The Natuzzi Group and the Bari-Matera (Italy) upholstered furniture district. A case study of internationalisation in a traditional industry

The case-study focuses on the strategies adopted by the Natuzzi Group, world leader of the upholstered furniture sector, located in the Bari-Matera district (Southern Italy), to face increasing global competition and on their effects. In particular we consider the modes and determinants of productive internationalisation, carried out since 2000 by Natuzzi in China, Brazil and Romania to produce middle-low end products. By improving the competitiveness of the price-sensitive segment, the strategy contributed to the successful expansion of the Group until 2002. However, high range products, manufactured in Italy, record decreasing sales especially on the US market, despite the companys efforts in R&D and marketing and its investments in information technology. Moreover, due to Natuzzi's considerable weight in the district, the Groups performance impacts on the network of subcontracting firms, where a restructuring process is underway, raising questions about the evolution of the district.Internationalisation, Industrial District, Subcontracting

A 3D Polymeric Platform for Photonic Quantum Technologies

open10The successful development of future photonic quantum technologies will much depend on the possibility of realizing robust and scalable nanophotonic devices. These should include quantum emitters like on-demand single-photon sources and non-linear elements, provided their transition linewidth is broadened only by spontaneous emission. However, conventional strategies to on-chip integration, based on lithographic processes in semiconductors, are typically detrimental to the coherence properties of the emitter. Moreover, such approaches are difficult to scale and bear limitations in terms of geometries. Here an alternative platform is discussed, based on molecules that preserve near-Fourier-limited fluorescence even when embedded in polymeric photonic structures. 3D patterns are achieved via direct laser writing around selected molecular emitters, with a fast, inexpensive, and scalable fabrication process. By using an integrated polymeric design, detected photon counts of about 2.4 Mcps from a single cold molecule are reported. The proposed technology will allow for competitive organic quantum devices, including integrated multi-photon interferometers, arrays of indistinguishable single-photon sources, and hybrid electro-optical nanophotonic chips.openColautti, Maja; Lombardi, Pietro; Trapuzzano, Marco; Piccioli, Francesco S.; Pazzagli, Sofia; Tiribilli, Bruno; Nocentini, Sara; Cataliotti, Francesco S.; Wiersma, Diederik S.; Toninelli, CostanzaColautti, Maja; Lombardi, Pietro; Trapuzzano, Marco; Piccioli, Francesco S.; Pazzagli, Sofia; Tiribilli, Bruno; Nocentini, Sara; Cataliotti, Francesco S.; Wiersma, Diederik S.; Toninelli, Costanz

patrimonio intelectual

Actas de congresoLas VI Jornadas se realizaron con la exposición de ponencias que se incluyeron en cuatro ejes temáticos, que se desarrollaron de modo sucesivo para facilitar la asistencia, el intercambio y el debate, distribuidos en tres jornadas. Los ejes temáticos abordados fueron: 1. La enseñanza como proyecto de investigación. Recursos de enseñanza-aprendizaje como mejoras de la calidad educativa. 2. La experimentación como proyecto de investigación. Del ensayo a la aplicabilidad territorial, urbana, arquitectónica y de diseño industrial. 3. Tiempo y espacio como proyecto de investigación. Sentido, destino y usos del patrimonio construido y simbólico. 4. Idea constructiva, formulación y ejecución como proyecto de investigación. Búsqueda y elaboración de resultados que conforman los proyectos de la arquitectura y el diseño

Dysmorphia and female genital self-image: association between sexuality and body dysmorphia symptoms

reservedIntroduzione: Il disturbo da dismorfismo corporeo (BDD) è un disturbo che si può riflettere sulla percezione dell’immagine dei propri genitali. In particolare, è importante scoprire se il disturbo, considerato in relazione all’immagine genitale femminile e all’immagine corporea in generale, possa avere un’influenza sul funzionamento sessuale femminile, poiché l’influenza di un’immagine corporea negativa può avere importanti ripercussioni sulla vita sessuale dell’individuo. Scopo: L’obiettivo dello studio è quello di indagare l’influenza dei costrutti di immagine corporea e immagine genitale femminile sul funzionamento sessuale femminile, in particolare su orgasmo, desiderio, lubrificazione ed eccitazione mentale. Metodo: 150 studentesse universitarie con età media di 23 anni hanno hanno compilato tre scale di misura riguardo l’immagine corporea (Personal Sexuality Inventory – Body Image), l’immagine genitale percepita (Genital Appearance Satisfaction, Bramwell & Morland, 2009) e il funzionamento sessuale femminile (Female Sexual Function Index, Rosen et al., 2009) Risultati: I risultati mostrano l’emergere di una relazione significativa positiva tra l’immagine corporea e l’orgasmo, una relazione positiva significativa tra immagine corporea ed eccitazione mentale, e infine due relazioni significative negative tra immagine genitale e orgasmo e tra immagine genitale e lubrificazione. Inoltre, emerge una relazione significativa positiva tra immagine genitale e imbarazzo e una relazione significativa negativa tra immagine corporea e imbarazzo

Furniture districts in Italy

The report offers an overview of 8 furniture and furnishing districts in Italy, with data and information on the territory, corporation and development policies. Industrial districts are an important peculiarity of the Italian manufacturing system, from the point of view of both the efficiency of the productive processes, and the competitive capacity shown by these entrepreneurial nuclei on foreign markets. Born as a merger between economic and productive relations and economic and social ones in limited territorial areas, they have initiated and consolidated processes of economic development, characterised by a close relationship between the society and the productive system. The Italian furniture districts consist in local productive systems with a strong geographical reference, essentially made up of small and medium sized firms which are linked to the institutional and social sphere. The report considers the furniture districts' structure, analysing weaknesses and opportunities that characterize the district's development. For each district basic data are available (turnovers, total number of furniture firms and employees, product mix, exportation) together with information regarding the history of the district, its evolution and development policies. Considered furniture districts: Brianza Comasca e Milanese, Bassa Veronese e Bassa Padovana, Treviso e Pordenone (l'Alto Livenza e il Quartiere del Piave), the Manzano chair triangle, the furniture district of Forlì, the furniture districts of Toscana, Pesaro and Urbino, the Bari-Matera sofa triangle.

The European market for kitchen furniture

The 23th edition of the report The European market for kitchen furniture offers an accurate comprehensive picture of the kitchen furniture industry in 17 Western European countries, providing 2007-2012 trends (in value and in volume) in kitchen furniture production and consumption, imports and exports. Marketing policies, distribution channels and the value and weight of the built-in appliances on kitchen furniture supply is further considered. A forecast on kitchen furniture consumption in 2013 and 2014 is provided. Supply structure: data on employment, information on kitchen prices in a sample of companies and data on productive concentration are also included. Production is broken down by cabinet door material (solid wood, veneer, laminated, decorative papers, thermoplastic foils, lacquered, melamine/paper, aluminium, glass), by cabinet door style (classic, modern, design), by cabinet door colour (white, bright colours, neutral colours), by cabinet door type (high gloss, opaque) and by worktop material (solid surface materials, engineered and natural stone, laminated, tiles, steel, wood, glass). The competitive system analyses the kitchen furniture sales of the top European kitchen furniture manufacturers. Values are broken down by market segment (luxury, upper-end, middle, middle-low, low-end) and by country. Market shares are included. Short profiles of the main players in the kitchen furniture industry are also available. The analysis of kitchen furniture distribution channels covers: direct sales, contract/ building trade; kitchen specialists, DIY stores, furniture retailers, large furniture chains, mail order/e-commerce. Addresses of around 200 European kitchen furniture manufacturers are also included.

The European market for upholstered furniture

This report analyzes the upholstered furniture market in 17 Western European countries with statistical data of production, consumption, import and export of upholstered furniture as well as an insight on top manufacturers present in each market in detailed tables. Short term forecasts of upholstered production and consumption are also given.

The European market for upper-end furniture

This report provides data on consumption, production, import, export of the upper end furniture sector in the Western European countries. Sales and market shares of the leading firms in the high end segment are broken down by category: home furniture detailed by bedroom, living room, tables and chairs, occasional furniture, upholstered furniture, kitchen furniture. Reference prices of the major firms are available for bedrooms and children's bedrooms, bookcases, wall units, upholstered furniture, tables and chairs, kitchen furniture. The report includes information on the companies' investments in promotion, product design and machinery, plus figures on employment, with data on turnover by employee for 50 selected European companies. Sales of upper range furniture are analysed by geographical area and country. For each country are available data on import, distribution channels, average sales per outlet and market shares of the analysed manufacturers. Sales figures on the international markets are considered, involving top companies exports to Eastern Europe and Russia, North America, Middle East, Asian Pacific.

Mattress distribution in France, Germany, Italy and UK

This market research offers an overview of the mattress retail industry in four leading European markets. The report provides basic data (consumption, imports, production and exports of mattresses),activity trends as well as driving forces for demand for each country. The study focuses on the distribution channels for mattresses in each country, their developments and differences. Home furniture import flows are analyzed by country of origin and by product segment (upholstered furniture, non-upholstered seats, kitchen furniture, dining and living room furniture, bedroom furniture). It provides short profiles of major mattress distributors broken down by specialized bedding and mattress stores, generalist furniture stores/chains, mail order, e-commerce, department stores, contract and buying groups for each country and includes an analysis of mattress imports by country, short profiles of major local and foreign bedding and mattress manufacturers present on each market. Product trends (material, size and segments) are also provided for each country