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Metrics of Innovation: Measuring the Italian Gap

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  • Michele Benvenuti
  • Luca Casolaro
  • Elena Gennari

Abstract

The paper surveys the literature on the measurement of innovation activity and evaluates the position of Italy with respect to the other major European countries. As a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, innovation has been measured from different perspectives: the environment in which firms operate, firms' commitment, its outcome. A significant gap is found for Italy on most measures of innovation. Italy shows the largest gap for measures related to regulatory frameworks, ICT infrastructure and financial support for innovation expenditure. Italian firms stand out for the low level of inputs, especially the ratio of R&D expenditure and the presence of graduates. This feature is not just driven by firms' small average size: the analysis of expenditure by size shows that large Italian firms lag behind in the international comparison. A relatively large share of Italian firms claims however to innovate, even if their R&D expenditure is low. In defending intellectual property rights, firms rely more on industrial designs and trademarks than on patents. Overall, the survey confirms that innovation in Italy is more incremental than based on technology and R&D, therefore less able to increase firms' productivity and overall growth.

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  • Michele Benvenuti & Luca Casolaro & Elena Gennari, 2014. "Metrics of Innovation: Measuring the Italian Gap," Politica economica, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 1, pages 5-50.
    • Handle: RePEc:mul:je8794:doi:10.1429/78558:y:2014:i:1:p:5-50
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    Cited by:

    1. Andrea Orame & Daniele Pianeselli, 2023. "Thinking the green transition: evidence from the automotive industry," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 767, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    2. Carlo Maria Arpaia & Raffaele Doronzo & Pasquale Ferro, 2013. "Innovation and government payments in the Italian digital agenda," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 169, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    3. Graziella Bonanno, 2016. "ICT and R&D as inputs or efficiency determinants? Analysing Italian manufacturing firms (2007–2009)," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 6(3), pages 383-404, December.
    4. Matteo Bugamelli & Francesca Lotti & Monica Amici & Emanuela Ciapanna & Fabrizio Colonna & Francesco D�Amuri & Silvia Giacomelli & Andrea Linarello & Francesco Manaresi & Giuliana Palumbo & Filippo , 2018. "Productivity growth in Italy: a tale of a slow-motion change," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 422, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    5. Jacopo Zotti & Rosita Pretaroli & Francesca Severini & Claudio Socci & Giancarlo Infantino, 2020. "Employment incentives and the disaggregated impact on the economy. The Italian case," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 37(3), pages 993-1032, October.
    6. R. Arbolino & R. Boffardi, 2017. "The Role of Regional Institutions in Research and Innovation Investments of Italy's Cohesion Policy," Rivista economica del Mezzogiorno, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 1-2, pages 167-192.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; R&D; Patents.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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