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.
The growing interconnectedness of the global economy has highlighted the pivotal importance of local areas as drivers of competitiveness, which has brought to prominence those areas that have shown themselves capable of adapting quickly to new market conditions. The participants emphasized, however, that in order to identify which local-area economies are performing best, a wide range of indicators need to be considered: alongside demographic and employment trends, levels of productivity, competitiveness, openness to the free market and internationalization should also be assessed.
It was noted that Italy’s manufacturing-based production system, organized into heavily export-oriented districts, has essentially held up well against the economic crisis. It was thus submitted that this model should continue to be supported, though ways in which it might be harnessed to contribute to the development of lagging areas of the country should also be explored. Furthermore, it was felt that greater effort needs to be put into planning in order to facilitate the formulation of focused strategies, the implementation of policies and a proper assessment of their impact.
There was broad consensus among those in attendance at the roundtable that, in the search for ideas which could help fuel renewed local development, Italy should definitely not overlook the role of leading sectors such as technology. Rather, given that local-area dynamism rests on being able to offer opportunities to young people and to hold on to (if not attract) talent, the country needs to invest in research and training. Nor, it was suggested, should the country fail to take into account its wealth of artistic and cultural heritage. Indeed, it would be limiting to associate local dynamism solely with economic indicators whilst ignoring culture.
In this regard, it was noted that cultural activities have always been vehicles of progress, even in an economic sense. To unlock their potential, any exploitation of artistic treasures needs to be based on proper promotion of the relevant local area, with new and more effective marketing strategies necessarily accompanied by improved services and infrastructure, so as to enable Italy to deploy its ability to attract quality tourism to the fullest.
Indeed, liaison between interested stakeholders and the formulation of a long-term strategy in the cultural sector would make it possible to generate further wealth and employment. To achieve this goal, it was felt that as much as possible needs to be done to highlight the unique attractions of the local areas in question, by putting together an appealing package of cultural and tourist offerings that draws on the forte of Italian cities in combining artistic treasures with a high quality of life and a globally-recognized tradition for manufacturing excellence.
To this end, partnership between the public and private sectors was seen as crucial by the discussants. Dialogue should not merely be confined to local businesses and authorities, but should also necessarily involve the non-profit sector, and in particular banking foundations, whose key role over the years in the area of cultural promotion was acknowledged. In conclusion, the participants pointed to the involvement of such actors as being doubly beneficial to local dynamism, as, on the one hand, in supporting culture they aid local development, whilst on the other, in adhering to the principle of subsidiarity, they support local welfare and consequently serve as an important bulwark of social cohesion.