Cluster dynamics and innovation in SMEs: the role of culture

The territorial agglomeration of interdependent enterprises has a positive influence on the competitiveness, the performance and the development of national economies. This is a widely accepted intuition in economie theory, and it dates back to the works of Alfred Marshall. In particular, these phenomena have been depicted through the theoretical framework of the "IndustriaI Districts". Another signifieant impulse to the debate was provided by the GREMI (Groupe de Recherche Européen sur les Milieux Innovateurs), through the concepì of milieu innovateur. Later, Michael Porter's studies and dissemination works granted great visibility to the dynamics of agglomeration of industries, which since then afe better known among policy makers as "clusters". At any rate, the importance of the cultural element in the concepts of "cluster", milieu, and "district" is undeniable. This is evident also when observing the phenomenon from a historieal perspective. Evidence shows that the strength of a loeal economie system, and its eapacity to grow and 10 innovate, afe closely related 10 the pattern of knowledge (thus cultural) stratifieation, to the territory itself and to learning eapacity. Moreover, one can observe that cultural socio­economie elements afe embedded in technology, thus they play a key role when considering the dynamics of innovation process and growth opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). With this respect, the paper wìll present some relevant case studies of technical assistance earried out by in the field of industriai cooperation with several non-ED Mediterranean countries. In particular, the paper will present those case studies where initiatives were sei up with a view 10 encourage cluster dynamics in regions (i.e. Aleppo, Syria or Yazd, Iran), where the main sector of activity (textile and clothing industry) is his1orically and culturally based. In particular, several factors were involved, such as the cohesion of stakeholders for the creation of innovation, the development of new products, and the competìtive advantages for the loeal productìve system. The project approach and its conclusions confirm the fundamental role of culture and culture-based activities in the process of economie development, especially when considering SMEs, where culture represents both an embedded strategie foundatìon for the creation of cluster dynamics, and a signifieant potential for their future development affecting innovation trajectories.

Multi-level policies: a geographical approach to the analysis of innovation systems /Politiche multi-livello: un approccio geografico all’analisi dei sistemi di innovazione

This paper extensively examine the relationship between territory, innovation and policies. While, reviewing the theoretical contribution of economic geographers and economists, the research identifies seven territorial models of innovation. Further, the focus on the analysis of the territorial factors affecting innovation dynamics provides a geographical methodological approach useful for the analysis of innovation system at the various scales. Finally, the theoretical and analytical methodologies set the basis to discuss innovation policies against territorial level (local, regional, national and international) and the relationship among them. Based also some practical case studies in three peculiar regions (Tunisia, Öresund, Emilia-Romagna), outcomes of the study shows how innovation policy tend to be multi-level, both with bottom-up and top-down approaches

Relative remote rural areas (RRRA)in developed regions: an analysis of the Emilia-Romagna region to support policy decision making.

This paper addresses the identification and the analysis of the remote rural areas (RRA) that should be at the center of future regional development policies for periphery areas in averagely highly developed territories, such as the Emilia-Romagna region. However, since none of the areas of the region can be defined lagging or underdeveloped when compared with the EU 25 countries, it is introduced the concept of “Relative” Remote Rural Area (RRRA) which partially could recall the semi-periphery in the theoretical scheme of Immanuel Wallestrein or the trasition area of Friedmann. Methodologically, the investigation is done both by using as a basis an intermediate geographical level that can be considered in line with the NUTS4 one: the SLL (Local Working Systems) identified by the Italian Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), and by a NUTS5-level cluster analysis performed using a selection of indicators, which includes demographic, socio-economic, employment, agricultural, infrastructure and commuting patterns. This work led to the identification and mapping of a set of municipalities that show the higher remote & rural features of the region. The Province of Ferrara resulted the NUTS3 level with the highest RRRA. After a discussion upon the main characteristics of this areas, preliminary policy indications for these territories are given.remotness; rurality; local working system (SLL); geographical economic analysis; regional policy

The European Union and the relationship with its neighbours: the development of the European Neighbourhood Policy

This paper introduces to geographical and geopolitical pattern of the relationship with neighbours countries of the enlarged Europe since 2007. In particular, after clustering the countries at the frontiers of the EU according to spatial contiguity and shares of common values, a introductory discussion on the European Neighbourhood Policy is done.Frontiers; Boundaries; European Neighbourhood Policy; Geopolitics; Proximity

La cooperazione interistituzionale per lo sviluppo territoriale in Emilia-Romagna. Appunti di viaggio in una geografia che cambia

Il presente lavoro ripercorre le stagioni della programmazione negoziata che hanno interessato l’Emilia-Romagna dagli Novanta ad oggi, analizzando alcuni strumenti ed esperienze particolarmente rappresentative dell’approccio regionale alla cooperazione interistituzionale per lo sviluppo territoriale. Dopo una sintetica introduzione sull’evoluzione della programmazione negoziata nelle politiche per lo sviluppo, che in Italia ha caratterizzato una parte consistente della “nuova politica regionale”, vengono introdotti alcuni strumenti originali della Regione Emilia-Romagna che sono stati adottati nel corso degli ultimi vent’anni: Programmi speciali d’area (PdA), Programmi di riqualificazione urbana (PRU), AccordiQuadro per la montagna, Intese per l’integrazione delle politiche territoriali. I quattro strumenti selezionati vengono riletti alla luce del più recente dibattito sulle politiche pubbliche di investimento in contesti di governance multilivello, portato avanti dall’OCSE. Dall’analisi preliminare e dalla prima sistematizzazione, emergono gli elementi innovativi e di qualità delle esperienze regionali, ma anche debolezze e divergenze dal modello dominante che si va affermando. Ne risulta un quadro composito, in generale positivo e concreto. Tuttavia, la programmazione negoziata sembra vivere una fase di declino applicativo a causa di fattori concorrenti che dipendono, tra gli altri, dagli effetti operativi della riforma istituzionale degli enti territoriali, dalla disponibilità di risorse e dal trend di finanziarizzazione delle politiche di sviluppo economico