The participants at this national roundtable opened their discussions by affirming that the constitutional referendum held in Italy on December 4, 2016 produced a result that leaves no room for doubt: the electorate has rejected the proposed reforms to the Constitution championed by the Renzi government. In 2006, the same fate befell the proposal put forward and supported by a center-right majority.
Smart factories, interconnected cities, and fifty billion objects hooked up to the internet by 2020: these were some of the facets of the digital revolution flagged by the roundtable participants as transforming the economic and social fabric of both advanced and developing countries. This ramping-up of technology was regarded as a game-changer, opening the doors to Industry 4.0, the promised benefits of which are manifold, including maximum volume flexibility, faster transition from prototyping to mass production, increased productivity, and reduced waste.
Though acknowledged as unpredictable in its consequences like every momentous turning point of the past, the fourth industrial revolution was hailed by participants at this national roundtable as entirely unique in terms of its pervasiveness, the profundity of the transformations induced, and the speed of the changes occasioned, marking something of a “progressive watershed” between one age and another.
Enjoying financial success and great international appeal but needing a rethink of its offerings and prospects was how participants at this roundtable described the Italian interior design industry, with the sector having reached a peculiar historical juncture. It was noted that the 2017 edition of the Salone del Mobile international furniture fair set new records in terms of attendance numbers and interest attracted among an extensive audience of foreign visitors.
In order to drive home the importance to the Italian economy of design as a core component of the international success of the “Made in Italy” brand, the participants at this roundtable likened the sector to oil, in the sense of being a form of “energy” fueled by the history, culture, and flair for style and beauty that have helped forge Italy’s image abroad over the centuries. This image can rest assured of its considerable appeal, stemming in part from the international appreciation of a lifestyle that continues to draw accolades globally.
Kick-starting discussions at this national roundtable was the acknowledgment that the Italian food and agriculture industry is one of the most emblematic of the Made in Italy sectors, not only because of the international appeal that Italian cuisine has always held, but also due to the economic importance of the sector.
The approximate five million foreigners currently living in Italy – 8.2% of the resident population – make an 8.8% contribution to GDP. The numbers point to an immigrant presence equal to the number of Italians residing abroad and to a major financial impact that affects even the social welfare system.
A little over 25 years since its establishment, Italy’s Antitrust Authority – hailed by those attending this national roundtable as an indubitable success story – was characterized as facing new challenges linked to profound changes that have impacted on the entire economic system. Cited among these were ever-greater global integration, a new dialectic between the real and financial spheres of the economy, and, above all, a complete rethinking of value-creation models due to the increasing digitalization of every aspect of human lives.
Italian industry has always managed to combine intellectual creativity with manufacturing. This is reflected in the history of its brand names, both great and small. They embody certain values but also have their own specific meaning. Their protection is of crucial importance both to their respective companies and to consumers.
Participants at this national roundtable embarked on their discussion by first observing that, over the last thirty years, the Italian National Health Service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale – SSN) has assured generations of Italians a good standard of universally accessible services. Today, however, the system finds itself operating in different circumstances to the past due to technical, economic, and ethical factors.
This meeting was part of Aspen Institute Italia’s efforts to support business by promoting efficiency and effectiveness in public administration. For the occasion, the Institute carried out a detailed study coordinated by Professor Sabino Cassese, an innovative feature of which are the assessments and proposals contributed by various associates currently confronted with entrepreneurial and productive challenges.
Industry has only recently been rediscovered as having a fundamental role in Europe and the world. Industry 4.0 is a revolution that is going to change not only industry itself, but economic systems as well. The “Smart Factory” involves all phases of industrial manufacturing, from design to production and logistics, all the way to post-sales. The smart factories of the future will be part of a social network consisting of machinery, goods, workers and consumers that, as they interact, will establish a new technology-production paradigm.
The discussions at this roundtable session were informed by a series of questions posed at the event regarding the purposes served today by Italy’s national public broadcaster (RAI), and whether it still makes sense to talk of public broadcasting in this day and age.
The issue of the representation of special interests is currently taking on particular importance within the Italian political system: this is occurring as a result of political parties’ declining monopoly over the function they used to have of intermediating interests, and due to the emergence of the governance paradigm more open to identifying a role for the stakeholders within the process of public decision-making.
We need a new way of narrating Europe. We need it above all to counter the populist drift that has made anti-Europeanism its motto. Data provided by the Eurobarometer, the instrument measuring the belief of European citizens in the idea of Europe, shows that the vision of the founding fathers is in free fall. In 2008, 75% of Italian citizens were strongly convinced that the European project was a good thing, while today there is a risk that this percentage will drop below 50%.
The chief thrust of discussions at this national roundtable was that Italy’s manufacturing base has demonstrated a great capacity for responding and adapting, even though the continuing economic crisis has seen a major industrial downsize. Indeed, between 2008 and 2014, the number of Italian firms fell by about 47,000, a drop primarily involving small and medium-sized firms, while manufacturing potential as a whole shrank by 18%.
Running through discussions at this national roundtable was the acknowledgement that the opportunities offered by the technological revolution currently in progress pose a challenge for Italy, namely: that of deploying innovation to preserve the nation’s position as the second largest manufacturing country in Europe.
Proceedings at this national roundtable kicked off with the participants acknowledging that the illicit trade in goods and services, today more than ever manifested by smuggling and, more importantly, by product piracy, is an endemic and growing phenomenon in both Italy and Europe.
Launching discussions at this national roundtable was the observation that the Italian pension system has undergone several attempts at reform over the past 25 years. From the Dini reforms to the more recent Fornero efforts, a succession of reform packages have accorded priority to balancing the public finances which underpin the first and most important pillar of the Italian pension system – namely, the state pension.
With almost three years having passed since the Italian Prime Ministerial Decree of January 24, 2013, which set out “Strategic guidelines for national cyberspace protection and ICT security”, this national roundtable event afforded an opportunity to take stock of what has been accomplished so far to implement that directive.
