Italian Industry, Decline or Transformation? A Framework

Abstract

Debates over Italian growth (or lack thereof) are often conducted without due regard for the facts and statistics on which they are based. For instance, those who see Italy as being in decline lament the static production, the lack of increase in productivity, the loss of share in international markets and the lack of sophistication in industrial goods compared with high-tech products. Some call for greater emphasis on services, others want manufacturing to be abandoned, while others see the future in artisanship. These issues are important, because flawed judgement of Italian performance could lead to deterioration in the results expected at the critical financial market phases, beyond what might be justified by the facts. The purpose of this article is to establish a micro- and macro-framework to interpret the problems correctly, given the inconsistency of statistical data currently used, and to offer some solutions for long-term growth. The latter, in particular, should be seen in the context of a transformation process, induced on the one hand by the crisis in large-scale enterprise, and on the other by the emergence of a new class of medium-sized businesses, dubbed the “fourth capitalism”, with high innovation capabilities. The transformation that the Italian industrial system is experiencing enables the country to maintain its share of global markets. The new production structure originates largely from local production systems, is family-owned and tends to borrow little, operate in networks and retain its local roots, which is precisely why it represents a new and efficient driver of Italian growth.