Firms and Cohesion Policy in Italy: Analysis and Perspectives from Integrated Data

Firms play a key role in the economic growth and convergence processes due to their ability to generate added value and create economic and employment opportunities. They are therefore crucial units of analysis for evaluating the effectiveness of cohesion policies and identifying potential areas for improvement in the measures implemented. This study utilizes an enriched archive that links microdata on Italian enterprises’ main demographic, economic, structural, and performance characteristics (from ISTAT’s archives ASIA and Frame-SBS) with information on projects financed by cohesion policies at sectoral and territorial levels (Open Coesione). Based on this statistical development, our work provides an overview of enterprises that have accessed cohesion policy funding, enriching the territorial perspective with a characterization of the beneficiary firms in terms of added value, employment capacity, productivity, and technological and/or knowledge intensity. The descriptive analysis highlights that, although the number of beneficiary enterprises is limited, they hold significant weight in terms of employees and added value. However, the sectoral and territorial distribution of support raises questions about its effectiveness in maximizing local growth. Funding tends to reinforce existing production specializations: in Southern Italy, low-knowledge-intensive service companies prevail, while in Northern Italy, funds are primarily allocated to manufacturing sectors, especially high-tech industries. This allocation could limit cohesion policy’s impact in reducing territorial disparities, suggesting the need for a more selective strategy focused on sectors and companies with greater growth and innovation potential.