Territorial Context Research Articles

Conceptualizing an interpretative framework for energy transition among Italian innovative small and medium enterprises

Energy transition (ET) is becoming essential for most countries worldwide. Companies can only adapt their behaviours to the objectives set by countries’ institutions. A new research stream has thus emerged, which investigates the factors facilitating ET among companies. To date, less attention has been paid to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). One of the greatest difficulties in examining SMEs is their extreme heterogeneity, making results difficult to interpret.This study analyses the factors supporting ET among a specific population of companies in a defined territorial context: the so-called innovative SMEs belonging to a special Italian database. The high propensity towards eco-environmental innovations characterizing these SMEs and their inclination towards sustainable development suggests that their experience represents a prospective path that policymakers could adopt for other types of SMEs.Through a partial least squares analysis of data collected from these SMEs, outcomes show that the only factor supporting the ET is the sensitivity of these economic organizations towards energy issues developed over time; that is, the corporate culture with regard to sustainability.This result is only seemingly surprising under the specific features of these SMEs. Conversely, it presupposes new implications regarding policy measures, questioning the traditional approach based on providing incentives and/or regulations.

Innovative approaches to promote inclusive processes for noise barriers landscape integration

Noise barriers, in addition to their own functions as specific mitigation interventions to protect health, can represent important architectural elements, both in urban environment and natural context. In this perspective the design stage cannot ignore an integrated evaluation of the reference social and natural context based on the peculiarities and vocations of the territories involved. Aiming to the primary objective of identifying the "right" project that best fits into the reference territorial context, also for acoustic barriers it is therefore necessary to carry out a preliminary analysis of the socio-territorial and landscape context to understand specific local features of the territories and promote barriers as an essential part of the urban environment and landscape in a synergistic vision between innovation and sustainability also through new models of co-design and co-management with the communities involved. This paper aims to describe the approach adopted by RFI - the National Manager of the Italian Railway Network - to promote effective integration and synergy between noise mitigation interventions and the territorial reference context with the aim of creating a "tailor-made" project with the contribution of citizens and stakeholders.

Unveiling Superstition in Vieste: Popular Culture and Ecclesiastical Tribunals in the 18th-Century Kingdom of Naples

This study aims to analyse two trials involving magic, superstition, exorcism, and witchcraft, which were held in 1713 in the Diocese of Vieste (present-day Apulia), Kingdom of Naples. It aims to illuminate the dynamics between the Church, magical practices, and the territorial context, providing insights into this less-explored period in inquisition history when the Catholic Church’s fight against superstition was beginning to wane. The first trial against Rita di Ruggiero is very rich in detail, giving us a clear vision of which magical practices were used during the Modern Age. Additionally, it touches, albeit only marginally, on a theme that will be crucial for the duration of these practices in the Kingdom of Naples: the complex interactions between state and ecclesiastical authorities. The second 1713 trial involving Elisabetta Del Vecchio explores accusations of bewitchment, contributing to our understanding of witchcraft paradigms.

The Re-Emergence of Food Security in the Western World: Short Supply Chains in Portuguese Territorial Contexts

In the context of growing concerns surrounding food security and sustainability, this paper examines the emergence of short food supply chains (SFSCs) as alternative food systems. Focusing on box schemes in Portugal, the study investigates the socioeconomic factors influencing the presence of SFSC actors, utilizing a quantitative approach. Drawing on data from 420 producers offering food boxes and secondary data on municipality-level variables, the analysis reveals nuanced relationships between factors such as average income, urbanization, education levels, gender composition, and the proliferation of SFSCs. Notably, the study uncovers differential patterns in the determinants of SFSC presence between metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, highlighting the significance of territorial contexts. The findings contribute empirical insights to the evolving literature on SFSCs, informing strategies for fostering resilient and equitable food systems in diverse geographic settings.

Unveiling innovation imperatives in agriculture: A data-driven framework for identifying latent needs and regional priorities

Innovation within a company, sector, or territorial context can arise from identifying specific problems or needs. Performance analysis provides valuable insights, potentially highlighting areas where innovation may be necessary. This paper outlines a methodology designed to identify latent innovation needs at regional, sectoral, and dimensional levels. This methodology is based on critical issues emerging from comparing economic, environmental, and social sustainability indicators of farms. An iterative approach is used for this purpose. Mixed matching algorithms are employed to form the comparison groups, while G-computation is used to calculate the differences. Logistic regression is adopted to calculate the propensity scores, and several generalized linear models are used to estimate the impact of regional localization. Hypothesis tests are then conducted to confirm the statistical significance of the impacts, from which criticality levels are derived. This methodology is applied to data collected by the Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network, which includes over 64,000 observations from two consecutive three-year periods (2016-2018 and 2019-2021). The results highlight the existence of widespread critical issues in Italian agriculture. These problems primarily concern the efficient use of water, whose costs, relative to revenue, exceed, on average, around 40 %, and greenhouse horticulture, which shows an increased criticality level in terms of sustainability of over 50 %. From a regional perspective, Puglia in Southern Italy exhibits the most evident critical issues, with an average criticality level of 30 % that has increased over time. The emerging criticalities are analyzed in relation to the interventions introduced by the 2023-2027 Common Agricultural Policy to verify their coherence and identify possible innovative actions that can be implemented.

The Influence of Altitude, Urbanization, and Local Vaccination Centers on Vaccine Uptake within an Italian Health District: An Analysis of 15,000 Individuals Eligible for Vaccination.

In Italy, free vaccinations for Herpes Zoster (HZ), pneumococcal (PCV), and influenza (FLU) are recommended each year for individuals turning 65. Despite this, achieving optimal vaccination coverage remains challenging. This study assesses coverage rates for HZ, PCV, and FLU in Forlì, Northern Italy, and examines how altitude, urban planning, and health organization variables (such as the presence of a vaccination center) impact vaccine uptake. Vaccination coverages were calculated for birth cohorts between 1952 and 1958 for each municipality in the Forlì area as of 1 March 2024. The geographical factors influencing the vaccination uptake were extracted from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) records and evaluated through a multivariate analysis. The sample analyzed included 15,272 vaccine campaign targets from Forlì's province (185,525 citizens); the vaccine uptake rates for HZ, PCV, and FLU were 26.9%, 36.7%, and 43.5%, respectively. Gender did not appear to influence vaccine uptake. Living in a flat area appeared to increase vaccine uptake in a statistically significant way for all the vaccinations when compared to a mountainous area (HZ: OR: 1.50, PCV: OR: 1.33, FLU: OR: 1.67). The presence of a vaccine service in low-urbanized areas was shown to increase vaccine uptake for all vaccinations (HZ: OR: 1.65, PCV: OR: 1.93, FLU: OR: 1.53) compared with low-urbanized areas without a vaccination center or more urbanized areas with a vaccination center. This study emphasizes the significance of the territorial context, along with the ease of access to vaccinations and geographic barriers, as key determinants in achieving vaccination targets. Local health authorities should consider these factors when implementing vaccination campaigns.

Iper-luoghi e trame urbane: il ruolo dei centri commerciali nel contesto territoriale lombardo

Abstract Hyper-Places and Urban Fabrics: The Role of Shopping Centers in the Lombardy Territorial Context Moving from a reflection related to urban transformations that have occurred over the years the paper reflects on the generation of new urban spaces – which are configured as strong attractors, connectors, and diffusers – capable of encompassing various individual practices as well as the functions of a society as a whole. Assuming this framework, the contribution focuses on the role of shopping centers – with particular attention to the role assumed by Oriocenter in Lombardy (Italy) – as hyper-places. In fact, since the early 1990s, such structures have undergone profound changes, developing both through an increase in size and through a diversification of commercial attractors, promoting renewed flow trajectories and leading to increasing territorial complexity.

Experimenting urban living lab methodology on circular economy co-design activities in some Italian urban territories

The Urban Living Lab (ULL) is both a methodology and a place where different actors of a territory can collaborate with the aim of urban transformation and sustainable development. This paper briefly introduces a methodological framework, that combines stakeholder engagement and co-design process on Circular Economy (CE) ideas and projects. The structure of the methodological framework foresees four main phases: scouting and analysis of the territorial context, listening and exploration, participation and execution. The main objective of this paper focuses on the application and experimentation of the same ULL methodology framework in four different Italian urban territories (Anguillara Sabazia in the metropolitan area of Rome, Bologna, Taranto and Venosa, a small town in southern Italy), to highlight how the ULL is an effective approach for stakeholder engagement and co-design processes aiming to the transition toward CE. The discussion section of the four ULL cases highlights the main results of the co-design process: the ideation of project proposals of CE activities suitable for implementation in the reference urban territories. The four ULL cases have shown how the same methodological steps can be applied in urban areas with different geographical, territorial and socio-economic characteristics, with comparable results in terms of activating processes of engagement and co-design within the communities living there. In conclusion, experimenting the proposed methodological framework in each of the four urban areas, despite their differing characteristics, it has stimulated the growth of cultural capital and community ties. This was achieved through the exchange of different skills and the collaborative contributions of multidisciplinary teams, resulting in increased collective awareness.

Inner Areas and Green Economy in Campania Region: The Carditello Royal Borbonic Site Case Study

In Italy, within the 'National Strategy on Inland Areas', 'belt areas', 'peripheral areas' and 'ultra-peripheral areas' have emerged and been recognised for the first time since 2013, as well as 'intermediate areas'. The area presented in the paper is atypical, although it presents some recurring characteristics in other intermediate areas close to Italian metropolitan areas. It is an area near of Naples, in the region of Campania, which gravitates around the Royal Bourbon Site of Carditello with a past of considerable historical interest and an unfortunate recent past, which has led it to be in a particularly disadvantaged condition. The paper deals with a topic with little reference literature, at least as far as the Italian reality is concerned; mixed areas, partly 'intermediate' and partly 'Belt'. After a careful Swot analysis, adapted to the territorial context of the area under consideration, focusing on its considerable potential, pointing out some problematic nodes and indicating ways to overcome them, seizing and creating some opportunities for possible sustainable development, the paper proposes a perspective scenario that aims at the sustainable enhancement of the area.

Enablers to Digitalization in Agriculture: A Case Study from Italian Field Crop Farms in the Po River Valley, with Insights for Policy Targeting

The prosperity of Po River Valley’s quality agri-food system depends on the efficiency of its field crops, which are recently facing a crisis evidenced by cultivated areas decreasing and yields stagnating. Several factors, including EU policies and climate variability, impose an improvement in the use of production factors and adapted business models: literature shows how digitalization and Agriculture 4.0 can contribute to addressing these challenges. This paper aims to explore drivers and barriers in the adoption of digitalization among Po River Valley field crop farms, in a dynamic view. Using a case study approach to guarantee adequate consideration of context and conditions, three farms were studied. As one of the main outcomes, several drivers (digital skills, data management practices, and interoperability) that should be at the heart of policies were identified as demands to farmers in exchange for financial contributions, or as “innovation space” offered by EU institutions. Policies should not only focus on supporting mechanical/digital equipment acquisition but also on promoting the evolution of farmers’ human capital. The framework developed paves the way for future research on the degree of farm digitalization in the same/similar territorial contexts: identified drivers of digital transition can be used as a basis for survey questionnaires, as well as tested in their validity.

A methodological framework for the implementation of urban living lab on circular economy co-design activities

Circular Economy (CE) has the potential to tackle many of the challenges we are facing nowadays. It represents nothing less than a paradigm shift, as closing and shortening material loops means adopting completely new ways of producing and consuming. In the European Union, CE is a key strategy to achieve climate neutrality target by 2050, to face the biodiversity crisis, to guarantee economic growth and social wellbeing, within planet boundaries, in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Stakeholders’ engagement is a crucial point of the transition pathway based on a systemic approach through a co-creation process. Urban areas are the main field of the circular transition process in which all the urban actors, i.e., public institutions, academic and research bodies, economic operators, citizens and civil organizations, are involved. An effective operational tool to realize stakeholders’ involvement and co-creation processes is the methodological approach of Urban Living Labs (ULLs). Although ULLs have already been tested and implemented worldwide, there is no description of a step-by-step methodology to implement ULLs aimed at co-creation of project ideas on CE, to be realized in a specific territory. This paper aims to define a methodological framework for implementing ULLs focused on co-designing CE activities. The proposed methodology is based on four main phases: (i) scouting and analysis of the territorial context, (ii) listening and exploration, (iii) participation, (iv) execution. A detailed description of each phase as well as the first application of this framework in different urban communities are presented.

Individual and regional determinants of women’s participation in the European labour market: a Labour Force Survey empirical study

AbstractIn line with the existing literature, the primary focus of the present paper is on understanding the multifaceted factors contributing to unequal employment opportunities for women and the potential implications for both individuals and society. Specifically, the objective is to identify meaningful risk factors that affect the probability of being employed for women in the 20–49 age group, exploring possible demographic, educational, social, and family factors, as well as territorial context factors. The analysis is conducted on the three most populous European countries (Italy, France, and Germany) as representatives of different welfare regimes. The analysis exploits the rich information available in the micro-data of the Labour Force Survey (2021) as well as Eurostat regional statistics considering individuals nested in regions (NUTS 2). A deep analysis of empirical findings sheds light on employment determinants and motivations for not working, which appear to be essentially related to family and demographic factors. These results reveal the country-specific profiles that indicate greater risk of non-employment and also provide a basis for suggesting different policy implications.

«Happily, they embraced each other»: Contributing to the Third Mission with stories to include and create community? A review of experiences

Recent studies show the inclusive potential of children's literature, not only in the themes proposed but also due to the access to the language it allows. In this way, children's literature contributes to that ideal of inclusion understood in a broad sense that characterizes the Italian context of special education. Through the analysis of exploratory cases conducted in different territorial contexts with which the University found itself collaborating, in this contribution we aim to reflect on the potential that children's literature can also have in the context of the third mission, above all encouraging the building of alliances and communities aimed at working together and reflecting on practices, including particular subjects and actors.

Science in the service of politics. The cartographic representation of a local territorial context of the Kingdom of Naples in the early nineteenth century

The erudite priest Marciano Di Leo (1751–1819), a prominent personality in the historical and geographical panorama of his time, not only in his home territory, authored a vast literary and poetic production, but also tried his hand at producing some maps, referring to a province of the Kingdom of Naples. At a time when the principles of geodetic cartography had become increasingly known, even locally, hand in hand with improvements in technology and accuracy of measurements, the author reflects the historical narratives of progress of the European (and Neapolitan) Enlightenment and translates them into an unpublished manuscript of statistical, historical, and geographical nature, accompanied by numerous maps of various scales. The rediscovery of a largely unknown—and therefore not very thorough—minor cartographic production underscores the spread even in more marginal contexts of the most innovative ideas and increasingly precise scientific foundations in the cartographic-mathematical representation of the territory. It also illustrates the role of a number of intellectuals in the service of the political choices of their time, in an attempt-often unrealized-to bring about a decisive change of course in public administration, in accordance with Enlightenment ideals and in the spirit of reform that spread throughout Europe thanks to the French Revolution.

Values-Based Education and the Promotion of Social Participation in Children’s Educational Leisure Organisations

As recent research has shown, the importance of integral development during childhood is a highly relevant issue linked to promoting values and participation styles in healthy and safe leisure environments, which serve as significant educational spaces for participants. Research shows that education in values is a foundation for citizens to commit to others and embrace diversity as a value and an enriching circumstance. In educational leisure spaces for children, personal and group identities are built around equity, justice, and inclusion, all of which generate greater social cohesion. The study universe of this work was made up of non-profit organisations working in the field of children’s educational leisure in the Basque Country, Catalonia, and Madrid. The methodology used was mixed and developed in three phases. The results presented here correspond to the first phase of the study (qualitative method) and focused on a content analysis, for which the categories of analysis related to education in values and the promotion of social participation were identified. Likewise, the results correspond to a specific territorial context, the historical territory of Bizkaia (northern Spain), specifically to ten non-profit organisations that develop their activity in the field of educational leisure time. The results have been organised around education in values, spaces and dynamics for social participation, and the vision of the sector’s future. The results highlight the entities’ role in methodological innovation, ethical commitment, the transmission of values, and the cultivation of participation from an early age through different activities. In conclusion, it emphasises the need for the children’s educational leisure sector to address the challenges of contemporary society.

Addressing complexity and diversity in the sustainable transitions of spiny lobster fisheries in Quintana Roo, Mexico

This study articulates five dimensions of territorial governance (social capital, leadership, transparency, accountability, socioenvironmental innovations, and commercialization routes) to construct a tripartite typology that helps explain the diverse sustainable transitions of small-scale fisheries in specific territorial contexts. The types are: 1) participative-inclusive governance expressed in solid institutions dedicated to environmental conservation; 2) exclusive-conflictive governance which generates institutions that are fragile for environmental conservation; and 3) transitional governance toward inclusion and responsible fishing, seen in communities that are implementing social and organizational changes to reduce overexploitation of fishing resources. Intensive fieldwork was conducted in localities devoted to spiny lobster fishing along the coast of Quintana Roo. We also held 106 interviews with key actors in governance. Results show that articulating intra- and extra-territorial networks is vitally important in developing the kinds of socioenvironmental innovations that can help local fishermen respond to the multiple environmental, economic, and political contingencies that affect their territories. We conclude that it is necessary to articulate institutional changes on various territorial scales to propel sustainable transitions that are realistic and feasible for small-scale fishers in marginalized communities in countries of the Global South.

Stuck at home: Housing and neighborhood conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, a case study of Lisbon and Porto metropolitan areas

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the degree of (dis)satisfaction of residents, with their homes and their neighborhood facilities, during the lockdown imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The research, centered on the Lisbon and Porto metropolitan areas (Portugal), methodologically crosses a qualitative analysis (based on a survey carried out among the residents of the two metropolitan areas) with a quantitative analysis (carried out based on official statistical information on housing and on the territorial context). The investigation starts from the hypothesis that dissatisfaction with housing and neighborhood conditions during lockdown was greater for families living in uncomfortable homes, located in territories with poor amenities. The evidence confirms that housing and neighborhood conditions shape the way families lived the lockdown. The article identifies areas with the most problematic conditions and recommends policies that can help to address shocks like this in the future.

Effectiveness of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Preventing Severe Disease-Related Outcomes: A Population-Based Study in the Italian Province of Bolzano (South Tyrol).

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of SARS-CoV2 vaccination in preventing ordinary or intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and deaths among cases registered during a variant transitional pandemic phase in the geographically and culturally unique territory of the Province of Bolzano (South Tyrol), an Italian region with low vaccination coverage. Methods: We collected data from 93,643 patients registered as positive for SARS-CoV-2 by health authorities during the winter of 2021-22. The data were analyzed retrospectively using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression. Results: 925 patients were hospitalized (0.99%), 89 (0.10%) were in intensive care, and 194 (0.21%) died. Vaccinated patients had a significantly lower risk of being hospitalized: adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 0.39; 95% CI: 0.33-0.46, ICU admission: aOR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.09-0.29 and death: aOR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.29-0.58. Similar risk reductions were also observed in booster-vaccinated patients, independent of sex, age, and predominant variant. Furthermore, the median length of stay (LoS) in the ICU was significantly longer for unvaccinated individuals compared to vaccinated subjects (9 vs. 6days; p < 0.003). Conclusion: Primary series vaccination and ongoing campaign booster doses were effective in preventing all severe disease-related outcomes and in reducing ICU Length of Stay, even during a transitional pandemic phase and in a unique territorial context.

Features of the architecture of modern rehabilitation centers

Architectural techniques for forming the space of rehabilitation centers of various directions are explored, and the main ways in which architecture influences the psychological and emotional perception of a person are identified. Using the example of implemented objects, the principles of organizing a spatial planning solution and forming the internal environment of rehabilitation centers, characteristic of a certain territorial context or architectural design, are considered. Particular attention is paid to the topic of introducing the natural environment into the space of the object, or its interaction with the landscape and environment.

AN INTEGRATED HBIM-GIS DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT FOR HERITAGE PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT IN THE INNER ITALIAN TERRITORY

Abstract. Depopulation in Italy is causing the marginalization of several inner territories and municipalities, with consequences for the preservation of different levels of heritage. The Italian National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI) aims to address these issues, but in some cases, the policies undertaken are not effective enough to improve development. In this context, the integration of Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) and Geographic Information System (GIS), as a potential solution in the enhancement of knowledge, information, and project management, could be an important resource to lean on. To investigate this aspect, the municipality of Dosso del Liro in the Northern part of Lake Como (Lombardy) has been chosen as a case study, based on its marginality and its territorial variety. The research methodology involves a combination of field data collection, bibliographical and archival investigations, database research, and digital recording of heritage, with the purpose of modelling and analyzing the territorial context on different aspects and at different scales. Precisely, multi-disciplinarity and multi-scalarity (but also multi-temporality) are the key points for the HBIM-GIS modelling. Thus, trying to integrate and interpret in this innovative way the information acquired, the research aims to investigate the possibility of improvement for the creation of effective strategies and projects in the Inner Areas. The idea, in fact, is that with an increased knowledge and awareness of the heritage, the requirements for the design phase will be better in sight, and the quality of the intervention will be increased.