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What does it take to organize development projects? Spatial and temporal effects in Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan

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  • Mascioli, Lorenzo
  • Leek, Lauren Caroline

    (European University Institute)

Abstract

The scholarly literature on development projects primarily focuses on implementation and outcomes, yet little is known about how projects are designed and funded. This study addresses this gap by investigating how local communities initiate development projects. We propose that communities learn from their geographic neighbors and past experiences, with local administrative capacity moderating this learning process. Using data from Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, we find robust evidence of positive spatial and temporal effects and a significant interaction between temporal effects and administrative capacity. Additional evidence from project descriptions and interviews with beneficiaries elucidates the mechanisms driving these effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Mascioli, Lorenzo & Leek, Lauren Caroline, 2025. "What does it take to organize development projects? Spatial and temporal effects in Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan," SocArXiv k27ax_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:k27ax_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/k27ax_v1
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