Rome
24 May 2011
From Arab spring to Arab winter? Regional trends and implications for business
Those attending this Aspen Mediterranean Initiative workshop set out to evaluate the impact of the so-called “Arab spring” on the economies of North Africa and on the wider Mediterranean region. The event, which saw the participation of key political and business figures from the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean, also marked the launch of Aspen Institute Italia’s Mediterranean Program.
Rome
18 May 2011
Italy’s savings: how to make it work for the country’s development and well-being
Opening the discussion at this National Roundtable was the observation that Italy’s stock of personal savings continues to highlight its strong position as a country with among the highest per-capita net worth in the world. Nevertheless, it was acknowledged that in order to give a complete picture of the situation, two areas in which Italy diverges from, in particular, other major European countries, need to be considered.
Milan
8 May 2011
Jobs, growth and values. Creating opportunities for new generations
The Dialogue session got underway with the observation that the world economic recovery has failed to alleviate the social impact of the crisis, with the improving economic situation having no appreciable effect on employment. The participants highlighted that this phenomenon affects both workers in more mature sectors – that is, those most exposed to the consequences of globalization – as well as younger people, who are just entering the labor market.
Milan
2 May 2011
The new media, the power of information and business
Underpinning the discussions at this Aspen national roundtable session on “The new media, the power of information and business” was the notion that the internet could serve as a driver of growth in Italy on the condition that the internet economy bears part of the massive costs associated with its own development. Recent studies were cited which estimate that the internet economy in Italy today accounts for 2% of the country’s gross domestic product, with expected growth margins by 2015 of between 3.3% and 4.3%.
Rome
27 April 2011
Information services in the security sector: protecting Italy’s financial and industrial system
The participants at this National Roundtable opened the discussion by observing that following the reform of the Italian intelligence services, the activities of the relevant agencies are no longer confined to the protection of the political and military interests of the country, but also extend to defending its “economic, scientific and industrial” interests.
Milan
18 April 2011
Investing in stocks, controlling company shares and corporate governance
Paving the way for discussions at this National Roundtable session was the acknowledgement that in a climate where globalization processes are playing an increasingly more central role in Italy’s social and economic development, Italian firms also need to gear themselves up to being more globally competitive. Achieving this objective, it was suggested, brings with it a renewed need for financing or refinancing of many of the country’s firms and banks.
Milan
11 April 2011
The design industry: value added for Italy’s economic growth
Added value of over 140 billion euros and employment for around 3.3 million people: this was the snapshot, in figures, presented at this National Interest roundtable session of the engine of Italy’s manufacturing system, driven by the country’s leading sectors – the so-called “4 Fs” of the Made-in-Italy industry: Ferrari cars and non-electronic machinery and equipment, fashion and clothing, food and beverage, and furniture and wood products.
Milan
28 March 2011
Italy’s past and national identity: a reflection
National identity versus fierce local allegiances; the dichotomy of Northern and Southern Italy versus a creeping uniformity precipitated by globalization; Italy as an old idea already existing in Dante, versus a relatively young nation-State born a mere century and a half ago; a country seemingly intent on dwelling on its own shortcomings internally, versus a country admired elsewhere for its art, culture and lifestyle: this was the contradictory and complex image of Italy which emerged at this national interest event devoted to examining the country’s identity and shared history and exper
Milan
21 March 2011
Local dynamism in Italy: the keys to success
Kick-starting the discussion at this National Interest roundtable session was the observation that local-area dynamism is an essential ingredient for countries like Italy whose economy is characterized by a plurality of development models. The major contrasts existing between different regions of the country, it was stressed, need to be understood and addressed in order to foster proper growth at the local level that is both mindful of territorial specificities as well as capable of meeting the challenges posed by globalization.
Cernobbio
11 March 2011
Italian leaders abroad
International openness and the circulation of people and talent during key stages of professional training and development were the central topics of discussion at this Third Conference on “Italian leaders abroad”.
Civita Castellana
11 March 2011
Leadership, Globalization and the Quest for Common Values
In a world premiere event held in Italy, Aspen Institute Italia, in collaboration with The Aspen Institute, organized the first Aspen Seminar on Leadership, Globalization and the Quest for Common Values. The seminar, conducted in English, was based on the widely-acclaimed cornerstone program of The Aspen Institute tradition in the United States.
Civita Castellana
4 March 2011
The Aspen Seminar on Values and Society
For the fifth consecutive year and in collaboration with The Aspen Institute, the Aspen Seminar on Values and Society was held in Italy. Since 1951, this series of seminars, which is conducted in English, has been the widely-acclaimed cornerstone program of the Aspen Institute tradition in the United States. This latest event in the series was aimed at Italian and overseas participants who, through an analysis and discussion of selected readings from classical and contemporary authors, debated the major universal values and their relationship with the burning issues of today.
Rome
1 March 2011
Information services in the security sector: protecting Italy’s national interest
Discussions at this National Roundtable commenced with an acknowledgement by the participants that the global economic arena is no longer characterized by competition played out solely between businesses, but rather sees national economies pitched against each other ever more fiercely.
This trend has led to a gradual widening of the concept of “national security”, with many States now including economic and financial security within the ambit of this term.
Rome
23 February 2011
The bull commodity markets return
During this roundtable session, a number of factors were identified as contributing to the volatility in energy, agricultural commodity and food prices, including: the significant increase in demand from the major emerging countries, speculation in derivatives markets (and, more generally, the growing importance of the financial – as opposed to the real – economy), the management of energy production by many governments according to political criteria, and the increasing correlation between the (historically high) volatility of oil prices and that of other commodity prices.
Milan
21 February 2011
How the financial system can support growth
This national roundtable discussion got underway with the observation that, traditionally, the banking system has played a key role in economic growth by channeling personal savings into financing the productive activities of businesses.
Rome
8 February 2011
Priority interventions in Italy’s south: avoiding a two-speed country
Debate at this National Interest Conference got underway with the observation that overcoming the social and economic divide between Northern and Southern Italy requires a profound rethink of intervention policies together with an overall return to efficiency and effectiveness in public action.
Milan
25 January 2011
Security in the age of austerity
The members of the debate panel at the launch of the latest edition of Aspenia considered what the future holds for the Obama presidency, observing that the US leader’s State of the Union address for 2011 also virtually marked the beginning of his long race for re-election. It was noted that the President’s popularity has recently received a boost both from his response to the massacre in Tucson at the beginning of January, and from the tax deal reached with Republicans at the end of last year.
Milan
17 January 2011
The meaning of growth: paradigms, old and new
Once upon a time, there was GDP. Or rather, once there was “just” GDP, understood as an aggregate indicator used to measure a country’s economic growth by quantifying the flow of goods and services for end-use and produced within a certain period of time in a given territory.