CITIZENS AND INSTITUTIONS BETWEEN COMPUTERS AND INTERNET - AN EMPYRICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE ITALIAN CASE

The diffusion of ICT technologies that generated the Internet phenomenon, is responsible of the world-wide incredible expectation level related to its high potential contribution to problem solution in many socio-economic sectors. In facts, the contribution of ICT in some sectors, as organizations management (public or private, profit or no-profit), was undoubtedly highly effective. The interaction between citizens and institutions is also considered extremely interesting, as the specific funds appropriation since the end of 90es of European Union on these topics can demonstrate. This wide interest caused the expectation of a remarkable services improvement, but the obtained results doesn’t seem as much satisfactory. This international and European scenario had a meaningful reflex also in Italian case, because the lack of information flows between Institutions and citizens in our country is always strongly perceived as critical point. In a former study of 1998 (Tesauro, Campisi), some institutional web sites was included in a wider study sample about the usage of internet communications, reaching unflattering results. Nevertheless, some recent “accidents” in citizen-institution relationships, widely reported by mass media and strictly related to computer technologies, suggest remarkable doubts about the usage of these technologies. This happen in spite of the creation of a specific Ministry in Italy and five years later the cited study, an incredible amount of time in terms of evolutionary dynamic of virtual environment). So, the main objective of this contribution is to show a scenario of citizen-institution relation via Internet in Italy at different scales (national, regional and local), identifying strength or weak points not only from users viewpoint and trying to underline the difficulties inherited from a poor usage of actual computer knowledge.

EURO AND WEB SERVICES IN CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR

The removal of internal customs barriers, the introduction of Euro and the suppression of frontier controls (Schengen treaty), joined with the enlargement of number of Members from 15 up to 25 represent the most meaningful aspects of the integrating process between the Countries of European Union before the forthcoming European Constitution. The actual configuration of the Union still completed the initial plan of a “Common Market”, obtained introducing some complying elements in the course of time. The last step of this integrating process was represented by the adoption of a common currency that really transformed the Union area in a unique market. The adoption of a common currency represented the main care versus the integration process. The reason of this care is that it really represents the first step towards the giving up of some intrinsic privileges in the sovereignty of a State. These steps are (and will be) requisite for a full achievement of the European Union aims. Nevertheless, some recent national events showed how much that unconfessed fear was undoubtly well-grounded. A first unexpected effect of the introduction of Euro is the possibility to outline all the persistent differences between States in a more effective way. These differences enable also to identify the heterogeneous conditions of economic, political, social and cultural behavior of each Country. The increased effectiveness of Internet made this evaluation more simple, enabling to consider the whole virtual environment as an immediately reachable place to obtain information, services and goods from sources that are distributed in all over the world. The aim of this paper is to outline that the homogeneity of internal market of European Union is still not completed showing some specific examples. A further attempt is to identify some factors of persistence of the still existing differences between European Countries.

Internet diffusion vs. The crisis of the new economy

The diffusion of Internet in the world, both in terms of ''users" and "information supplyiers" is continously and constantly increasing. This market growth is based on a development that follows the usual behaviour of technological innovation diffusion (S-shaped logistic curve), so it is allowed to obtain reliable forecasts about the future market trend. Nevertheless, dispite the continous growth of the "target", the E-business seems to be in a crucial situation absolutely unpredictable since few moths ago, when viceversa looked as the main driving force of the "new economy" attacking the boundaries of the "global market". The objective of this paper is to analyse the potentialities of the growing market, through the the actual and forecasted number of users, and the condition of the general offer, in terms of typology and quality of the services supplied, trying to identify a reason for this crisis.

Internet diffusion vs. the crisis of the new economy

The diffusion of Internet in the world, both in terms of 'users' and 'information suppliers' is continuously and constantly increasing. This market growth is based on a development that follows the usual behavior of technological innovation diffusion (S-shaped logistic curve), so it is allowed to obtain reliable forecasts about the future market trend. Nevertheless, despite the continuous growth of the 'target', the E-business seems to be in a crucial situation absolutely unpredictable since few moths ago, when viceversa looked as the main driving force of the 'new economy' attacking the boundaries of the 'global market'. The objective of this paper is to analyze the potentialities of the growing market, through the actual and forecasted number of users, and the condition of the general offer, in terms of typology and quality of the services supplied, trying to identify a reason for this crisis. Keywords: Internet, E-business, Global Market, New economy

Potentialities and usage of Internet communications: A qualitative and quantitative overview.

Technological innovation is the main responsible of the phenomenon called Internet. This innovative use of the medium accomplishes those concepts and dreams of science fiction's authors. Nevertheless, the new potentialities supplied by this new medium have only partially been analysed until today. Our purpose is to define a qualitative schema to investigate the main usage of Internet potentialities, joined with a quantitative analysis in the main geographic areas paying a special attention to the national and EEC data. The first goal is pursued identifying the better usage of the medium done by some representitives of the main socio-economic categories. These representitives could be chosen in any geographic area and their performances will be investigated, compared and used to define an analysing schema. The second objective is obtained using the best so-called "search engines", since the main characteristic of a site is represented by it's accessibility. Moreover, some cross-section data will be provided to enhance some more meaningful insights.

Fixed and Mobile Phoning in Italian Regions

The telecommunication diffusion and it?s interaction with the socio-economic environment was analysed both in terms of introduction of new technologies in the market and their diffusion/substitution process with respect to former technologies. Nevertheless, the word ?innovation? should be referred to products in a more general sense, so avoiding limitations to technology but also keeping track of all those characterising elements of products inside the market. Due to a similar approach, should be considered as innovative a product even if it doesn?t contain technological components different with respect to pre-existing ones, but also if a former technology is sold using totally innovative formulas. This modified viewpoint requires a more flexible approach to the diffusion process. This approach can enhance the interest on studying those different answers adopted by different socio-economic environments, to analyse the characteristic elements enabling the identification of categories with similar behaviour. Keywords: Telecommunications, Innovation, Diffusion, Clustering

Nanostructures by Self-assembling Peptide Amphiphile as Potential Selective Drug Carriers

The self-assembling behaviour, at physiological pH, of the amphiphile peptide (C18)(2)L5CCK8 in nanostructures is reported. Stable aggregates presenting a critical micellar concentration of 2 X 10(-6) mol kg(-1), and characterized by water exposed CCK8 peptide in P-sheet conformation, are obtained. Small angle neutron scattering experiments are indicative for a 3D structure with dimensions >= 100 nm. AFM images confirm the presence of nanostructures. Fluorescence experiments indicating the sequestration of pyrene, chosen as drug model, and the anticancer Doxorubicin within the nanostructures are reported