studying the world-renowned MSc Management course at WBS. By choosing elective modules geared towards entrepreneurship I have been able to learn as much as possible about the fundamentals of business and what it takes to succeed. WBS has assisted me in honing and developing my knowledge base while gaining necessary business skills through practical business cases and group projects.

Learning about the Italian economy

The purpose of the study week was to provide an insight into the Italian economy by focusing on entrepreneurship and family-run businesses in automotive, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and luxury brand sectors. The trip began with a visit to an archaeological site, the Roman Forum, followed by a lecture at LUISS Business School based on learning more about small and medium-sized businesses in Italy. On the second day we visited Peroni to discover more about the beer manufacturing process, and we returned to LUISS Business School in the afternoon for a lecture on the importance of ‘Made in Italy’. ‘Made in Italy’ is an ideological concept used in marketing luxury brands to represent tradition, identity and lifestyle.

Discovering a family-company culture

On our third day we visited the Vallelunga racing circuit to learn more about the motorsport industry, and we had the opportunity to test drive some cars which everyone really enjoyed. We then visited Bulgari’s Domus Museum, where we discovered that private sector companies such as Bulgari, Tod’s, Gucci and Fendi are helping to restore famous monuments in Rome. In funding the restoration of these ancient monuments like the Colosseum, the Trevi Foundation and the Spanish steps, luxury fashion houses are safeguarding these historical landmarks for future generations to enjoy. On our final day we visited IBI Lorenzini, a biochemical pharmaceutical company which is committed to the discovery, development and sale of innovative products. It was really inspiring to see how the company invests in training and career progression in a stimulating working environment which reflected a healthy family-company culture.

Exploring the magical city of Rome

By taking part in the study trip I learnt how to start a business in Italy, and discovered more about the way the Italian business market works. One of the primary take-aways from the study trip was learning more about marketing in the luxury industry, and understanding how luxury brands differentiate themselves by applying a different ideology when it comes to marketing their products. Although the agenda for the study trip was quite intense, I had some free time to visit the magnificent city of Rome. I managed to visit the Vatican City and climbed Saint Peter’s dome where I saw the most breath-taking views of Rome. I would definitely recommend that future MSc Management students take part in a study trip, as it is a truly unique experience where you can learn so much, and gain a real insight into how international businesses operate.

Find out more about our MSc Management course.