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Local government and innovation: The case of Italian provinces

Author

Listed:
  • Fortuna Casoria

    (University of Lyon)

  • Marianna Marino

    (SKEMA Business School)

  • Pierpaolo Parrotta

    (IESEG School of Management)

  • Davide Sala

    (University of Passau)

Abstract

This paper exploits quasi-natural experiments associated with three waves of reforms occurred in Italy in 1992, 2001 and 2004, to establish 8, 4, and 3 new provinces, respectively. Using a difference-in-difference approach, we find evidence of a significant detrimental effect of (further) decentralization on innovation in Northern and Central Italian provinces. We argue that this finding can be rationalized with the costs imposed by the “mafia transplantation†phenomenon, as we find that the new provinces that were more exposed to “mafiosi in confino†reduced their innovation output extensively. We perform a number of robustness checks that corroborate our main findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Fortuna Casoria & Marianna Marino & Pierpaolo Parrotta & Davide Sala, 2021. "Local government and innovation: The case of Italian provinces," Discussion Paper series in Regional Science & Economic Geography 2021-06, Gran Sasso Science Institute, Social Sciences, revised Apr 2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:ahy:wpaper:wp17
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    local government; decentralization; innovation; mafia transplantation; difference-in-difference;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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