THE ROLE OF THE INDUSTRIAL POLICY IN ITALY

The aim of this paper is to match the Italian small-medium firms’ (SMEs) need for technological innovation and the state and regional aid programs aimed at supporting innovation and technology. The purpose is to highlight existing capabilities and new opportunities in support of Italian SMEs requirements in innovation. The paper reports the results of two empirical research projects recently carried out at Ceris-Cnr (Institute of Economic Research on Firms and Growth – Italian National Research Council). After a framework of the most important innovation policies the Italian aid programmes for innovation and technology are described. In particular the role of the Italian Regions is analysed in depth. The empirical research confirmed that the approach to innovation of Italian SMEs tends to satisfy the demand of existing market in the best possible way ompared with competitors. Product improvement follows incremental processes. The most common way of introducing new technology is the purchase of new machines and equipment to reduce costs and improve quality. All the industrialised countries tend to favour the linking of the SMEs with external sources of knowledge. The research shows that such a policy clashes with the SMEs’ capacity for absorbing innovation. Most of them lack the technical structures (technical office, design department, R&D laboratory, prototype department, etc.) and graduate staff capable of interfacing with the research world.

ART ET CULTURE DANS L’EVOLUTION DES DISTRICTS INDUSTRIELS ITALIENS [Art and culture in the evolution of Italian industrial districts]

The competitiveness of a territory is more and more explained by factors that combine technological innovation, recognized as a key element of the competitive advantage of an economic system, with knowledge, creativity, and sometimes even art and culture. In some areas of ancient industrialization we can find at local level a social capital that is a synthesis of economic, social and cultural aspects. This can be used both for the products promotion and for the support to new industries able to offer to the end consumer not only products but the opportunity to carry on an experience with the local tradition. The paper examines two cases of industrial districts in Italy (Biella and Carrara), where the cultural aspect of the traditional manufacturing has been the starting point for enhancing the territorial system and for the beginning of an integrated supply, products-services, which has expanded the boundaries of the previous specialization and it is now a strong element of territorial competitiveness.La compétitivité d’un territoire est de plus en plus expliqué par des facteurs qui associent à l’innovation technologique, depuis longtemps reconnue comme élément de l’avantage compétitif d’un système économique, la connaissance, la créativité et, parfois, même l’art et la culture. On voit ainsi comme dans les territoires d’ancienne industrialisation on retrouve à niveau local une synthèse entre aspects économiques, sociaux et culturels qui représentent un capital utilisable soit pour la promotion sectorielle, soit pour le soutien à la naissance de nouvelles filière capables d’offrir au consommateur final pas seulement un bien, mais la possibilité de faire expérience avec une tradition. Le papier examinera deux cas de districts industriels italiens (Biella et Carrara) où l’aspect culturel de la production traditionnelle a été le point de départ pour une valorisation du système territorial et pour la naissance d’une offre intégrée produits-services qui a élargi les frontières de la précédente spécialisation et représente un élément fort de la compétitivité territoriale.Art et culture, créativité, districts industriels

The italian machine tool industry

WP 04/1993- Introduction #7- Market Structure #7- Conduct #19- Performance #27- Conclusions #3

Innovazione tecnologica e competitività internazionale: quale futuro per i distretti e le economie locali (Technological Innovation and International Competitivity: Is there a Future for Italian Districts and Local Economic Systems?)

WP 09/1996; In this paper the analysis of the Italian system of industrial districts is carried on in the light of the more general crisis of Europe in terms of innovative capabilities and employment creation. Nevertheless the recent positive trend of Italian districts, the institutional context in which firms are operating is not helpful in order to support their turnaround towards more innovative activities able to increase employment. The problems coming from the insertion of the firms in a complex multinational competition need local specialised policies awaiting for a much important and complete national polic

Storia dell’industria delle macchine utensili in Piemonte dalle origini alla seconda guerra mondiale

Working Paper Ircres-CNR 05/2020. The machine tool industry is still of great importance in Piedmont. Its origin dates back to the mid-nineteenth century when the process of industrialization began in Piedmont, too, lagging behind other countries. This working paper analyzes the birth of the first factories in Turin, the role played by military establishments and the expansion of railways. In the early 1900s and after the First World War, the automotive industry led the next development. In Turin, the machine tool factories are concentrated in a restricted area with district features. Other development poles are in the provinces of Novara and Alessandria. Between the two World Wars, the technological delay against United States and Germany continues and high import dependency remains, despite internal development

La burocrazia nella ricerca pubblica. PARTE III, Organizzazione e project management negli enti pubblici di ricerca: l’analisi del CNR

The organization of public research labs plays a fundamental role to increase their efficiency and the production of scientific research necessary to economic system. The paper presents the main organizational studies carried out on public research bodies in U.S.A. and Europe. After that this research analyzes the organization of the biggest public research body in Italy, showing the points of strength and weakness. Some public management implications and relationship with bureaucracy complete the research.Organizational theory, Matrix structure, Public Research laboratories, Project Management, Bureaucracy

Analysis of the innovation process within Italian SMEs

The industrial structure of many European countries is dominated by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Although SMEs consider the new product development process fundamental for the success in the global market, the level of formalisation of the innovation process is very low (Slywotzky et al., 1997). Moreover, if we consider the SMEs operating in the mature sectors, such as automotive and machines tools, the situation is worrying.The aim of this paper is to analyse in-deep, within a sample of SMEs located in a highly industrialised Italian region (Piedmont), the strategy used both for new product development, and for incremental innovation. The latter may often occur, not so much as structured research and development activities but, in order, for: - the involvement of the entrepreneur or managers; -the improvements informally suggested by engineers or technician engaged in the production process; - the proposals and the initiatives coming from users. The methodology in this paper is a longitudinal study which provides a close-up view of the adoption of these non-structured innovation patterns (Leonard-Barton, 1990; Langley, 1996).Although the SMEs located in this area are specialised rather than diversified in their technological competencies and product range, they lack of information about the financial facilities to the innovation process and marketing capabilities. These generate two effects: 1) the SMEs cannot tackle the R&D expenditures for new product; 2) they cannot completely take advantage from their innovation process.This research would like offer some useful considerations to the European policy maker and managers in managing new product development and innovation within SMEs.Innovation Process, New Product Development, SME

Internal organizational demography of public research institutions

WP 08/2009; The purpose of this paper is to analyse the public research organizations by a demographic approach. The research focuses on the biggest Italian public research body, considering personnel data of 2004. The results show the irregular spatial structure of the research personnel per macro regions as well as the average age of hiring and index of seniority over time, indicating older research personnel in North and Central Part of Italy than South Italy. This analysis displays the evolutionary change of the research personnel and provides vital information to policymakers in order to improve the future organizational behaviour of this main research institution

SMEs and innovation the role of the industrial policy in Italy.

WP 06/2001; The aim of this paper is to match the Italian small-medium firms' (SMEs) need for technological innovation and the state and regional aid programs aimed at supporting innovation and technology. The purpose is to highlight existing capabilities and new opportunities in support of Italian SMEs requirements in innovation. The paper reports the results of two empirical research projects recently carried out at Ceris-Cnr (Institute of Economic Research on Firms and Growth – Italian National Research Council). After a framework of the most important innovation policies the Italian aid programmes for innovation and technology are described. In particular the role of the Italian Regions is analysed in depth. The empirical research confirmed that the approach to innovation of Italian SMEs tends to satisfy the demand of existing market in the best possible way ompared with competitors. Product improvement follows incremental processes. The most common way of introducing new technology is the purchase of new machines and equipment to reduce costs and improve quality. All the industrialised countries tend to favour the linking of the SMEs with external sources of knowledge. The research shows that such a policy clashes with the SMEs' capacity for absorbing innovation. Most of them lack the technical structures (technical office, design department, R&D laboratory, prototype department, etc.) and graduate staff capable of interfacing with the research world

Capacità competitiva e evoluzione strutturale dei settori di specializzazione: il caso delle macchine per confezionamento e imballaggio

WP 07/1997; The mechanical engineering is one of the leading industries of Europe. A very successful case is represented by the Italian packaging machinery industry that passed through the last recession without relevant consequences. This is largely due to the evolution of the original district of Bologna towards a more modern and complex structure, now spatially enlarged to several areas of Italy. The emerging of leading firms caused the growth of about 20 groups and a change of the interfirm relations. In this paper the export performances of this industry are analysed with the financial results of a firm sample and the external growth data