Discovering the World of Baldinini: The Company Visit of Bologna Business School Students

7 June 2024

Company Visits are also essential for the young participants of the Professional Master in Business Management – Global and Emerging Markets because they allow them to engage with business realities in which they might find themselves working in the near future. Among the excellent companies visited by the participants of the Master is Baldinini, a prestigious Italian brand with a long tradition in the manufacturing of high-end artisanal shoes.

“The impressions I had during the visit were very positive: the welcome was attentive, and the company staff were available to answer our questions about the organization and the production chain,” said Francesca Morana, a Master student who participated in the visit. “I greatly appreciated the company’s structure, especially the management of the production part: it was fascinating to see how everything was well organized, and each employee had their specific role.”

During the visit, Baldinini’s marketing and communication strategies particularly impressed the students. “The brand is skilled at effectively communicating its value proposition, which consists of the Italian identity of the product and its high quality, an aspect I could verify firsthand during the visit,” observed Francesca. “I think the strategy of extending the product line to accessories such as bags, wallets, and belts was an excellent idea to retain customers by suggesting matches between shoes and bags. In the Asian market, emphasizing Made in Italy is certainly a winning approach, as these consumers are great lovers of our products, especially in the fashion sector.”

The students had the opportunity to delve into the various stages of the production of different Baldinini shoe models, from the most classic to the more modern and sustainable collections, made in collaboration with ACBC. “The theme of sustainability will be increasingly important in the future: incorporating it into products is certainly a winning move, especially now that interest in this topic is rapidly growing in Asia,” said Francesca, who is specializing in Made in Italy with a focus on Asian markets. “In general, Baldinini shoes are classic and offer comfort, a feature that should never be missing in footwear. From my point of view, however, some designs could be reinterpreted and the models adapted to the various climates found in Asia.”

A positive experience, therefore, that offered students a new and valuable perspective on how theory and practice can converge, providing them with essential tools to face the challenges of the working world. “Company visits are the heart of the projects, and I believe they are fundamental for fully understanding the reality of companies, experiencing their daily life firsthand,” concluded Francesca. “While the materials provided during lessons are important, they cannot replace these formative experiences. Furthermore, seeing the organization of a company can help each student understand what kind of environment they want to work in, allowing them to better focus their search for both internships and jobs.”