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National Programs

  • Milan
    • 3 December 2012
     
     

    Biotechnologies and life sciences in Italy: new measures to stimulate competitiveness

      The participants in this National Roundtable observed, by way of opening premise, that biotechnology is a scientific field offering great prospects and within which Italy could play an important role. Indeed, the country boasts a high level of training and outstanding expertise in the sector. The projected rewards, including of a financial nature, are quite considerable, with attractive prospects from an industrial point of view.

    • Milan
      • 24 September 2012
       
       

      The banking sector and industry: creating a virtuous cycle to stimulate Italy’s real economy

        Kicking off discussions at this national conference was the observation that the current financial crisis, evidently systemic in nature, is predominantly being shaped at this stage by perceived risk factors linked to vulnerabilities in the real economy and the banking system. Efforts in the political, economic and monetary arenas – both at national and European levels – seem to have eased speculative pressures on the markets and tentatively restored international investor confidence.

      • Rome
        • 3 October 2012
         
         

        Reducing Italy’s public debt: is selling public assets a solution?

          Kick-starting discussions at this national roundtable event was the observation that few subjects have lent themselves as well in Italian public debate to the vivid use of metaphors as has the scale of the country’s public debt, often described as a mountain to be climbed, a dead weight, or as tantamount to a mortgage on Italy’s future. The actual figure is indeed staggering, amounting to nearly 2 trillion euros, and exceeding 123% of GDP.

        • Rome
          • 21 November 2012
           
           

          Tourism, infrastructure, and territorial challenges: new strategies to spur Italy’s economy

            Discussion at this national roundtable got underway with the observation that tourism is another largely underutilized resource that features prominently in the (somewhat copious) catalog of Italy’s untapped potential. For decades, the sector has constantly been held up as representing the epitome of the country’s missed opportunities, along with culture and natural heritage, with which it is clearly interlinked.

          • Milan
            • 4 June 2012
             
             

            Striking a balance between a fair tax system and economic growth in Italy

              Proceedings at this National Roundtable examining the link between fiscal equity and growth in Italy got underway with the observation that, according to the Italian Constitution, taxation, as well as enabling the delivery of services and benefits essential to the welfare and progress of citizens, should also help overcome social inequalities through the application of redistributive justice criteria. This principle of “fairness” in setting tax levels takes on an even greater significance when, as is currently happening, social and economic disparities widen.

            • Milan
              • 23 January 2012
               
               

              Scientific research to bolster Italy’s economic development

                The starting premise for the discussions at this National Interest conference was that the coupling of research and development (R&D) is, at least on paper, an inseparable one. Indeed, in any discipline, research – understood as human endeavor aimed at discovering or investigating objects, phenomena or processes using scientific methods – has a potential impact on society.

              • Rome
                • 30 May 2012
                 
                 

                The labor market, competitiveness and human capital

                  The participants at this National Conference noted that for decades the relationship between labor and capital in Italy seems to have swung periodically between the antitheses of cooperation and conflict – of subscribing to a shared mission and engaging in confrontation as a matter of principle. Ranged on one side has been a notion which views a business as a community of men and women intent on achieving shared objectives, and on the other has been a more class-conscious approach, grounded in the competing interests of all the various actors in the labor market.

                • 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
                    • 14 September 2011
                     
                     

                    Sharing our future: forging an alliance between state and market for a new social contract

                      At this roundtable session dedicated to the future of Italy’s pension system, it was observed that population aging, the impending retirement of the baby boomer generation, the prolonged period of economic stagnation currently being experienced and dwindling public resources are driving Italy, as well as most other developed nations, to tackle questions regarding the relationship between the role of public and private social security schemes. Today, pensions, healthcare and welfare, in their various forms, are no longer being delivered solely by the state.

                    • 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
                        • 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
                          • 13 June 2011
                           
                           

                          Health and well-being: new models of sustainable development

                            As an opening premise, the participants at this National Conference noted that any reflection on the future of the Italian national health service must first start with an analysis of the value produced for the country in health terms. In this regard, statistics were cited indicating that between 1951 and the present day, life expectancy in Italy has increased by 1 month every 4 months. Italy also has the longest-lived population in Europe, with over-65s already making up 20% of the population, or 12 million people, of whom 3.5 million are over 80 years old (6%).

                          • Milan
                            • 26 September 2011
                             
                             

                            Venture capital and start-ups: boosting innovation and youth employment

                              The participants at this roundtable session observed that Italy has long been a country that, paradoxically, is brimming with ideas yet marked by scant innovation and little skilled employment for the young talent chiefly responsible for these ideas. The abundant and inexpensive intellectual resources on hand are held back by a combination of a poor aptitude for project creation and poor communication among the various actors who are in a position to ensure that good ideas translate into great innovations.

                            • 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%.

                              • 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.

                                • 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”.

                                  • 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.

                                    • Rome
                                      • 26 October 2011
                                       
                                       

                                      Eurobonds: the intricate relations between politics and economics

                                        Discussions at this national roundtable session got underway with the observation that the idea of introducing European public debt securities – or so-called Eurobonds – is not a new one: indeed, it dates back to 1993 when Jacques Delors proposed, albeit in embryonic form, the issuance of European bonds to finance investment in European Community infrastructure.

                                      • 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.

                                        • Rome
                                          • 6 July 2011
                                           
                                           

                                          The role of international businesses in Italy’s economic growth

                                            This roundtable saw those in attendance debate the role that foreign-owned firms play in the Italian economy, particularly with a view to identifying approaches and measures that could enable foreign direct investment inflows to be improved.