Italian companies thrive in the European Union and grow thanks to its open and competitive markets. Among the majority of entrepreneurs, there is still a clear conviction that there would be no growth without the EU. This is according to a survey from the Community Group, an economic communications company, which was published in Il Sole 24 Ore (10 May). The survey showed that 56.6% of entrepreneurs are firmly pro-EU, a higher percentage than for the general population, at 50.4%. In short, after the disaster of Brexit, the threat of a possible Italexit does not offer a convincing outlook for industry and jobs. That said, there is no shortage of concern and criticism about how the EU has worked so far, at least in the widespread perception in the economic world.

Naturally, 56.6% in favour of the EU is not an exciting percentage, either compared to a similar survey three years ago (in which 69% of entrepreneurs and 67% of the general public were pro-EU) or in light of opinions in the other major EU countries.

Severely affected by the financial crisis, fragile both socially and economically, with slower growth in terms of GDP, productivity and employment, Italy has once again been revealed as the weak link in an EU in difficulty. Held back for a long time by the inability of their leaders to carry out essential modernisation and social equity reforms with courage, broad sections of Italy’s population gave into temptation and listened to the political currents of sovereignty and populism, which find an easy scapegoat in the EU and the ‘powers’ of Brussels.

The Community Group survey covers the whole range of companies: large and medium-large, open, competitive and international, small and very small, those in difficulty because they are tied to a weak internal market, those that have innovated and successfully used EU Horizon 2020 digital economy funding, and others that have relied instead on contributions and funds from the shrinking public purse. While the first types are essential in terms of GDP growth due to exports, these others, of which there are many, especially in southern Italy and less dynamic economic areas, carry a strong electoral weight.

A different set of data gives a clearer picture. Thirty one per cent of entrepreneurs say that the euro has only created complications (compared to 26% three years ago), but 50.4% believe that the euro is still necessary despite the difficulties and 62% are convinced that things would be worse if the lira was reintroduced. So, one might conclude, the EU and the euro are here to stay despite everything.

But how to transform the euro into a real opportunity? 78.6% believe that greater coordination between regional economic policies is essential. This raises an essential point: new EU policies on taxation, economic development, research, education and welfare must be combined with monetary policies and common banking rules. So, more EU not less, and let’s bear in mind that all choices related to these issues are either made at a national level or entrusted to difficult negotiations at the European Council, where national governments are represented.

Moving on from opinions expressed in the polls to those of the leaders of business associations, views are clearer. Carlo Bonomi, the president of Assolombarda, asserts that ‘the return of sovereignty is not a mistake. It’s a crime.’ In the introduction to the book The Future of Europe, edited by the association, in collaboration with all the deans of Milan’s universities, he adds, ‘Europe is not an obstacle, but the best representative for our ideas on the world stage, because it carries more weight than anyone playing the game alone could.’ The explanation is clear: ‘The eleven Italian regions that today have interdependence rates with cross-border chains worth over 20% of their manufacturing – of which Lombardy, the Veneto and Emilia-Romagna obviously hold the top positions – account for 80% of Italian industrial added value by themselves. The data also shows that our small and medium international companies have been doing better than their French and German counterparts in recent years.’ The EU is an opportunity for growth, a trigger for development.

It is therefore necessary to think of ways in which the EU can work better, how to make more effective use of EU funds and how we can stimulate greater integration. The very opposite of the much-touted nationalism.

There is a lot of discussion about the need for a new Marshall Plan or Delors plan for big infrastructure, both material (the Turin-Lyon high-speed railway, for example) and intangible, to truly unify EU markets and communities. This would give infrastructure a symbolic and functional responsibility in strengthening EU relations (something we have spoken about several times in this blog). It’s essential to go beyond the fiscal compact, necessary as it is, and persist with the real economy, and the public and private EU investments needed for the environment, communications and research, to create a ‘smart land’ that strengthens integration, to improve quality of life and jobs. Companies are ready to play their part when it comes to investments, with ever greater commitment. There is widespread awareness that the economic challenge posed by the USA and China, should be played using the most sophisticated and innovative quality services, which offer greater value.

Infrastructure is another of the great challenges of relaunching the EU. It is to be financed in part by issuing Eurobonds and entrusted to efficient and well-coordinated management between structures in Brussels and EU and national agencies, with spending choices that avoid funds being lost or misused. This would be a real, far-sighted, productive development strategy, not a hand-out. Plans not just for strengthening the current Juncker plan but redefining the Investment Plan for Europe are being discussed in Brussels and the major EU capitals (starting with Berlin and Paris). These look beyond the European Parliament elections and identify ideas and proposals in the complicated international competitive framework.

Against this backdrop, Italy cannot afford to be isolated or marginal. For the Italian companies that continue to look from European players to the rest of the world with growing activism, there are strong nationalist and protectionist sentiments, looming demands for public influence in the direct management of the economy, a lack of respect for the autonomy of social bodies and the independence of major inspection authorities. The best Italian economy is still strongly characterized by liberal, reformist market companies, rooted in the productive areas of Italy and well equipped for international competition. A strengthened and, metaphorically speaking, reborn EU is good business indeed.

Analysing patents can help give a better understanding of the culture within production organisations.

Production culture can be measured by the intangible elements that characterise a company. The essence of these can be captured, in turn, by the collection of the patents that each organisation has. “Business inventions” or patents are an indication of the culture of each company and they show its progress.

Michele Santoro explores the subject of patents and what is now known as a company’s intangible assets in his thesis, which was presented at the Turin Polytechnic. “The valuation of intangible assets: from patent value models to bibliometric indicators” covers the essential elements of this topic and is therefore a good guide to the subject.

Santoro begins by considering that the valuation of intangible assets, especially patents, “has become increasingly crucial in the strategic and economic management of companies in recent years”. The research aims to further evaluate the value generated by this component.

Santoro looks at the world of intangible assets, outlining the most common types and listing their main features. He goes on to a deeper look at the characteristics of patents and their value, before getting to the use of “bibliometric indicators” for a better understanding of their effectiveness, particular research indexes that can help to provide an understanding of how much operational and scientific recognition individual patents really had. Citations, links between similar patents, the “boundaries” of individual patents and the “conflicts” in which the patents may be involved are all taken into consideration.

In summary, Santoro’s work gives an outline of a characteristic and important trait of the production culture of each individual organisation – patents – seen from a technical and economic perspective, which gives a better view of their characteristics and peculiarities.

Although it’s not always easy to read, “The valuation of intangible assets: from patent value models to bibliometric indicators” is a good basis for getting a better understanding of the complex system of corporate assets.

The valuation of intangible assets: from patent value models to bibliometric indicators

Michele Santoro

Thesis, Turin Polytechnic, Master’s Degree in Management Engineering, 2019

Click here to download PDF

Covering the century of Amma’s existence, this book helps give a better understanding of Italy’s industrial culture.

The first photo catches the gaze from the black eyes of a worker. Others capture big shiny machines, the movement of the pulleys, sparks from the foundries, drawings of warehouses, details of production, struggles in the factories and on the streets, the faces of the workers, production accomplishments, different company environments; different moments from a hundred years of a country’s history, retraced through that of Amma (the Association of Mechanical and Mechatronic Companies), one of Italy’s major industry associations.

This is the focus of “Amma 100. The evolution of industry”, a rich book that has just been published. In just over 200 large pages, the book is a collection of texts and associated photos that retrace a century of Italy’s industrial engineering history.

The book gives an in-depth account of business culture, factory life and, men and women at work. It is divided effectively into three phases: the first part looks at the period from 1919, when Amma was created, until the end of the war; the second takes us from reconstruction in 1946 to the boom in 1968, and the final section covers the period from the Hot Autumn of 1969 to 2019, the era of Industry 4.0. Each stage of Amma’s journey (and everything that revolves around it) is recalled in Giuseppe Berta’s account (he is an economics and industry historian and, above all, an expert on the specific case of the Italian industrial north-west). Berta interweaves the major events in Italian history with the minute, but no less important, local industrial history, which includes large companies like Fiat as well as small businesses. Every step is illustrated by images from different archives necessary to complement the text, photographs that depict the details as well as the full picture; images that often capture the true industrial essence of the time, as well as social, cultural and political events. Text and photos – it should be said – don’t spare anyone; instead they portray a piece of Italy (made up of industry, effort, hard work and more) that should be remembered today, an Italy that knew how to bounce back, despite truly difficult periods caused by wars, social clashes, attacks and political and institutional uncertainties.

“Amma 100” is not just a book to celebrate a birthday, nor is it a boring book about economic history. It’s something else that should be read carefully, to understand the culture of production, the traits of which still exist today but need to be defended and valued.

Amma 100. The evolution of Industry

Various authors.

Ansa, 2019

As the vote to renew the European Parliament approaches, there is a growing awareness that we are faced with an event that is anything but usual in the evolution of Europe’s political and economic structures. Seventy years on from the first agreements, the EU institutions and rules are facing a bitter assault which denies the many positive achievements and magnifies the crisis data. At the same time, a worrying wind is blowing, bringing the old twentieth century evils of nationalism and local particularities back with it. We are facing a challenge that affects not only the EU and its structures, but the very substance of liberal democracy, well-regulated markets and development that tries to promote the coexistence of competition and social solidarity.

It is worthwhile to try and get a better understanding of the key issues and a business culture perspective of the current debate. There are a few good books that can help. Let’s start with history and move onto current events.

Following the path left by Saint Benedict and the abbeys of the order that he founded in the mid-sixteenth century, this very intense new book by Paolo Rumiz (Feltrinelli) explores Europe from its foundation to the current day. It is a ‘journey to the roots of Europe‘ that begins in Norcia (the birthplace of the saint), then travels up through Italy, across France and Germany and back to Norcia. Well-cultivated lands, libraries (“Ora et labora”), factories, studies that gave rise to new laws ‒ different from the declining Roman and Visigothic ones ‒ dialogue on constraints and freedom, history to endure and a new history to build. It concludes: ‘We cannot allow our world to submit to the nationalist and supremacist delirium again. Europa, the Phoenician mother goddess, who first crossed the Mediterranean with apprehension, reminds us that we have always been the end of the line for migrants and urges us to sort out the current mess and set a new path.’

We move from history to the future with: ‘That which we can do‘ or ‘The freedom of Edith Stein and the spirit of Europe‘, in Lella Costa’s reflections, published by Solferino. The words of a Jewish born theologian, who was deported to the horrors of Auschwitz, murdered and proclaimed a saint by the Catholic Church, are remembered by Costa. In particular, the parts that insist on dialogue, peace, relationships built among different countries and cultures, are the very same values of Europe. It is a profound reflection on coexistence and the need to defend ourselves against the poison of nationalism and populism, which is still relevant today. These are strong words, which would be worth reading, together with those of Simone Weil, another great author of political thought and spirituality in the twentieth century.

These values also resonate in Oltre le nazioni (Beyond Nations) by Zygmunt Bauman, a concise essay from 2012. Laterza revived it to help us reflect on ‘Europe caught between sovereignty and solidarity.’ Bauman was an excellent interpreter of social change (the “liquid society”) and of the losses due to “the uncontrolled forces” of global markets. He gave a good description of the temptations to hide behind selfish clams to recover ‘lost national sovereignty’ and lamented the mistake. He now gives new life to Richard Sennett’s lesson that ‘the best way to understand differences is to cooperate openly and informally’ and suggests that: ‘offices and streets become less human when rigidity, utilitarianism and competition reign, whereas they are humanised if informal, open, collaborative interaction is fostered’. This is the idea for greater and better European integration, building bridges not walls.

There is a need to look at Europe with critical awareness and to try to change it. How? By reducing bureaucratic banalities, in favour of a better political union. To do this, it can help to play with irony and contradiction, as Robert Menasse does in La capitale (The Capital) published by Sellerio. Mensse is Austrian, a committed Europhile, an essayist and a novelist with rich creative flair. This is a novel full of fantasy and sarcasm that begins with a pig escaping through the streets of Brussels. The pig invokes the idea of lucrative business with China, but also represents a symbol of hostility towards Muslim immigrants, who cannot eat it. It holds public speeches, plays cultural games (or competitions) and devises economic plots, similar to many others who waste time in offices in Brussels. Stories of bureaucrats and their gloomy sexual adventures (‘He faked desire, she faked an organism. A perfect alchemy.’). This is a great opportunity to remember Auschwitz and the warning of “never again”, which degenerates in nationalistic clashes. Bountiful political visions are merged with wretched careers. The shadow of Brexit hangs over everyone. Will Europe re-emerge from the confusion of languages and interests? Maybe, as long as we never give up on the sense of common values, despite all the selfish stupidity.

Bruxelles (Brussels) is the title of the book by Beda Romano, correspondent for Il Sole24Ore (Il Mulino). It is a competent portrait ‘of an original and unusual capital, a true melting pot of cultures and experiences, which embodies the many souls of the European continent ‘. A land of stories and conflicts, of great Belgian intellectuals and refugees (Marx, Baudelaire, Van Eyck, Magritte), of immigrants and crowned heads, of autonomy and integration with the strong French economy: Brussels and Belgium are a melting pot of diversity and dialogue. The capital bears witness to the strength of the roots and the fruitfulness of supranational cultures. With its limits, it is a good paradigm for Europe and Romano communicates this well, from the best points of view.

Values and criticisms. Reread Le tre profezie (The Three Prophecies) and use it as a guide for ‘notes for the future‘, as Giulio Tremonti wrote for the publishing house Solferino. The book tells of a Europe in crisis, the limits of globalisation, political and social conflicts. He focuses on Marx and his Manifesto, certain that ‘ancient national isolation will be replaced by a universal interdependence’, on Goethe and the forecast of ‘winged tickets that will fly so high’ that they cannot be reached or controlled by the knowledge of most of mankind (a lucid premonition of the follies of finance and the paper economy), and on Leopardi’s Zibaldone, which is particularly critical of the slipping of national customs. It reads: ‘When the whole world was a Roman citizen, Rome no longer had any citizens; and when a Roman citizen was the same as Cosmopolite, there was no love for either Rome or the world.’ Tremonti goes on to quote Nietzsche and Shakespeare, the Weimar crisis and the Ventotene Manifesto, the projects of Gates and Zuckerberg (which he has little time for). He criticises the market ideology, EU bureaucracy, the fanaticism of the digital future, the roots from which populism and sovereignty is born. This stimulating read leads to discussion on how to build a better common future on more solid and fair foundations.

These themes recur, in a different way, in Stare in Europa – Sogno, incubo e realtà (Staying in Europe: dream, nightmare and reality) by Riccardo Perissich (Bollati Boringhieri). As we approach the May vote, it is worthwhile to reflect critically on a “community model” that was created 70 years ago and is now inadequate in part. It is also important to avoid negative, anti-Brussels rhetoric. We need to take note that when faced with global challenges (supranational economic powers, the development of the cyber economy, Islamic terrorism, great waves of migration), the asphyxiated nationalism of the “small country” does not provide answers. ‘Greater political integration‘ is needed instead, because ‘the battle to preserve the EU, and liberal democracy in Europe along with it, deserves to be fought and is perhaps the greatest challenge of this century’.

With all its rules, Europe has long been regarded as a necessary ‘external constraint’ to force ‘undisciplined’ Italians to adhere to good governance, reforms and orderly public accounts. However, a certain “sacred” idea of the Maastricht parameters and the ideological inclination of the “ordo liberalism” of the Northern countries have caused reactions that have hurt both Italy and the EU itself, fuelling populism and the desire for sovereignty. Federico Fubini explains it well in Per amor proprio (For self-love) published by Longanesi: ‘Italy needs to stop hating Europe and being ashamed of itself.’ The “common rules” have caused ‘different effects’ in the various countries. Bureaucracy has filled the gaps left by policies that lost momentum. For the Italians who are fascinated by neo-nationalism, Fubini recalls the merits of our businesses, the virtuous saving of millions of citizens, the proper functioning of some public and private services. He insists on a better Europe. The choice to make is between European integration ‘and some further away empire that is less democratic, which we would end up having to submit to in exchange for a bit of help, without having any say in our destiny’.

Let’s take a look at the new international balances. Danilo Taino does this well in Scacco all’Europa – La guerra fredda tra Cina e Usa per il nuovo ordine mondiale (Checkmate to Europe – The Cold War between China and the US for the new world order) published by Solferino, a book full of rational geopolitical analysis. Taino is well aware that ‘every world order is destined to collapse: the Eurocentric order is long since over and the Pax Americana that took its place is in decline, challenged by the “young” Chinese power’. Who’s trying to regain the upper hand? Trump’s White House is through a trade war it started with China and the main European countries. The Chinese strategies are too through the Belt and Road Initiative, with thousands of billions invested in infrastructure development to link Beijing with Europe and Africa. There is no lack of political or economic tension. Nor of conflicting strategies. They are investing in ‘a sick Europe, in the throes of a political and economic crisis, and destined to be transformed into a land of conquest by Beijing and Moscow, if it does not abandon the illusion that it is still at the centre of the world’. A Europe, therefore, to rethink.

In conclusion, we could say Europa nonostante tutto (Europe despite everything), borrowing the effective title from the slender volume written by Maurizio Ferrera, Piergaetano Marchetti, Alberto Martinelli, Antonio Padoa Schioppa (as well as by the author of this blog) for La nave di Teseo, to make a point about the main characteristics of the EU. It is a tale of an extraordinary political choice, starting from the Ventotene Manifesto (written in 1941 by the liberal minds of three Italian anti-fascists in confinement, Altiero Spinelli, Ernesto Rossi and Eugenio Colorni), institutions, European citizenship, the euro, the economy and markets, and the best welfare systems in the world, all of which is to be valued, defended, reformed and strengthened. Europe has a positive value. Europe has a future.

A recently published article analyses the ways in which territorial agreements are being developed to replace social welfare

Companies come to society’s rescue. We are not talking about do-gooders, but what is now known as corporate welfare. It’s a continuation of what some large companies have been doing for a while now: assisting employees, even outside of work. The latest step taken, in the case of national collective bargaining as well, is to spread the various forms of corporate welfare, which were isolated from one another until a few years ago.

Valentino Santoni (from the Centro Studi Einaudi, University of Milan) has tried to take a systematic approach to the issue in his article “Reti d’impresa e accordi territoriali per il welfare aziendale: i tratti distintivi delle esperienze italiane” (Business networks and territorial agreements for corporate welfare: distinctive traits of Italian case studies), which recently appeared in the publication Sociologia del lavoro (Sociology of Work).

Santoni’s investigation starts with an observation: changes in the social and democratic structure of our country, the emergence of new social risks and the consequences arising from the recent economic crisis have profoundly changed the face of the Italian welfare system. There are two sides to the subject identified by the author. On the one hand, the public social welfare system appears to be in increasing difficulty; on the other, forms of social intervention have emerged in response to this problem. By mobilising non-public economic resources, these can be integrated into the welfare state and help to sustain it.

This is the point where the various corporate welfare activities (which are now included in national work contracts) are conceived and developed. Santoni goes on to explore the links between business networks in the country and territorial agreements for welfare, aiming to isolate the traits that are characteristic of the Italian experience.

Santoni discovered that the spreading of this phenomenon does not seem to be uniform across the country and that one of the most effective ways to create corporate welfare activities is to join forces with others. Understanding the potential of corporate welfare, the research explains that in the last period, there have been many instances where networks of companies have been established or where companies have participated in multi-party networks with Third Sector organisations and public institutions. The research aimed to identify and investigate the key characteristics that help concisely describe the experiences in Italy. The result is a map of corporate welfare experiences, which is useful to get a better understanding of the activities that are evolving in our country. A must-read.

“Reti d’impresa e accordi territoriali per il welfare aziendale: i tratti distintivi delle esperienze italiane”

Valentino Santoni (Centro Studi Einaudi, University of Milan)

Sociologia del lavoro, 2019, File: 153

A book that looks at a specific part of a large company’s existence and activity

The company holds a place right next to the worker. Not a false pretence of caring, but something different. Something that can be complicated to explain and interpret. Something that is expressed in ways that differ even though they share common features. Analysing what we now call corporate welfare or corporate social responsibility (depending on the case), is both a good thing and quite useful: it helps us understand important aspects of the corporate culture in production organisations.

This is why we should read Le case Olivetti a Ivrea. L’Ufficio Consulenza Case Dipendenti e Emilio A. Tarpino (The Olivetti houses in Ivrea. The Employee Housing Advisory Office and Emilio A. Tarpino) written by Carlo Olmo, Patrizia Bonifazio and Luca Lazzarini (the first is an architect and architectural historian, and the others are architects and urban planners), with photos by Paolo Mazzo. The book was written following research carried out at the Olivetti Historical Archive Association and other public and private archives. It takes a look at the employee housing programme that the company set up in Ivrea, with particular focus on the role of the Olivetti Employee Housing Advisory Office, managed by the architect Emilio A. Tarpino.

The authors examine the design models and political choices that Olivetti made during an important period of its history. These choices demonstrate the variety of people and cultures – including technical ones – that played a part in shaping Ivrea’s residential landscape. The town underwent a unique modernisation process, where social services were placed at the heart of factory life and drew international attention to the “Olivetti case”. The factory-community became a model. In short, this is the story of a crucial aspect of the company-community, which was perhaps unique in the modern industrial history, both in Italy and abroad. The company was intimately linked to the region and its people, whilst developing modern technologies that placed it at the top of the market for years. It remained that way until a change in the cultural climate, inside and outside the factory, changed the focus and goals of production.

Following a forward by Olmo, the book describes the setting and the context that link home and region, before moving onto the story of how the links between company, architecture and region developed over the years. It then takes a deeper look at the business operations and the work carried out by the Employee Housing Advisory Office, and it includes illustrations of floor plans and design drawings. A series of photographs of the Olivetti homes in Ivrea and documents complete the volume, helping to give a better understanding of the what took place.

The work by Olmo, Bonifazio and Lazzarini is not just a book on architecture: it is a journey into events that can teach us a great deal. Above all, it illustrates how corporate culture – in the form of employee housing – which seems so far from the heart of production, can deliver levels of excellence in an industry.

Le case Olivetti a Ivrea. L’Ufficio Consulenza Case Dipendenti e Emilio A. Tarpino

Carlo Olmo, Patrizia Bonifazio, Luca Lazzarini

Il Mulino, 2019

“La storia è un bene comune. La sua conoscenza è un principio di democrazia e di uguaglianza tra i cittadini” (History is a common good. Understanding history is a democratic and egalitarian principle for all citizens). The appeal launched at the end of April by author Andrea Camilleri, historian Andrea Giardina and Senator for Life Liliana Segre calls for dedicating more time to history, both in school and university curricula, as well as on the high school diploma exam. The plea has already been endorsed by more than a thousand people, among which historians, artists, scientists, women and men from the cultural, show business, publishing and finance sectors. They continue to gather signatures (the complete list is on the La Repubblica website and newspaper). Almost simultaneously, the “Manifesto per la filosofia” (Philosophy Manifesto) initiative was launched by two upper secondary school teachers, Marco Ferrari and Gian Paolo Terravechia (reported in Corriere della Sera on 30 April). It has already been endorsed and supported by a significant number of teachers as well as leading personalities from the cultural realm. The request is for more hours for philosophy lessons – not just in upper secondary schools but also in vocational institutions – and for philosophy to be included as a subject on the high school diploma examinations.

There is a clear connection between these two initiatives and positive impacts: a commitment to knowledge, studying to address questions on the meaning and purpose of our existence as people of conscience, refining the tools that aid in thinking critically on all matters relating to our humanity. Philosophy (in the words of Kant) is ‘the teleology of human reason’ or, that which gives meaning and explains the purpose of knowing and acting, enabling us to be fully aware as we understand and decide what to do. History, aside from the triviality of being magistra vitae, ‘is non-uniform, non-homogeneous critical knowledge that refuses to conform and exists through dialogue. Historians have their own political ideas, but these ideas need to be tested against documentary evidence and debate, so as to compare them with the ideas of others and commit to their dissemination,’ states the appeal made by Camilleri, Giardina and Segre).

We are living in miserable times, a period of furious and fleeting passions, of enraged emotions and thoughtless resentment, of rhetoricians and demagogues who use distress and fear as a bargaining chip to gain an electoral consensus that is full of resentment and lacking in concrete prospects. There are vulgar diatribes against scientists and people for whom knowledge and competence are the fundamentals of life and are their tools for work as well as for their social and civil engagements. Ignorance is flaunted, accepted, cradled, prized. Critique is mocked. It is considered an intolerable incivility.

The appeals regarding history and philosophy also demonstrate a willingness to raise heads above the parapet once again and to not accept the decline in public debate and the erosion of the fundamental reasons for living in a civil society.

Hence, history and philosophy should be studied better. We should want to know. We should learn to discern. We should rebalance the rhetoric. We must develop the ability to think critically about the meaning of things and the reasons for choices. Therefore, we cannot give way to those who raise their voices, their hands or even just spout nonsense in the hope that nobody will question them. Instead, we can play the card of competent disagreement and of irony, why not? Anyone who knows recent history knows who Leo Longanesi was: a learned man, extraordinary journalist, irreverent spirit and annoyingly awkward contrarian. He coined the phrase “Mussolini is always right”. It was an ironic remark, a tease aimed at the rhetoricians who spoke up for Mussolini and a beneficial dictatorship. But those rhetoricians, with their lack of intelligence and capacity for critical thinking, took him seriously. And we all know how that ended up and the damage they caused Italy and Italians, which ranged from the lack of freedom to the infamous racial laws and the disasters of the Second World War. These are pages in history that should never be forgotten.

Indeed, we need more history if we consider how world events have evolved and in light of the complex and strongly resisted construction of Italy’s heterogeneous national identity (open and multifarious, and therefore strong). We need more philosophy to tackle the many questions posed by the contemporary processes of science, technologies and economics.

And what’s more, philosophy is amongst the main subjects that have been taught for years at the top Italian universities, such as the Politecnico of Milan and Turin, as well as at the Grandes Écoles of engineering in France. Anyone who reads this blog will know how much recurring attention we’ve dedicated to the “philosopher engineers” as an essential human resource for companies dealing with technological and market complexities. The need is strong for our economy, which was founded on the concept of “beautiful and well made”. It would strengthen its competitiveness through the genuine ability, which we Italians are particularly good at, to combine humanistic knowledge with scientific know-how.

Ours is the culture of beauty and knowledge. As Carlo Levi taught us, the future has an ancient heart. The memories in our books, in our historical and corporate archives, are similar to the tools that instigate designing and implementing change. “La storia siamo noi” (We Are History) borrows a phrase from one of Francesco De Gregori’s most beautiful songs, which speaks of the importance of being fully aware.

A dissertation defended at LUISS University provides a summary of the situation

Industry 4.0 and real enterprises, which therefore refers to work and production. People, men and women, grapple with advancing their personal and professional growth. The fourth industrial revolution is not just about increasing productivity and new ways of doing so, more importantly it is about engaging people. It is changing the business culture in both substance and appearance.

For this reason, it is important that the technological paradigm of Industry 4.0 is flanked by the human and social paradigm. This is precisely what Matteo Consiglio accomplishes in his dissertation that he defended in front of the Department of Economics and Management, Business Organisation at LUISS University. “Industria 4.0 nelle competenze e nei processi delle imprese: le professioni digitali nel mercato del lavoro italiano” (Industry 4.0 reflected in business skill sets and processes: digital professions on the Italian job market) begins by exploring how Industry 4.0 ‘brings together the changes, technologies and innovations that are characterising our time and that will radically influence the years to come’. Consiglio immediately explains that with this perspective ‘the dynamics of this transformation are still not completely clear, but the degree to which they will differ from the previous status quo is going to be very significant’. Hence, we need a much better understanding of it. This is especially important if we are to manage the change successfully and take full advantage of its potential. This includes focussing on the human element by developing ‘new proactive approaches and capabilities that provide the necessary creativity and flexibility’.

The dissertation opens with a clear overview of the ongoing transformation. It then moves on to discuss the changes that are necessary from a human resources perspective before focussing the reader’s attention on changes to professions and professional development in Italy.

Consiglio’s paper distinguishes itself for the way it manages to discuss a complex and constantly evolving subject using clear language and very few pages, which is something that is often lacking in publications.

“Industria 4.0 nelle competenze e nei processi delle imprese: le professioni digitali nel mercato del lavoro italiano”

Matteo Consiglio

Dissertation, LUISS, Department of Economics and Management, Business Organisation, 2018

Click here to download PDF

Stefano Zamagni’s latest book discusses one of today’s critical issues

The modern business has significant responsibility. Actually, businesses of the past and the present have always had significant responsibility. So do each one of us, we all have a certain degree of personal responsibility. It’s important for everybody to understand what that means, but it’s particularly key for those who – owners and managers – are responsible for managing production organisations (without even mentioning those who have the destinies of entire communities in their hands).

Reading this latest volume by Stefano Zamagni (who is a Professor of Political Economy at the University of Bologna and at Johns Hopkins University, but above all is one of the most perceptive observers of our time), which is dedicated to the concept of responsibility, may prove to be very useful indeed.

Zamagni discusses what it means to be responsible today, not so much from the perspective of single individuals, but from a collective standpoint. A subject that raises many questions.  For example, who is responsible for the growth in inequality, unemployment, poverty, and climate-related disasters? And what’s going to happen in the society of big data and social networks, where smart machines will be able to “think” and make decisions? And furthermore, whatever happened to the corporate social responsibility that everyone talked about so much?

Zamagni attempts to answer these and other questions, doing so with clear language even when discussing particularly complex issues. He starts by considering that in today’s world (hyper-connected and globalised), each and every action leads to unwanted, and often even unimaginable, consequences.  This situation applies to governments as well as to companies. Zamagni’s message tells us that being responsible is not just about not “doing harm”, but is also about taking actions which do some good. Within the market, behaviours should be adopted that assert responsibility as a way of caring. This means not just “not doing”, but also and in particular “doing things the right way”.

The book (just over two hundred pages to be read calmly and carefully) is a narrative that is divided into six chapters and contains an epilogue. The author begins by talking about “types of responsibility”. He then continues by examining “market outcome responsibility” before moving on to an analysis of corporate social responsibility and the possible existence of “responsible finance”. After, he tackles the subject of “machines that think” and “machines that make decisions”, finishing by clearly stating that “only neohumanism will save the economy”.  In the epilogue, Zamagni attempts to summarise his reasoning by saying: ‘Today, being responsible means this: not considering oneself as the mere result of processes that are out of our control, nor as a self-sufficient entity that doesn’t require relationships with others. In other words, it means thinking that what lies ahead of us is never completely determined by what came before.’ It is from here that the need arises, according to the author, to reassess the market model, and more generally that of the economy, which is the most widespread today.

Besides direct arguments, Zamagni’s book has another highly positive characteristic: it discusses a complex issue using clear and understandable language whilst still managing to bring into the discussion stimuli and ideas from the worlds of economics, history, philosophy and literature. Thus, Musil ends up alongside Keynes, Machiavelli with Marshall, Plato, Cicero and Guicciardini with Mill, Friedmann and Drucker, not to mention Kafka, Einaudi, Eco, Leopardi and many more.

Responsabili. Come civilizzare il mercato

Stefano Zamagni

Il Mulino, 2019