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      • Rome
        • 10 July 2014
         
         

        The “abuse of rights” in public finance administration and tax law

          Discussions at this National Roundtable commenced with a reference to the old cartographic practice of marking unknown and dangerous lands with the expression “Hic sunt leones”. It was suggested that, today, the same could be done if charting a hypothetical map of business taxation in Italy: an insidious terra incognita in which that peculiar invention of the judiciary known as “abuse of rights” generates confusion and uncertainty.

        • Rome
          • 29 June 2014
           
           

          The next frontiers: tapping the potential of our economies

            Launching discussions at this World Economy Conference was an acknowledgement by those in attendance that the recovery from the economic crisis of recent years has been particularly slow in historical terms, with the most recent figures confirming fears of a further possible slowdown. This global scenario was seen as a fortiori necessitating that growth be considered a top priority for Europe during Italy’s current 6-month-long presidency of the Council of the EU.

          • Milan
            • 15 June 2014
             
             

            The new entrepreneur: international, open to risk, good at communications

              Running through the debate at this year’s Annual Conference for the Friends of Aspen was an awareness that,in an increasingly competitive and complex market, entrepreneurs need to be able to develop a mindset and skill-set that is open to risk and capable of steering and governing the processes of globalization whilst preserving their firms’ identity. It was acknowledged that there is a shift underway towards a new business paradigm that calls for a novel form of leadership based on trust, knowledge sharing, and fresh approaches to facilitating the flow of intelligence and charisma.

            • Milan
              • 9 June 2014
               
               

              The Italian luxury goods industry: cultural and manufacturing aspects

                The participants at this national roundtable noted, by way of opening premise, that the luxury and high-end markets represent a worldwide business worth 730 billion dollars. The sub-segment of personal luxury goods – valued at 230 billion dollars – sees Italy and France as joint market leaders, each having a share worth more than 50 billion dollars.

              • Siracusa
                • 6 June 2014
                 
                 

                Arab Evolutions. The Mediterranean after the global slowdown

                  Kick-starting talks at this session of the Aspen Mediterranean Initiative was the observation that the arduous and variegated evolution of the Mediterranean region needs to be viewed within the prevailing global context.

                • Rome
                  • 27 May 2014
                   
                   

                  Making the public sector work: of efficiency and effectiveness

                    In the immediate post-war period Italy chose to adopt a lightweight economic policy, and it remained as such for the following few decades. Since the 1970s, however, we have been witnessing the emergence of a parallel state that introduced an era of a debt democracy, characterized by the proliferation of rules, excessive bureaucracy, the explosion of spending and with that an increase in debt. This economic degeneration is taking place within a general anthropological and cultural degeneration.

                  • Rome
                    • 21 May 2014
                     
                     

                    How the audiovisual industry can stimulate economic and cultural growth in Europe

                      Conservation vs. change, protection vs. openness, and domestic focus vs. global reach: these juxtapositions prompted participants at this national roundtable to highlight that a cursory examination of the public debate over the prospects of the Italian audiovisual industry would seem to reflect – if not reduce it to – a simplistic dichotomy between old and new market players.

                    • Venice
                      • 9 May 2014
                       
                       

                      Focus on industry: how to increase competitiveness?

                        Opening proceedings at this ASL session was the observation that industry is once more the focus of economic growth strategies in the major advanced economies, having been so all along in emerging markets. Taking off first in the US, this approach has recently gained purchase in Europe as well, such that industrial policy, which until a few years ago was considered old hat, has again become key in the formulation of economic policy strategies.

                      • Venice
                        • 9 May 2014
                         
                         

                        Strengthening and accelerating innovation: resources, tools, competencies

                          Headlining discussions at this ASL seminar was the observation that innovation – a key factor for growth, competitiveness and social wellbeing – requires that a series of tangible and intangible conditions be met in for it to be given full expression. Only thus – it was argued – will it be possible to harness creative talent, transform flashes of inspiration into concrete outcomes, and support business vision and ideas. The fostering of innovation was viewed, especially at this juncture, as imperative for the Italian economy, which needs to reinvigorate its manufacturing base.

                        • Venice
                          • 9 May 2014
                           
                           

                          The consumer of the future: up‐to‐date, global, responsible

                            Kick-starting discussions at this ASL seminar was the observation that the consumer of today is an increasingly fluid figure that resists interpretation pursuant to paradigms superseded through the radical changes brought about by new technologies, as well as through an economic crisis that has altered individuals’ priorities and given rise to new patterns of consumption.

                          • Venice
                            • 9 May 2014
                             
                             

                            Development strategies for tourism

                              Debate at this ASL session focused on examining the impact in Italy of global developments in tourism, with the participants acknowledging from the outset that both quantitative and qualitative changes in the industry require the country to formulate appropriate strategies if it wishes to ensure that the sector remains a key lever of its economy.

                            • Venice
                              • 9 May 2014
                               
                               

                              Governing complexity in the country system: challenges, priorities and Italy’s choices

                                The participants at this ASL seminar noted that Europe has made it past the most acute phase of the economic and financial crisis, but is still struggling to embark on a virtuous process of sweeping and sustained growth.

                                It was felt that in order to accomplish this, the Member States need to fully seize the opportunities offered by the digital revolution and confront the associated challenges and risks – including to the quality of democracy – arising from the change that this technological paradigm brings with it.

                              • Venice
                                • 9 May 2014
                                 
                                 

                                Media and politics in the digital age: participation, transparency, and responsibility

                                  Participants at this Aspen Seminar for Leaders session were unanimous in their agreement that social networks are neither good nor bad per se, but that what is open for debate is the way in which social media interact with democracy, and the way in which governments are responding to the growing power of new communications tools. While those in attendance were left in no doubt that the popular protests of today – such as those that erupted in North Africa – take off and gain momentum online, the internet does not always suffice to ensure that any resulting change is permanent.

                                • Venice
                                  • 9 May 2014
                                   
                                   

                                  The Aspen Italia City of Venice Forum. Venice: a model for smart cities?

                                    Proceedings at this Aspen Italia City of Venice Forum got underway with recognition by those present of the difficulty in unambiguously defining what constitutes a “smart city”. On the one hand, it can be associated with the integrated application of innovative technologies to the management of a city, and on the other, it evokes the adoption of methodologies to optimize and coordinate low-cost solutions and best practices already in use, or at least already known of.

                                  • Rome
                                    • 16 April 2014
                                     
                                     

                                    Preventing, insuring and managing natural disasters

                                      Discussions at this National Roundtable session opened with the observation that, due to its natural characteristics and anthropological factors, Italy may be considered as being exposed to a high level of disaster risk. As a preliminary step towards putting the phenomenon in context, the participants felt it useful to cite a number of statistics. Since 1900, earthquakes have caused around 160,000 deaths in Italy, while since the Second World War alone, there have been 1,061 lethal landslides, and at least 672 fatal floods.