This book offers a detailed analysis of the key sectors in the Italian economy, with the focus especially on areas in which the economy excels, such as the automatic packaging machinery sector, pharmaceutical production, the food and wine industry, and tourism. The book explains how, contrary to widespread opinion, Italy is one of the world's most competitive countries in foreign trade, as confirmed by a new index compiled by Fondazione Edison that highlights its strengths and top traded products. The main characteristics of the Italian productive system, which is primarily composed of SMEs, are documented, and a map illustrating the importance of the various industrial districts is proposed, identifying their sectors of specialization, historical roots, and development. The principal steps in Italy's industrialization over the past 150 years are then outlined, in particular for the manufacturing system - the main driver of Italian exports. In-depth analyses of the mechanical industry and the machinery sector follow. In combining meticulous analysis of statistical data with a historical perspective, this book will appeal to all with an interest in the Italian economy.

This book offers a detailed analysis of the key sectors in the Italian economy, with the focus especially on areas in which the economy excels, such as the automatic packaging machinery sector, pharmaceutical production, the food and wine industry, and tourism. The book explains how, contrary to widespread opinion, Italy is one of the world's most competitive countries in foreign trade, as confirmed by a new index compiled by Fondazione Edison that highlights its strengths and top traded products. The main characteristics of the Italian productive system, which is primarily composed of SMEs, are documented, and a map illustrating the importance of the various industrial districts is proposed, identifying their sectors of specialization, historical roots, and development. The principal steps in Italy's industrialization over the past 150 years are then outlined, in particular for the manufacturing system - the main driver of Italian exports. In-depth analyses of the mechanical industry and the machinery sector follow. In combining meticulous analysis of statistical data with a historical perspective, this book will appeal to all with an interest in the Italian economy.

This book analyzes the wrapping and packaging machinery sector in the Emilia/Bologna district in Italy and compares the most recent trends with those in the industry in Schwabisch Hall and Waiblingen, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, which represents a direct rival. In a detailed and original study, the authors trace the evolution of manufacturing in Bologna during a period that witnessed extraordinary growth in automatic wrapping and packaging machines, leading the sector to become a central pillar of Italian mechanical engineering. Similarly, the history of the industry in the Emilia district is described, highlighting the factors that led to its success. A comprehensive comparative analysis of the German and Italian sectors is then performed. Export figures and the trade balance for the sector are examined based on Eurostat data, and the significance of the two districts in terms of global trade is identified with reference to UN data. In addition, the number of companies, sales, and the size of the workforces are thoroughly compared. The book will be of interest to economists and others with an interest in the development and importance of the automatic packaging machinery sector.

The book contains a selection of 43 scientific papers by the great mathematician Ennio De Giorgi (1928-1996), which display the broad range of his achievements and his entire intellectual career as a problem solver and as a proponent of deep and ambitious mathematical theories. All papers are written in English and 17 of them appear also in their original Italian version in order to give an impression of De Giorgi's original style. The editors also provide a short biography of Ennio De Giorgi and a detailed account of his scientific achievements, ranging from his seminal paper on the solution of Hilbert's 19th problem to the theory of perimeter and minimal surfaces, the theory of G-convergence and the foundations of mathematics.

The analysis of the interactions between natural resource scarcity, technological innovation and the dynamics of eco- nomic systems has a long-standing tradition in economics. During the 1980s and the early 1990s, a new phase of these interactions initiated under the effects of technological revolution and the problem of the environment. The general concept behind this book is that the issue of natural resou- cesand the environment in relation to economic growth can- not be addressed without due consideration for the effects of technological innovation on thedynamics of economic sy- stems. Technological innovation alone, however, is not a sufficient condition for the sustainability of economic growth. Policies may have a role in solving the internatio- nal distribution problems generated by the non-converging development path of developed and developing countries. In particular, the new international order shaped by the events of the 1980s, made it possible for world management to ad- dress the problems of poverty and the environment.

This volume contains some essays of two international conferences both organized by Fondazione Edison under the aegis and with the scientific collaboration of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. The first conference is "Districts, Pillars, Network Facilities" held in Rome, in the siege of Lincei at Palazzo Corsini, on 8* and 9* April, 2003. The Organizing Committee of this conference was composed by Giacomo Becattini, Sergio Carra, Marco Fortis, Giorgio Lunghini, Luigi Pasinetti, Umberto Quadrino, Alberto Q- drio Curzio, Alessandro Roncaglia and Edoardo Vesentini. The second conference is "New Science, New Industry - The Challenges for the New Europe" held in Rome in the siege of Lincei at Palazzo Corsini, on 13* and 14* October, 2004. The Organizing Committee of this conference was com- posed by Arnaldo Bagnasco, Patrizio Bianchi, Sergio Carra, Marco Fortis, Au- sto Graziani, Alberto Quadrio Curzio, Edoardo Vesentini and Giovanni Zanetti. Both were international conferences with the participation of a total of 48 speakers coming fi-om 9 different countries. We publish in this volume only some essays of the two Conferences as the de- cision to edit a book in English was taken only after the two conferences were over. Therefore not all the speakers were able to contribute with a paper. Some information are useful to know the two organizing Institutions.

This volume contains the proceedings of the international conference "Complexity and Industrial Clusters: Dynamics and Models in Theory and Practice", organized by Fondazione Comunita e Innovazione and held in Milan on June 19 and 20, 2001 under the aegis of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (founded in Rome in 1604), one of the oldest and most famous national academies of science in the world. Fondazione Comunita e Innovazione encourages research and the dissemination of knowledge about social, economic, cultural and civil issues. It promotes research and innovation related to local production systems and industrial districts, with special reference to: the interactions between large companies and SMEs (small and medium-size enterprises), the effects of industrial districts on the development and welfare of their communities and of neighbouring areas, the effects of globalisation on these local systems of productions. Fondazione Comunita e Innovazione was created in Milan in 1999. It supports studies, publications, and events, both on its own and in cooperation with corporations, research institutes, foundations, associations and universities. It also grants scientific sponsorship to research that is in line with its mission, as set forth in its by-laws. The founding member of the Fondazione is Edison (formerly Monted:son). The other subscribing members, in historical order, are: Ausimont, Tecnimont, Eridania, Accenture, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

This book analyzes Italy's external competitiveness in detail and introduces a new index, devised by Marco Fortis and Stefano Corradini for Fondazione Edison, that highlights the strengths of Italy's foreign trade. Compared with the Trade Performance Index compiled and updated annually by UNCTAD/WTO's International Trade Centre, the Fortis-Corradini Index (FCI) provides greater sectorial detail by referring to 5117 products identified according to the six-digit HS 1996 international classification available on the UN Comtrade database. The new index confirms that, contrary to widespread opinion, Italy is one of the world's most competitive countries, with an extraordinary position of leadership in world trade. Thus, according to the FCI, for 932 products Italy was either first, second or third worldwide in terms of foreign trade surplus in 2012. Furthermore, the FCI reveals, for example, that only three countries (China, Germany and the United States) surpassed Italy in 2012 in terms of the number of first, second and third places in their trade balance worldwide. In presenting the FCI and meticulous statistical data, this highly original study will be of wide interest.

The enlargement of the European Union towards the East from May 2004 has generated an increase of about 100 million inhabitants in the EU population, and has especially brought along major challenges and important opportunities both for the "new" countries and for the "old" member states. That is the main focus of this volume, which is divided into three sections. The first analyses the effects of the enlargement on the functioning of Community institutions, on the relations with the other Eastern European countries, and finally on regional and global economic dynamics; the second section analyses in detail the role of the monetary politics of the European Central Bank and the activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; and the third deals with the importance of the entrepreneurial class in ensuring the success of the transition process of the Eastern European economies.