Wines and places: territory assets and competitiveness

The paper analyzes the relationships that exist between wine and its place of production and identifies the elements able to enhance territory competitiveness. To shed light on this topic, we provide a literature review of a reasoned type. Findings may provide implications for future systematic investigation of regional wine systems. The identification of dimensions able to influence territory competitiveness may provide policy makers and entrepreneurs with a reference scheme of factors to be considered in crafting and executing local policies and business strategie

Wine clusters and leading firms in Tuscany

Based on the case study research methodology, the chapter illustrates the results of a study aimed at investigating entepreneurship in the Tuscan wine business. Within the regional scenario, we can observe different areas characterized by peculiar territorial and structural traits creating multiple production systems that seem populated by diverse entrepreneurial actors. Different entrepreneurial models will increase the complexity of the regional scenario, enriching the territory with resources and knowledge and creating the opportunity of exchange and innovation processes. Three different entrepreneurial actors are identified: Traditional entrepreneurial models – characterize the micro and small local enterprises of “follower” kind, with competencies mainly concentrated on production and – basically – adaptive strategies. These (usually) smaller producers, are not able to accomplish effective marketing strategies or to start innovation processes on their own, showing imitative behaviors and benefiting from the positive consequences “absorbed and released” by the local system thanks to the winning performance achieved by other wineries . In transition local familiar models – local enterprises that, even respecting traditions, have been able to introduce elements of newness in the business management, inserting new managerial roles next to the historical family or new competencies through the cooperation of external individuals. Most of these actors are the ancient nobility that have transformed part of the latifundium into vineyards. Hexogenous entrepreneurial models - result of a massive increase of investments on the part of entrepreneurs coming from inside and outside the region, already working in the wine business or in other sectors

Fattori associati all’insorgenza di delirium in un campione di pazienti anziani ospedalizzati

Introduction. Delirium is a clinical syndrome with a high incidence in elderly patients. Its clinical and economical repercussions heavily impact on daily geriatric practice, especially in the hospital context. In this study we compared a sample of hospitalized elderly patients with diagnosis of delirium with a control group, in order to identify clinical or laboratory parameters potentially associated with this clinical syndrome. Patients and methods. From January 2007 to December 2009 we enrolled 578 patients (mean age: 82.0 ± 6.8) admitted to Internal Medicine University ward of S. Anna Hospital of Ferrara or Gerontology and Geriatrics Institute of Perugia University. 140 patients developed delirium during hospital stay (DSM-IV clinical diagnosis supported by Confusion Assessment Method). The remaining 438 patients did not develop delirium, and represented the control group. All these patients were clinically free from dementia. Results. Patients with delirium were older, more frequently not married and had a higher degree of physical disability compared to controls. In patients with delirium the mean duration of in-hospital stay was 4 days longer than control group. Furthermore, delirium was significantly associated with increased BUN/ creatinine ratio, CRP, and BSR values, and with reduced values of arterial blood pressure (both diastolic and systolic), HDL cholesterol, total serum proteins, serum albumin, and serum iron. Conclusions. Our results confirm that in hospitalized elderly patient there is an association between onset of delirium and advanced age, poor functional status. Furthermore this study confirms the association between delirium onset and clinical/laboratory markers of dehydration, systemic inflammation, and malnutrition