Productivity spillovers and regional differences: some evidence on the italian manufacturing sector

This work examines the main theoretical and empirical interpretations regarding the effects of foreign direct investment on productivity of local firms and, in particular, in which way productivity spillovers are related to the existence of regional differences. By taking into consideration the Italian manufacturing sector and using cross-section data, we find that although at a national level productivity levels are higher in the domestic sectors where multinational firms account for larger shares, productivity spillovers are concentrated only in the north-western area of Italy.foreign direct investment; productivity spillovers

Banking System Efficiency and the Dualistic Development of the Italian Economy in the Nineties

The article provides an analysis of some features of the Italian Credit System in the Nineties. In particular, it focuses on a comparison of Banks efficiency – in terms of costs, revenues and profits – in Northern and Southern Italy taking into account the dualistic structure, which characterizes the Italian economic system.

Exporting quality: is it the right strategy for the Italian manufacturing sector?

ABSTRACT: Recently, most European manufacturing firms have been engaged in a number of innovative activities to survive the growing competition coming from newly-industrialising countries. Italian manufacturing industry, which relies largely on SMEs, is struggling to regain competitiveness in global markets. In light of these stylised facts, we first investigate whether innovating activities and quality goods’ production enhance Italian SMEs’ probability to be exporter. Our findings suggest that both products’ quality and innovative activities affect considerably SMEs’ likelihood to export. Subsequently, using the Chow test, we find evidence for a structural break produced by quality, which results in substantial differences between high and low-quality firms. The former are more likely to export if they introduce product innovation, marketing innovation and/or organisational changes, the latter increase their chances of exporting when introducing process innovations and organisational changes.SMEs, exports, innovative activities, quality, probit

LA GIUSTIZIA TRIBUTARIA TRA SPECIALITÀ ED ORDINARIETÀ

Il contenzioso tributario negli ultimi anni è stato in costante crescita ,sia dal punto di vista del valore economico, che del numero dei procedimenti; d'altronde la rilevante percentuale di ricorsi per Cassazione evidenzia con chiarezza come tale tipo di contenzioso , che nella sua specificità non è soggetto ad alcun limite di competenza, abbia ormai un suo ruolo autonomo da tutti riconosciuto. Alla vigilia dell’annunciata riforma della Giustizia Tributaria può pertanto essere opportuna una valutazione della problematica nell'ambito di una analisi sia economica, per ciò che attiene ai problemi di efficienza e di produttività del sistema (al fine di evitare o almeno di limitare i cd "fallimenti di mercato"), sia giuridica , in considerazione degli aspetti procedurali propri del sistema stesso; inoltre una comparazione con l'esperienza di altri Paesi che hanno giurisdizioni vicine alla nostra può facilitare la individuazione di best practices da utilizzare. In tale ottica complessiva si cercherà di evidenziare quali modifiche e nuovi meccanismi procedurali possono concorrere a migliorare la qualità del sistema, con particolare attenzione alla fase che precede il giudizio, la quale a nostro avviso riveste una rilevanza significativa

Magnesium isotopes: a tool to understand self-enrichment in Globular Clusters

A critical issue in the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) self-enrichment scenario for the formation of multiple populations in Globular Clusters (GCs) is the inability to reproduce the magnesium isotopic ratios, despite the model in principle can account for the depletion of magnesium. In this work we analyze how the uncertainties on the various p-capture cross sections affect the results related to the magnesium content of the ejecta of AGB stars. The observed distribution of the magnesium isotopes and of the overall Mg-Al trend in M13 and NGC 6752 are successfully reproduced when the proton-capture rate by 25Mg at the temperatures 100 MK, in particular the 25Mg(p, gamma)26Alm channel, is enhanced by a factor 3 with respect to the most recent experimental determinations. This assumption also allows to reproduce the full extent of the Mg spread and the Mg-Si anticorrelation observed in NGC 2419. The uncertainties in the rate of the 25Mg(p,gamma)26Alm reaction at the temperatures of interest here leave space for our assumption and we suggest that new experimental measurements are needed to settle this problem. We also discuss the competitive model based on the super massive star nucleosynthesis.Comment: accepted for publication on MNRA