The discussions at this roundtable session were informed by a series of questions posed at the event regarding the purposes served today by Italy’s national public broadcaster (RAI), and whether it still makes sense to talk of public broadcasting in this day and age.
The UN Rome-Based Agencies—the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)—develop and implement critical food security and humanitarian interventions at the global level. Each agency’s impact is magnified through effective collaboration and partnerships with corporations, NGOs, and national governments, play a growing role in scaling pilot projects and marshaling funds for urgently needed food system development.
In order to drive home the importance to the Italian economy of design as a core component of the international success of the “Made in Italy” brand, the participants at this roundtable likened the sector to oil, in the sense of being a form of “energy” fueled by the history, culture, and flair for style and beauty that have helped forge Italy’s image abroad over the centuries. This image can rest assured of its considerable appeal, stemming in part from the international appreciation of a lifestyle that continues to draw accolades globally.
The participants at this Meeting for the Aspen Junior Fellows noted that, unlike in the past, leadership today is measured by the ability to build a team, maintain a winning team spirit, and rally group members to “pull together” as a team. The event provided an opportunity to examine what constitute essential the building blocks for a successful team, how to maximize the performance of individuals in order to optimize that of the overall team, and whether defeats help improve team performance more than wins.
Kick-starting discussions at this national roundtable was the acknowledgment that the Italian food and agriculture industry is one of the most emblematic of the Made in Italy sectors, not only because of the international appeal that Italian cuisine has always held, but also due to the economic importance of the sector.
Serving as a springboard for discussions at this national conference was the acknowledgement that family-run businesses are a key player in the European economic landscape. However, the crisis (or more precisely, the sea change) of recent years poses multifaceted and complex questions: businesses are facing changes in where they operate, what kind of business they do, their culture, and how they do business. These questions must be answered with pragmatism, a typically entrepreneurial trait, and with reflection, more the domain of academia.
The large trade and financial flows across the Mediterranean region and the Middle East are major opportunities for economic recovery. They are based mainly on the new energy networks (from both conventional and renewable sources) and the expansion of the Suez Canal, in addition to the persistent role of Gulf investors (particularly through sovereign wealth funds). There are certainly significant obstacles to growth, starting with volatile commodity prices linked to greater investor caution than in the recent past.
Low oil prices, a steep rise in investments in renewables, the Paris climate accord and significant emissions reductions: the world energy scenario, particularly in the Mediterranean region, is entering a new era. The permanent volatility of oil prices will not have a different or less decisive future impact on economic and business scenarios. At the same time, the crisis does not exist for renewables: even with oil prices low – and contrary to some fears – investments are on the rise.
The baseline for discussions at this National Conference on digital innovation was that amid opportunities and stumbling blocks, the digital ecosystem is blazing a trail of profound change. The development and spread of new technologies was characterized as constituting an out-and-out revolution, from which no aspect of society is immune, whether it be the media, business, social life, the workplace, the organization of cities, or the public administration.
The approximate five million foreigners currently living in Italy – 8.2% of the resident population – make an 8.8% contribution to GDP. The numbers point to an immigrant presence equal to the number of Italians residing abroad and to a major financial impact that affects even the social welfare system.
For the tenth year running and in conjunction with The Aspen Institute, the Aspen Seminar on Values and Society was held in Italy.
The seminar is dedicated to commemorating Ennio Presutti, one of the founders of Aspen Institute Italia, who passed away in 2008.
The sixth annual Aspen Institute Italia Seminar on leadership and globalization was once again organized by Aspen Institute Italia in collaboration with The Aspen Institute US.
The seminar is dedicated to commemorating Ennio Presutti, one of the founders of Aspen Institute Italia, who passed away in 2008.
Industry has only recently been rediscovered as having a fundamental role in Europe and the world. Industry 4.0 is a revolution that is going to change not only industry itself, but economic systems as well. The “Smart Factory” involves all phases of industrial manufacturing, from design to production and logistics, all the way to post-sales. The smart factories of the future will be part of a social network consisting of machinery, goods, workers and consumers that, as they interact, will establish a new technology-production paradigm.
