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      • Venice
        • 4 October 2013
         
         

        Pivot to Europe: options for a new Atlantic century

          At this latest edition of the Aspen Transatlantic Dialogue, the participants pointed to recent developments in the United States – with the at-least partial “shutdown” of federal government operations – as highlighting the multiple dysfunction of political systems on both sides of the Atlantic. It was noted that, in the midst of an economic recovery that is uncertain, in some respects fragile, and unquestionably asymmetric (both as between different sectors and between different countries), the efficiency of government decision-making becomes crucial.

        • Rome
          • 22 May 2013
           
           

          Saving Europe: a new compact across the Atlantic

            The main challenge identified as facing European leaders was that of striking a delicate balance between maintaining domestic political consensus (in the face of strong social tensions) and implementing necessary but painful reforms that almost without exception will only yield positive results in the medium to long term. While the worst of the financial crisis seems to have been overcome, many concerns remain regarding the overall state of Europe’s economies and the EU’s continued viability from a political and institutional standpoint.

          • Rome
            • 16 December 2013
             
             

            Generation Y and the employment challenge

              At this event to discuss the latest issue of the Aspenia journal, it was observed that growth and jobs figures continue to deliver an undeniably worrying outlook for Europe, and Italy in particular. The Italian economy is still losing jobs, especially positions for young people, while the recovery is set to be slow (and uneven as between different parts of the country), with the expected increase in job opportunities falling below GDP growth.

            • Rome
              • 28 November 2013
               
               

              The digital agenda and the financial sector

                Proceedings at this National Conference got underway with the observation that the ICT industry characterizes and defines the age we live in. The spread of digital technology has led to a radical sea change in the economic system that is perhaps yet to be fully grasped. The profound and complex changes that this has given rise to in a number of spheres of endeavor are often perceived as a threat in Italy, due to the devastating effects they are having on the status quo, on centers of power, on existing organizational structures, and on employment.

              • Rome
                • 13 November 2013
                 
                 

                Modernizing Italy’s public administration for people and business

                  It was noted at this national roundtable discussion that, according to the two most well-known systems for measuring the level of economic freedom existing in a country, the extent to which public authorities function well is a fundamental indicator of the same. Similarly, it is widely acknowledged that in countries where the functioning of the public administration meets the expectations of citizens, people can even be amenable to a high level of taxation.

                • Rome
                  • 8 November 2013
                   
                   

                  Creating excellence. Strategic choices and indispensable resources for educating leaders

                    The title of this 12th Annual Conference of the Aspen Junior Fellows group was conceived as embodying the Aspen Institute’s core mission, namely, that of promoting and instilling values-based leadership. The theme of this year’s session was chosen with a view to specifically focus on the growing international dimension of knowledge, and to examine whether a multidisciplinary knowledge model (of the European humanist tradition) or a specialized knowledge model is to be preferred.

                  • Milan
                    • 4 November 2013
                     
                     

                    Does Italy’s important industrial sector still have a future?

                      Participants at this roundtable session were of a consensus that Italy still has an effective industrial system, and may continue to do so as long as a major restructure is undertaken so as to provide a boost for a great swathe of firms that are currently wavering between the boon of opportunities offered by global growth and the risk of being marginalized.

                    • Milan
                      • 24 October 2013
                       
                       

                      The future of capitalism in Italy: the role of youth in a more competitive world

                        Opening discussions at this Aspen Junior Fellows event was the observation that the increase in the speed of progression of events and the shift towards a multipolar and networked world have led to a transformation in capitalism, with the advent of techno-finance representing one of the most obvious low points of this phenomenon.

                      • Rome
                        • 23 October 2013
                         
                         

                        Charity and the global economy: in search of a new model

                          Discussions at this national roundtable session got underway with the opening premise that the economic crisis and its social consequences have profoundly called into question the prevailing economic paradigm – a model based on competitive individualism, maximizing the profit of the individual, and an “invisible hand” regulating the market. The result is that the idea of the common interest merely being the sum of individual interests no longer seems sustainable in the current economic and social climate.

                        • Geneva
                          • 18 October 2013
                           
                           

                          Science and innovation: research, infrastructure and international collaboration

                            The opening premise of discussions at this International Conference was that scientific research is crucial to innovation, understood as both the discovery of new facts, data, or laws of nature, as well as knowledge with a direct technological application. Indeed, technology provides an essential bridge between science and society. As a demonstration of this, the participants pointed to the limitless practical applications of the World Wide Web (which had its origins at CERN, based on the development of the internet), citing it as a case where the industrial spinoff has been enormous.

                          • Milan
                            • 7 October 2013
                             
                             

                            Banks and the real economy: rethinking roles, responsibilities and rules

                              Attendees at this National Conference examining the Italian banking sector noted that, according to economic theory, the financial system has a fundamental role to play in intermediating savings, allowing an efficient allocation of capital with consequent gains in productivity and wellbeing for the entire economy. In the recent past, however, this primary function has been compounded by others that have contributed to a distortion of the financial sector’s role and its relationship with the real economy.

                            • Vicenza
                              • 29 September 2013
                               
                               

                              Family business as an engine for responsible growth

                                The resilience of family businesses, still accounting for over 60% of Italy’s medium-sized and large firms, has been reaffirmed throughout the crisis. However, the protracted recessionary environment and credit crunch, in conjunction with ongoing succession processes, is forcing many of them to fundamentally rethink their business models, financial and ownership structures in order to return to a growth path – or otherwise succumb to the fierce global competition.

                              • Rome
                                • 25 September 2013
                                 
                                 

                                Cross‐generation roundtable – Italy today and tomorrow

                                  This roundtable saw the inception of a debate between various generations on issues of common interest to each of them. The event took its inspiration from Aspen Institute founder Walter Paepcke’s guiding notion that “only in such a fusion of talents, abilities, and philosophies can there be even a modest hope for the future, a partial alleviation of the chaos and misunderstandings of today”.

                                • Milan
                                  • 23 September 2013
                                   
                                   

                                  Of culture and networks: strategies to spur innovation and growth

                                    The opening premise of this National Interest roundtable was that although Italy boasts a cultural heritage without equal, it is unfortunately not exploited to best advantage through a uniform and identifiable strategy actually capable of generating economic benefits comparable to those produced in other countries despite having a much poorer cultural offering.

                                  • Rome
                                    • 18 September 2013
                                     
                                     

                                    Italy’s welfare system: living with risk

                                      At this roundtable session dealing with the future of Italy’s welfare system, the participants observed that tackling the issue of risk management requires the resolution of an evident paradox, namely, that while the risks to which households and firms are exposed are becoming greater in number and increasingly serious, the public resources needed to address them are in ever more limited supply.