Over recent years, new technological instruments have accelerated the digitalization of finance, radically changing the user experience and shaking the historic foundations of sector institutions. From the exponential growth of FinTech to the advent of digital currencies to the new frontier of the metaverse, the transformations have been far-reaching.
The world needs to be reassessed. A design overhaul is called for, and this presents a unique opportunity for Italy. The post-pandemic recovery brought a major uptick in Italian exports, which are among the most diversified in the world for number of products. This is the result of a massive creative effort that is amply represented by the key sector of fine wood furniture. The efficiency of family-run businesses, the resilience of niche product leaders and diversification are all factors that contribute to the success of Italian design around the world.
The Procurement Code is primarily an instrument intended to facilitate the rapid, efficient and innovative execution of public works. The current Code, which dates back to 2016, has been the subject of continual reforms that have made it not only a never-ending story but also in some extremely important aspects an unfinished one. Examples include the digitalization and qualification of contracting authorities, the discipline of which still struggles to achieve full implementation.
The global food supply troubles did not start with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; there were numerous warnings over the two years of the pandemic, and even before that with the food crisis of 2008.
The first hybrid format Aspen Junior Fellows meeting offered a reflection on the future of Europe that took its cue from current events but also sought to form an image of the medium-term situation both at home and around the world.
“Population health” is a new paradigm aimed at offering each citizen appropriate and effective treatment while, at the same time, responding to the challenges posed to the healthcare system by the so-called “big killers” – such as heart disease – and the ageing of the population.
The so-called “dual revolution” – digital and ecological – has begun, and is having a direct impact on the automotive sector and the entire industry it encompasses. The process combines global international commitments with specific political choices at European level even ahead of national level. The overall global context and the instability caused by the Ukraine war have inevitably complicated an already very complex transition.
The international financial system is in the throes of deep change as a result of the war in Ukraine – and not only. Upheaval is destined to continue. The dollar, reserve currency par excellence, will gain strength, while the euro, despite its aspirations to become the second global reserve currency, still has a long road ahead of it; and the difficult international situation will only contribute to widening the divide between the two.
Aspen Institute Italia promotes continuous analyses and proposals on the effectiveness and efficiency of the public administration (1). This roundtable offered an opportunity to present the Aspen Collective Mind research paper “Promoting international experience in Italy’s public administration”.
Fears of urban crisis stoked during the most difficult months of the pandemic have not borne fruit. Indeed, revived economic and social activities are rekindling the vitality of cities, yet the change due to significant lifestyle interruptions is inexorable. The need has emerged, first of all, to redistribute and reconfigure urban density: the de-synchronization of rhythms consequent to social distancing has eliminated rush-hour congestion and made public transportation more efficient.
What was already an ongoing digital revolution accelerated with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, foregrounding it as a concern. Indeed, people in their daily lives and businesses have been inundated with digital-driven processes that are often taken for granted and in need of proper governance. As with all changes, the digital revolution is capable of generating unity and inclusion but can also divide and exclude. In that sense, the two principle perspectives from which to examine it are culture and infrastructure.
Taxation is not only one of the pillars of modern democracy, but can also be a significant resource for development. This is even truer in our current post-pandemic phase, when governments are being called upon to undertake some major transformational processes.
The space industry is in rapid expansion. The space component is gaining importance in the defense sector, but dual-use technologies have become equally decisive with the massive development of instrumentation for observation of the Earth and its atmosphere within the context of environmental concerns. Meanwhile the rapid evolution of satellite communications toward the creation of satellite constellations has profound implications for the business and consumer services they can offer as well as for satellite navigation.
This meeting was part of the broader Aspen Initiative in Favor of Pure Science – a project aimed at raising awareness in civil society of the strategic importance of pure science, not only as relevant to scientific study but also in terms of its fundamental service to humanity in general.
The euro is celebrating its first twenty years as a success but also in the awareness that much remains to be done. The overwhelming majority of European citizens consider the single currency a part of their identity and view it favorably; surely, the introduction of the euro simplified economic and commercial activities. Yet, not to be underestimated is the problem it created, particularly for a country like Italy, by eliminating the possibility of using exchange rates as a competitive devaluation tool.
Promoting women in the study of STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is a global challenge. As statistics and research show, however, the case of Italy is especially urgent. The pandemic having had a particularly negative impact on women in terms of work and social life, additional legislative and other efforts in support of women’s more active role are currently underway.
As acknowledged during the recent Italy-led G20, the empowerment of women is an international issue of undeniable importance. Making the transition from awareness to profound changes in rules and practices requires the creation of global networks at political, diplomatic and governmental levels – in other words, in all decision-making processes.
Italy’s 2021 economic recovery, an excellent sign for the future, was led especially by domestic consumption and other segments such as construction that enjoyed the benefits of fiscal incentives, and thus offers a good point of departure for 2022. This despite national and global level threats that include increased energy and raw materials prices, the slowdown triggered by the fourth pandemic wave, and bureaucratic snags that could obstruct the timely manufacture and consignment of the machinery needed for the digital transition.
