The soft power of Italian companies: culture and quality to relaunch industrial areas and digital high tech
There is a real soft power that underlies the competitive capacity of the Italian industry on international markets. It is shaped by the quality, beauty and functionality of our products; our creativity and innovative approach; and our commitment to environmental and social sustainability. A real ‘polytechnic culture’, capable of combining humanistic and scientific knowledge in an original way. And by the extraordinary appeal of Made in Italy and Italy in general, not only for financial investment, but also for the commitment of entrepreneurs, managers, scientists, technologists and students, who are increasingly considering Italy to be ‘the place to be’, to paraphrase the brilliant definition of Milan given by the ‘New York Times’ in 2015, at the height of Expo’s success.
In early May, Joseph S. Nye, one of the greatest political scientists of our restless times, passed away. It is worth remembering him for his ideas on soft power as cultural diplomacy, the ability to build positive relationships, attractiveness and empathy, which are founded on shared interests and values instead of overbearing displays of political and military force. Pragmatically, this should also form the basis of a genuine Italian industrial policy with a European focus, capable of saving and revitalising our manufacturing and related industries (high-tech services, logistics, corporate finance, scientific research, design, technology and training). This would consolidate our identity as a major industrial nation.
In fact, as Confindustria president Emanuele Orsini said at the National Assembly of the Association in Bologna, an ‘Extraordinary Industrial Plan’ is needed to relaunch the European and national economy. This would involve three to five years of public investment in tangible and intangible infrastructure, as well as legislative and fiscal support for private investment. There must be robust cuts in the cost of energy for businesses, which are far greater than in the rest of Europe and therefore reduce our level of competitiveness. There must be anti-bureaucratic reforms in Rome and Brussels, as well as in the regions (e.g. to the ‘internal tariffs’ in Europe, which are a heavy constraint on development and innovation). There must be political and economic choices for a true European ‘single market’, starting with the free movement of capital, to make us more competitive (which means quickly implementing the plans signed by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta, which were positively received by the EU authorities — another example of Italian soft power).
In short, good politics involves the dual and convergent meanings of ‘policy’ and ‘policies’ (i.e. strategies and projects that are then translated into government acts, laws and administrative measures). It also involves making far-sighted choices to create a ‘better Europe’, including improving governance rules to make them faster and more effective, while freeing themselves from the constraints of unanimity, except in exceptional cases. This would involve addressing the ongoing geopolitical and technological challenges more resolutely, allowing for a ‘European’ culture that is distinct from the dominance of the US and China, and which is perhaps more balanced in relation to other players on the international stage. In this respect, we are witnessing the primacy of soft power and its reemergence in these turbulent 2000s.
Shifting our focus from geopolitics to the challenges and competitive strengths of our companies, we can strive to transform this line of reasoning about production systems into a tangible ‘positive social capital’. This involves manufacturers, territories, research centres, universities, historical roots, and the construction of the future, offering a vision of the ‘future of memory’ and fostering trust and hope among new generations.
This will be discussed again at the Symbola Summer Seminar in Mantua in mid-June. Building on the strategic, values-based theme of ‘When Italy does Italy’, the seminar will address ‘sustainability, Europe and the future’, alongside productivity, work, social transformations, the knowledge economy and artificial intelligence in relation to business, scientific research and quality of life. It will bring together people from the worlds of business, culture, and social and civil commitment who are ready to confront the challenges of ‘modernity’ and issues such as security, development, market culture, and economic democracy, without being either apocalyptic or integrated.
From this point of view, companies’ know-how is an extraordinary strength, even more valuable in times of difficulty and tension. This must be accompanied by a complementary dimension: ‘making it known’. This involves building a new and improved account of companies’ characteristics and qualities, enhancing their status as not only economic actors capable of withstanding increasingly selective and severe markets, but also as social and cultural actors and essential components of communities with roots in productive territories and a broad view of the world. This is a story that can express the value of an original combination of competitiveness and inclusion, paying attention not only to productivity, but also to sophisticated business ethics — a ‘morality of the machine’ that deserves better recognition.
The purpose of the relaunch is to reinforce and develop an idea that has long held increasing importance in the strategy of entrepreneurial and Confindustria values. Doing business means creating culture. This culture encompasses not only literature, figurative arts, music, theatre, cinema and photography, but also the worlds of scientific and technological knowledge, and economics and professional relations in the workplace.
In fact, culture is a new chemical formula, a dynamic mechanical and mechatronic production process (read The Periodic Table and The Star Key by Primo Levi to confirm this), a patent or a new high-tech industrial material, the architecture of a sustainable factory (with occupational safety at its core), an artificial intelligence algorithm that improves research into cutting-edge products, or a pharmaceutical molecule that innovates the world of life sciences in a profound way, having a positive effect on the health and quality of life of millions of people.
This idea of corporate culture is rooted in a famous phrase by Gio Ponti, one of the most creative and productive minds in architecture and design: ‘In Italy, art fell in love with industry. That’s why industry is now a cultural phenomenon.’
‘Open factories’ are therefore the goal of initiatives that have already been tried and tested, such as those implemented by Federchimica for some time now, as well as in Piedmont, the North East and Puglia during the Day of Small Enterprises, and in the many activities of Museimpresa. There are also connections with the Made in Italy Day promoted by the Ministry of Industry in mid-April, and the organisation of new initiatives coinciding with the opening of Corporate Culture Week in mid-November. The spirit of community and social capital is evident.
Businesses are open to the public, including stakeholders, schools and fans of industrial tourism. It is increasingly interesting to see where and how the best Made in Italy products are produced. They are also open to women and men who, by profession, tell stories and document things: writers, directors, photographers and actors. The aim is to create a new, more realistic representation of our companies’ quality and sustainability, in terms of both the environment and society. We must also help to overcome the anti-industrial, anti-scientific and anti-technological culture that is, unfortunately, still so widespread in our country.
It is an ambitious example of the ‘polytechnic culture’ we have discussed, going far beyond the self-referential and rhetorical representations of traditional storytelling. And a strategic choice that supports and strengthens the competitive capabilities of the production system: history and memory, beauty and quality, creativity and cutting-edge technology as essential parts of an ‘industrial pride’ that relaunches Made in Italy globally. Our soft power, indeed.
There is a real soft power that underlies the competitive capacity of the Italian industry on international markets. It is shaped by the quality, beauty and functionality of our products; our creativity and innovative approach; and our commitment to environmental and social sustainability. A real ‘polytechnic culture’, capable of combining humanistic and scientific knowledge in an original way. And by the extraordinary appeal of Made in Italy and Italy in general, not only for financial investment, but also for the commitment of entrepreneurs, managers, scientists, technologists and students, who are increasingly considering Italy to be ‘the place to be’, to paraphrase the brilliant definition of Milan given by the ‘New York Times’ in 2015, at the height of Expo’s success.
In early May, Joseph S. Nye, one of the greatest political scientists of our restless times, passed away. It is worth remembering him for his ideas on soft power as cultural diplomacy, the ability to build positive relationships, attractiveness and empathy, which are founded on shared interests and values instead of overbearing displays of political and military force. Pragmatically, this should also form the basis of a genuine Italian industrial policy with a European focus, capable of saving and revitalising our manufacturing and related industries (high-tech services, logistics, corporate finance, scientific research, design, technology and training). This would consolidate our identity as a major industrial nation.
In fact, as Confindustria president Emanuele Orsini said at the National Assembly of the Association in Bologna, an ‘Extraordinary Industrial Plan’ is needed to relaunch the European and national economy. This would involve three to five years of public investment in tangible and intangible infrastructure, as well as legislative and fiscal support for private investment. There must be robust cuts in the cost of energy for businesses, which are far greater than in the rest of Europe and therefore reduce our level of competitiveness. There must be anti-bureaucratic reforms in Rome and Brussels, as well as in the regions (e.g. to the ‘internal tariffs’ in Europe, which are a heavy constraint on development and innovation). There must be political and economic choices for a true European ‘single market’, starting with the free movement of capital, to make us more competitive (which means quickly implementing the plans signed by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta, which were positively received by the EU authorities — another example of Italian soft power).
In short, good politics involves the dual and convergent meanings of ‘policy’ and ‘policies’ (i.e. strategies and projects that are then translated into government acts, laws and administrative measures). It also involves making far-sighted choices to create a ‘better Europe’, including improving governance rules to make them faster and more effective, while freeing themselves from the constraints of unanimity, except in exceptional cases. This would involve addressing the ongoing geopolitical and technological challenges more resolutely, allowing for a ‘European’ culture that is distinct from the dominance of the US and China, and which is perhaps more balanced in relation to other players on the international stage. In this respect, we are witnessing the primacy of soft power and its reemergence in these turbulent 2000s.
Shifting our focus from geopolitics to the challenges and competitive strengths of our companies, we can strive to transform this line of reasoning about production systems into a tangible ‘positive social capital’. This involves manufacturers, territories, research centres, universities, historical roots, and the construction of the future, offering a vision of the ‘future of memory’ and fostering trust and hope among new generations.
This will be discussed again at the Symbola Summer Seminar in Mantua in mid-June. Building on the strategic, values-based theme of ‘When Italy does Italy’, the seminar will address ‘sustainability, Europe and the future’, alongside productivity, work, social transformations, the knowledge economy and artificial intelligence in relation to business, scientific research and quality of life. It will bring together people from the worlds of business, culture, and social and civil commitment who are ready to confront the challenges of ‘modernity’ and issues such as security, development, market culture, and economic democracy, without being either apocalyptic or integrated.
From this point of view, companies’ know-how is an extraordinary strength, even more valuable in times of difficulty and tension. This must be accompanied by a complementary dimension: ‘making it known’. This involves building a new and improved account of companies’ characteristics and qualities, enhancing their status as not only economic actors capable of withstanding increasingly selective and severe markets, but also as social and cultural actors and essential components of communities with roots in productive territories and a broad view of the world. This is a story that can express the value of an original combination of competitiveness and inclusion, paying attention not only to productivity, but also to sophisticated business ethics — a ‘morality of the machine’ that deserves better recognition.
The purpose of the relaunch is to reinforce and develop an idea that has long held increasing importance in the strategy of entrepreneurial and Confindustria values. Doing business means creating culture. This culture encompasses not only literature, figurative arts, music, theatre, cinema and photography, but also the worlds of scientific and technological knowledge, and economics and professional relations in the workplace.
In fact, culture is a new chemical formula, a dynamic mechanical and mechatronic production process (read The Periodic Table and The Star Key by Primo Levi to confirm this), a patent or a new high-tech industrial material, the architecture of a sustainable factory (with occupational safety at its core), an artificial intelligence algorithm that improves research into cutting-edge products, or a pharmaceutical molecule that innovates the world of life sciences in a profound way, having a positive effect on the health and quality of life of millions of people.
This idea of corporate culture is rooted in a famous phrase by Gio Ponti, one of the most creative and productive minds in architecture and design: ‘In Italy, art fell in love with industry. That’s why industry is now a cultural phenomenon.’
‘Open factories’ are therefore the goal of initiatives that have already been tried and tested, such as those implemented by Federchimica for some time now, as well as in Piedmont, the North East and Puglia during the Day of Small Enterprises, and in the many activities of Museimpresa. There are also connections with the Made in Italy Day promoted by the Ministry of Industry in mid-April, and the organisation of new initiatives coinciding with the opening of Corporate Culture Week in mid-November. The spirit of community and social capital is evident.
Businesses are open to the public, including stakeholders, schools and fans of industrial tourism. It is increasingly interesting to see where and how the best Made in Italy products are produced. They are also open to women and men who, by profession, tell stories and document things: writers, directors, photographers and actors. The aim is to create a new, more realistic representation of our companies’ quality and sustainability, in terms of both the environment and society. We must also help to overcome the anti-industrial, anti-scientific and anti-technological culture that is, unfortunately, still so widespread in our country.
It is an ambitious example of the ‘polytechnic culture’ we have discussed, going far beyond the self-referential and rhetorical representations of traditional storytelling. And a strategic choice that supports and strengthens the competitive capabilities of the production system: history and memory, beauty and quality, creativity and cutting-edge technology as essential parts of an ‘industrial pride’ that relaunches Made in Italy globally. Our soft power, indeed.