Territorial capital and the economic crisis: The role of spatial effects

Activity-geospatial approach forms methodological basis of the concept of geospatial self-organization of a society as new theoretical paradigm of societal geography (SG) with next main principles: a) Self-organization of society and its key subsystems (economical, social, political, spiritual) in specifically localised natural and societal qualities of geospace (Earth's surface space) forms the process of geospatial self-organization of a society and its results - geospatial interests, processes, systems, structures as societal-geospatial phenomena of different scale (global, regional, local, etc.). So societal processes acquire specific geospatial shapes that combine a geospatial (geograp…

Intervento

Ex-post evaluation of Territorial Integrated Projects in Italy: an empirical analysis at firm level

This paper focuses on the evaluation of an incentive program for firms implemented in southern Italy during the last decade. In the framework of the policy instruments aimed to reduce territorial disparities, and to support local development, territorial integrated projects (TIP) constituted a new operational mode to implement the Regional Operational Programmes. A TIP is defined as a ?set of inter-sectorial actions, closely consistent and linked among them, which converge towards the common objective of territorial development and justify a unitary implementation approach'. The resources allocated for each TIP may be aimed at three types of interventions such as infrastructures, public act…

Regional inequalities and economic downturns

The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact of economic downturns on regional inequalities. From a theoretical point of view regional inequalities may change in the aftermath of economic downturns if different regions have a different degree of resilience to a common shock or/and a different speed of adjustment. To test for this hypothesis we estimate the dynamic response of regional inequalities to economic downturns, controlling and interacting for country’s structural and policy variables associated to regional inequalities. The set of such variables includes, among others, the share of rural population, demographic changes, educational disparities, production diversification, the l…

Regional inequalities, economic crises and policies: an international panel analysis

This paper examines the effects of economic downturns on regional inequalities. In a sample of 25 OECD countries for 1990–2014 period, we show that economic downturns are associated with a significant and long-lasting reduction in regional inequalities. Expansionary fiscal policy as well as higher share of the European development (cohesion) funds facilitate the response of lagging regions to negative nation-wide shocks, contributing to further stimulate the reduction in regional disparities. Additional evidence suggests that the effect of downturns tends to be larger in economies with a higher initial level of regional disparities in unemployment and human capital endowment.

Pianificazione strategica tra sviluppo locale e policentrismo: alcune evidenze empiriche sul caso siciliano

Strategic planning, local development and policentrism: empirical evidence for Sicily The aim of this paper is the analysis of metropolitan strategic planning in Sicily. Urban areas are becoming important units for territorial cohesion policy and strategic planning represents more and more an important policy instrument. Evidence of a policentric pattern is tested across 30 strategic plans carried out by Sicilian cities in order to derive useful insights for policy implications. Methods and Results This study uses multidimensional scaling and rank-size regressions across Sicilian Functional Urban Areas (FUA) as well as descriptive information drawn from strategic plans in order to identify …

The Last Ten Years of Regional Science: Advances in Theory and in Policy Evaluation

Some months ago, the Scientific Board of AISRe and the Editor of this Journal asked us, also in our capacities as immediate Past Presidents of the Association, to edit a new celebratory special issue with a specific focus on the past ten years. We asked prominent Italian scholars in the field to review the most significant studies produced mostly in the past decade (including their own) and to address new topics that had not been covered by the previous celebratory issue or that had registered important advances since then.

Selection bias, incentivi alle imprese e sviluppo locale: Una valutazione ex-post

Questo lavoro si concentra sulla valutazione di un programma di aiuti alle imprese facente parte di un piu vasto programma per lo sviluppo locale realizzato in Italia durante il ciclo di programmazione comunitaria 2000-2006. Esso costituisce un approfondimento di una precedente analisi (Cusimano, Mazzola, 2014) di valutazione ex-post degli effetti dei regimi di aiuto previsti nell’ambito dei progetti integrati territoriali (pit), e mira ad identificare l’eventuale presenza di distorsione da selezione (selection bias) nella quantificazione dell’efficacia della politica. Mediante un’analisi empirica effettuata per mezzo di diverse metodologie basate sul propensity score matching (psm) viene m…

Divari manifatturieri e strumenti di politica industriale. Il caso del credito d'imposta in Sicilia

Selection bias ed incentivi alle imprese nei programmi per lo sviluppo locale: una valutazione ex-post

This paper focuses on the evaluation of an aid scheme included in a larger local development program realized in Italy during the 2000-2006 cycle of EU Structural Funds. It follows a previous analysis (Cusimano, Mazzola, 2014) on the ex-post evaluation of the effects of the aid schemes included in the so-called territorial integrated projects (tips) and aims at identifying the possible presence of selection bias in measuring the effectiveness of the policy. After running an empirical analysis based on several propensity score matching (psm) methods, we show that, at least partially, the positive results previously obtained may not be related to an effective success of the policy, but could …

Gli svantaggi di costo e competitività delle imprese manifatturiere siciliane: un confronto interregionale attraverso un'indagine sul campo

Territorial Capital And The Great Recession: A Nuts-3 Analysis For Southern Italy

Up to now, the analyses of the current “Great Recession†have been mainly confined to the national and international scale leaving aside the differential effects of the crisis upon regions and smaller areas. Although the current crisis has a strong international and global flavor, it must be admitted that the different structural characteristics of regions and urban areas might be often responsible for the specific economic and social impact of the recession and will strongly determine the possibility of resilience in the future. In the effort of better defining which regional characteristics may be considered as strategic for measuring the absorption capacity of the region vis-à -vis th…

I fondi strutturali e le politiche di sviluppo

L’utilizzo dei Fondi strutturali nelle regioni meridionali è stato oggetto di notevoli critiche concernenti sia gli aspetti inerenti la capacità di spendere che, soprattutto, quelli relativi alla qualità dell’intervento pubblico e all’ effettivo impatto dei Fondi stessi. Il lavoro si propone di valutare l’impatto dei Fondi strutturali relativi al periodo di programmazione 2000-06 analizzandone gli effetti sulla riduzione dei divari di sviluppo per singolo indicatore strutturale, l’efficacia e l’efficienza della spesa, le trasformazioni qualitative e gli scostamenti tra realizzazioni e obiettivi. La seconda parte del lavoro considera le prospettive della politica di coesione per la Sicilia n…

Resilience and Convergence: Short vs.Long-Run Regional Effects of Economic Crises and Macroeconomic Policies

Before the outbreak of the Great Recession, considerable attention was devoted to what makes a region successful, and why some regions grow faster than others, but researchers often overlooked how regions react to shocks and why this happens in a heterogeneous way. Furthermore, the classic literature on regional inequalities has mainly focused on the longterm relationship between economic growth and regional disparities and on the role of labor mobility, sometimes also as a mechanism of adjustment to labor demand idiosyncratic shocks. This literature trend has reversed since 2008, when investigation of the heterogeneous impact of shocks across areas became prominent in regional studies beca…

Tourism and territorial growth determinants in insular regions: A comparison with mainland regions for some European countries (2008–2019)

The article investigates the different growth patterns of islands and mainland regions by looking at their tourism and territorial characteristics differences. We considered per capita income and employment growth patterns in a panel data model focused on 74 regions in seven European coun- tries from 2008 to 2019. The results show how the impor- tance of some growth factors, especially those related to tourism and environmental sustainability, varies between islands and mainland regions. The article suggests specific policy implications for island regions in line with the European Union guidelines. Our findings support the need to pursue different approaches to sustain growth in islands and…

Capitale territoriale e partenariato pubblico-privato: un'analisi dei fattori locali di successo

Al centro di una possibile tassonomia del capitale territoriale si collocano le reti di cooperazione ed, in particolare, i servizi in partenariato pubblico-privato (PPP) che rappresentano beni e servizi ad un intermedio livello di materialità e rivalità. Questa categoria di beni consente di sfruttare le complementarietà tra pubblico e privato e, attraverso un complesso meccanismo di distribuzione del rischio e dei profitti tra i soggetti coinvolti, di accrescere l’efficienza complessiva dei progetti di investimento. Nel presente lavoro sono state analizzate le possibili determinanti territoriali degli esiti dei bandi di PPP promossi in Italia. Tali determinanti riguardano aspetti relativi a…

Conclusioni

Qualità delle relazioni tra le imprese e performance nei distretti produttivi: un'analisi intersettoriale del caso siciliano

Regional Asymmetric Reactions to Shocks in EMU: an Assessment of Different Approaches

In recent years there has been an increasing research effort in estimating regional asymmetric shocks and assessing their importance within the European Monetary Union (EMU). In this chapter we offer an evaluation of the different approaches by distinguishing them according to methodological underpinnings, variables used and pitfalls and potential extensions of the analysis. The structure of this contribution is the following. In section 2 we discuss the relative importance of asymmetric shocks and the main problems connected with their measurement. In section 3 we focus on the explanatory variables which are assumed to determine the asymmetric reaction to shocks and distinguish between sec…

The role of tourism in island economic growth and resilience: A panel analysis for the European Mediterranean countries (2000–2015)

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to verifying the economic resilience of islands and, in particular, the role of the tourism sector in the reaction to the most recent economic crisis. The analysis concerns insular contexts, such as the greater island regions in the Mediterranean basin. Design/methodology/approach Static and dynamic panel data techniques are used for a sample of 13 island economies over a period of 16 years. Findings Results show that the growth factors for regional islands are similar to the ones usually considered for other regions, but the tourism-led growth hypothesis is highly supported. Tourism demand more than supply plays a role together with accessibility. The …

Comment on "The OECD-LEED Programme: Policies and Practices in Local Development"

Place-based policy in southern Italy: evidence from a dose-response approach

This paper evaluates the effectiveness at a territorial level of a place-based policy for southern Italy, that is, territorial integrated projects (TIPs). We combine classical counterfactual designs and the construction of a dose–response function to assess the impact of the infrastructural interventions on the municipalities involved in a target region (Sicily). The results are robust enough to show policy effectiveness on both the number of workers and the number of plants. In the latter case, we also identify a significant and increasing dose–response function highlighting the positive relationship between funding intensity and the growth of plants.

Valutazione ex-post dei progetti integrati territoriali: un'analisi empirica a livello di impresa

Questo lavoro tratta della valutazione di un programma di incentivi per lo sviluppo locale attuato nel sud dell’Italia durante l’ultimo decennio. Nel panorama degli strumenti di policy aventi l’obiettivo di ridurre le disparità territoriali, e di promuovere lo sviluppo locale, i Progetti Integrati Territoriali (PIT) hanno rappresentato una peculiare modalità operativa di attuazione dei Programmi Operativi Regionali. Le risorse stanziate per ogni PIT possono essere destinate a tre tipologie di intervento quali le infrastrutture, i regimi di aiuto e le azioni pubbliche. Attraverso un’analisi empirica sulle risorse destinate ai regimi di aiuto, questo lavoro analizza, a livello di impresa, l’e…

Local development policies in Southern Italy: an assessment

Great Recession and club convergence in Europe: A cross‐country, cross‐region panel analysis (2000–2015)

The paper aims at investigating the impact of the Great Recession on per capita GDP convergence process across European regions and countries. Using the time-varying factor model developed by Phillips and Sul for the period 2000–2015 and two different merging procedures to identify clubs, we provide evidence of the diverging impact of the Great Recession “between” the higher and the lower convergence clubs at both regional and country levels as well as of the strengthening of the convergence process “within” most clubs. In addition, we add further evidence to the common belief of a “multi-speed” Europe by contrasting Eastern European countries' and regions' behavior vis-à-vis original Europ…

Le PMI del Mezzogiorno nel tunnel della crisi

Il lavoro analizza la dinamica delle PMI meridionali nel periodo della crisi (ultimo trimestre 2008 e 2009) mettendola a confronto con quella media nazionale, anche con riferimento ai segmenti più dinamici dell’industria meridionale che si presentano come i più idonei a fronteggiare i principali effetti della crisi e a fornire risposte in merito all’avvio di processi di ristrutturazione produttiva. In tal senso, si esamina l’andamento aggregato delle PMI meridionali nel periodo della crisi, confrontando la dinamica di tali imprese con quella delle PMI centro-settentrionali e successivamente ci si sofferma sulle dinamiche manifestate dalle PMI nei diversi settori e sulle eventuali risposte d…

Capitale territoriale e partenariato pubblico-privato: un'analisi dei fattori locali di successo

Al centro di una possibile tassonomia del capitale territoriale si collocano le reti di cooperazione ed, in particolare, i servizi in partenariato pubblico-privato (PPP) che rappresentano beni e servizi ad un intermedio livello di materialità e rivalità. Questa categoria di beni consente di sfruttare le complementarietà tra pubblico e privato e, attraverso un complesso meccanismo di distribuzione del rischio e dei profitti tra i soggetti coinvolti, di accrescere l’efficienza complessiva dei progetti di investimento. Nel presente lavoro sono state analizzate le possibili determinanti territoriali degli esiti dei bandi di PPP promossi in Italia. Tali determinanti riguardano aspetti relativi a…

Aggregazioni funzionali e aree di policy nello sviluppo locale: un tentativo di sistematizzazione

Infrastrutture: Efficienza, accessibilità ed attrattività come elementi del capitale territoriale

Per cogliere l’influenza delle infrastrutture sulla competitività di un territorio, esse devono essere esaminate non soltanto rispetto alla componente “fisica” e trasportistica, ma anche rispetto alla componente qualitativa e sociale. Lo scopo del presente lavoro è di analizzare tale componente ed evidenziarne gli elementi che maggiormente influenzano la dotazione di Capitale Territoriale (Camagni, 2008). In particolare riteniamo che effetti di agglomerazione/dispersione e di variazione del capitale territoriale emergono con l’osservazione delle caratteristiche delle infrastrutture che coniugano una dimensione geografica e spaziale negli aspetti della reticolarità, dell’accessibilità e dell…

Reti, nuovi settori e sostenibilità: prossime sfide per lo sviluppo regionale

Territorial determinants and NUTS-3 regional performance: a spatial analysis for Italy across the crisis

This paper analyses the differential impact of several territorial determinants of the economic performance of Italian provinces (NUTS 3 level). as measured by per capita GDP, export and employment growth from 1999 to 2014. It covers both the pre‐crisis and the crisis period and stresses the role of geographical proximity in shaping local performance over a wide set of explanatory variables. In order to do so, we employ, firstly, a spatial Durbin model which enables us to discriminate between direct and indirect effects and to highlight the possible contagion or crowding‐out spatial effects for each territorial dimension affecting growth. Then, we extend the analysis by allowing for the pos…

Selection bias and incentives to firms in development programs: an ex-post evaluation of an aid scheme for Sicily

This paper focuses on the evaluation of an aid scheme included in a larger local development program framework implemented in Italy during the 2000-2006 cycle of EU Structural Funds. It follows a previous analysis (Cusimano & Mazzola, 2014) on the ex-post evaluation of the effectiveness of the resources allocated to aid schemes included in the Italian territorial integrated projects (TIPs) and aims at identifying the possible presence of selection bias in measuring the effectiveness of the policy. Previous results showed a partial effectiveness of the program, at least with reference to employment and sales. The objective of this work is to investigate the role of the selection process in i…

The role of linkages in firm performance: evidence from southern Italy

Abstract This paper estimates the probability of success of post-entry performance of new firms, using survey data from a group of southern-Italian small firms. Several factors involving inter-firm linkages contribute to success, especially production for order and subcontracting. The empirical investigation supports Hirschman’s idea on the industrialization process and positive assessments of the downsizing phenomenon in Italy.

Il capitale territoriale e la crisi: un'analisi provinciale per l'Italia Centro-Meridionale

Le analisi sugli effetti della crisi si sono prevalentemente incentrate su una dimensione nazionale e internazionale. Nel presente lavoro si focalizza l’attenzione sul capitale territoriale allo scopo di identificare gli elementi territoriali che possono essere considerati strategici per le capacità di resilienza e recupero dalla recessione a livello regionale e sub-regionale. A tal fine si utilizzerà un vasto dataset sull’Italia centro-meridionale con l’intento di misurare le relazioni empiriche tra capitale territoriale e variazione delle performance a livello provinciale, allo scopo di verificare come la dotazione di capitale territoriale possa avere influito su reazioni differenziate e,…

Prefazione

Infrastrutture: efficienza, accessibilità ed attrattività come elementi del capitale territoriale

Le infrastrutture rappresentano uno dei fattori di competitività di un territorio non soltanto rispetto alla sua componente “fisica” e trasportistica ma anche rispetto alla componente qualitativa e sociale. L’idea di fondo di questo paper è proprio quella di individuare quali, tra gli aspetti citati, possano influenzare maggiormente la dotazione di Capitale Territoriale definito da Camagni (2008). In particolare, riteniamo che, al fine di trovare le giuste risposte in termini di differenziali di sviluppo si debbano osservare caratteristiche che prescindono dalla mera “dotazione” e che invece si mescolano con una dimensione geografica e spaziale che si materializza negli aspetti della retico…

Alcune considerazioni sul ruolo delle città nel processo di sviluppo del Mezzogiorno

La Sicilia e la crisi: quali via d'uscita?

Federalismo Fiscale, dinamica della spesa in conto capitale e processi di interazione spaziale: alcune evidenze empiriche

A growing number of countries throughout the world are reconsidering the role and functions of the various levels of government in order to make public policies more effective in meeting the needs of citizens by firmly pursuing administrative devolution. This paper analyses regional interactions in the dynamics of capital public expenditure based on the estimates of a dynamic gravity model (Dendrinos-Sonis,1990) using the database on Italian Regional Public Accounts (RPA) in the 1996-2007 period. This empirical model allows for the analysis of dynamic relations of a horizonal nature (i.e., between various regions) and vertical nature (i.e., between various levels of government) compared to …

Territorial Capital and the Great Recession: a Nuts-3 Analysis for Central and Southern Italy

The analyses on the effects of the actual crisis have been mainly concentrated on a national and international dimension, leaving aside the differential effects of the crisis on regions and sub-regional areas. Notwithstanding the international character of the Great Recession, it has to be stressed that the different structural features of regions and urban areas might influence the economic and social impact of the crisis. They also might have an important effect on the resilience and recover chance. In the present paper, we focus on territorial capital, a concept that takes into account of the different features of goods and services in terms of their degree of appropriability and rivalry…

Selection bias ed incentivi alle imprese nei programmi per lo sviluppo locale: una valutazione ex-post di un programma di aiuti alle imprese per la Sicilia

Questo lavoro si concentra sulla valutazione di un programma di aiuti alle imprese facente parte di un più vasto programma per lo sviluppo locale realizzato in Italia durante il ciclo di programmazione comunitaria 2000-2006. In particolare, esso costituisce una valutazione ex-post dell’efficacia delle risorse destinate ai regimi di aiuto all’interno dei progetti integrati territoriali (PIT), e mira ad identificare l’eventuale presenza di distorsione da selezione (selection bias) nella quantificazione dell’efficacia della politica. L’obiettivo di questo lavoro è di esaminare il ruolo svolto dal processo di selezione nell’influenzare l’effetto positivo della politica di incentivi. L’analisi è…

A Note on Tourism and Regional Development: some Policy Issues in the Post-crisis Framework

In this final note we offer some considerations about the current role of tourism for regional development by focusing mainly on two aspects, the impact of the economic crisis together with the institutional changes derived from it and the new policy issues arising from the new framework.

The Regional Effects of Public Spending on Active Labor Market Policies: Evidence from Advanced Economies

This paper examines the regional effects of public spending on Active Labor Market polices (ALMPs). Using an unbalanced sample of 308 regions belonging to 29 OECD Economies for the period 1995-2011, we show that discretionary increases in public spending on active labor market policies at the national level have statistically significant short- and medium-term effect in reducing regional unemployment rate, while raising regional output. These effects tend to be larger during periods of low GDP growth, and when complemented by a larger share of cohesion fund expenditures.

Intervento su "Informazioni e territorio. Statistiche per lo sviluppo locale"

Federalismo fiscali e processi di interazione spaziale: alcune evidenze empiriche

Territorial Capital and Growth over the Great Recession: a Local Analysis for Italy"

The consequences of the crisis have been mainly analyzed at national/ international levels, neglecting its differential effects on local areas. Notwithstanding the international character of the Great Recession, the different local structural features might have influenced the economic and social impact of the crisis, determining effects on the resilience and recovery chance. In this paper, we focus on the role of different territorial indicators by looking at how their relevance has changed during the recent crisis at provincial level. Our aim is threefold. First, we identify the strategic territorial elements which might be particularly relevant in ensuring a greater local absorption capa…

Evaluating the impact of EU regional policy at different geographical levels: a sensitivity analysis

Local and territorial determinants in the realization of public–private–partnerships: an empirical analysis for Italian provinces

ABSTRACT Relational networks and intangible factors are crucial elements for the competitiveness of a territory. Public–Private–Partnerships (PPPs), in particular, allow for the provision of goods and services that favour the exploitation of complementarities between public and private resources. They aim at promoting an increase in the overall efficiency of investment projects through a complex mechanism that distributes risk and revenues among stakeholders. This paper examines the local and territorial determinants of PPPs through an econometric analysis based upon Italian municipal data, grouped at the provincial level. Using a tobit model, we analyse the relationship between the realiza…

Valutazione ex-post degli incentivi alle imprese nelle economie territoriali: nuovi sviluppi

[No abstract available]

Asymmetric effects of monetary policy shocks across US states

This paper provides new empirical evidence of the asymmetric effects of monetary policy shocks across regions. Using a measure of unanticipated changes in the Fed's policy rates over the period 1969Q3–2008Q4 and a local projection method extended to account for spatial effects, we find that monetary policy tightening leads to a long-lasting decrease in states' real personal income, with asymmetric effects across states that are amplified by spatial spillovers. The paper then investigates the role played by several transmission channels finding larger contractionary effects of monetary policy tightening in states with higher manufacturing share, smaller firms, smaller banks and higher house …

La territorializzazione della programmazione per la Sicilia. Le prospettive per il 2007-2013

Air transport and tourism flows to islands: A panel analysis for southern European countries

Air transport is an essential component of the tourism industry, and the number, frequency, and capacity of flight connections may influence the level of tourism demand, especially for island destinations. This paper evaluates the influence of air transport on tourism arrivals to selected islands in seven southern European Union countries to determine the nature of the relationship between tourist arrivals and air transport, specifically, whether air transport services generate tourism demand or merely enable touristic flows. The paper uses panel data and applies an econometric model with justifications for endogeneity and dynamic issues. Results show a moderate impact of transport infrastr…