Italy has a major competitive edge based not only on its unparalleled historic heritage but also on a deep-rooted tradition of knowhow that has long been a demonstration of a constant propensity for innovation
“Agriculture: from food security to food sovereignty” offered an opportunity to confront multiple issues regarding the agri-food sector, which accounts for a full 15% of Leggi tutto »Agriculture: from food security to food sovereignty
The recent Milan Design Week celebrated the relaunch of the wood furniture industry, which is showing some significant signs of vitality in terms of growth and exports thanks to companies’ strong concentration on technology and sustainability.
The water industry is strategic to the future of Italy from the point of view not only of the economy but also of the country’s resilience to the increasingly complex challenges posed by the climate crisis.
The intelligence sector has undergone enormous transformations over recent years, spurred not least by an exponential increase in the availability of and access to data sources.
Urban renewal continues to pose a pivotal challenge to cities around the world, which have various models from which to choose: from salvaging abandoned industrial Leggi tutto »Urban renewal: public and private partnerships
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.
“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.
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.
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.
The European Union and its member states have been ramping up efforts over the past two years to combat climate change and decarbonize as many sectors as possible, from standpoints of both policy and the economy. The European Commission published its Green Deal in December 2019 and subsequent Fit-For-55 legislative package in July 2021, which set some very ambitious decarbonization goals. These included a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (as compared with 1990 values) by the end of 2030 and complete carbon neutrality within the year 2050.
The dollar remains strong and, despite a few crises, is still the world’s preeminent reserve currency. The euro, on the other hand – although it does represent a solid and advanced economy – has not managed to become a reserve currency capable of replacing the dollar. The currency “multipolarism” now emerging – difficult to construct yet certainly inexorable – is going to include the phenomenon of cryptocurrencies. The trend is toward a multipolar system with one dollar/euro area and another consisting of many of those currencies currently located outside that area.
Although Italy continues to offer proof of excellence in a broad array of fields, there is still considerable margin for growth in younger generations’ understanding and application of technological advances. The current Covid-19 pandemic and the possibility of stemming its spread with the mRNA vaccine have further underscored the need to invest in research and innovation in the interests of creating social and economic value.
Creating excellence is one of Aspen Institute’s cardinal objectives, and one of the strategic factors in generating the country’s recovery. To this day, Italy remains an advanced European economy despite its relatively low percentage of university graduates. That percentage could be augmented through a different interpretation of education that embraced those hubs of excellence that flourish thanks to their ability to interface with the business world.
The pandemic has highlighted the fragility and disparities of a National Health Service already hard put to confront the combination of an ageing population and the growing incidence of chronic pathologies. As a result, the political agenda is now focused on striking a new balance between macro assistance levels (moreover, previously indicated in “fiscal federalism” reforms) and the proportioning of related standard costs.
