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The 4.0 technologies are changing agricultural production processes and with them the agro-food supply chains, fundamental for the competitiveness of the Made in Italy and Basilicata, a region of southern Italy. It has invested in modernization and restructuring of agricultural, agri-food and forestry farms by rural development policies, which address respect for sustainability and to reduction of renewable and non-renewable resources, preserving quality and the link with the territory. Some Lucanian agricultural entrepreneurs, interested in experimenting with innovative and sustainable agriculture, has intensified relations with the local scientific world, the advisors, training institutions and with small and medium-sized agro-industrial enterprises, setting up clusters. Then European Partnerships for Innovation have formed inside them. This paper analyses the eleven Operational Groups of the Lucanian European Partnerships which represent the incubators for the digitalization of agri-food 4.0. From the analysis it emerged that the maximum expression of digitization in Basilicata is Precision Farming, as evidenced by the establishment of a specific operating group, AgrotechBasilicata. However, the other Lucanian OGs can also be classified as digital because they are interested by information collection systems, software and data analysis, as well as robotics and automation.

Purpose of the paper: This study examines the impact of digital transformation on business model innovation and internationalization using the context of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) operating in the Made in Italy. The study attempts to answer the following research questions: 1) How is digital transformation changing the business model of SMEs? 2) How is digital transformation changing the internationalization strategies of SMEs? Methodology: To answer these research questions, we present a multiple case study research on the digital transformation of three Made in Italy SMEs. Results: We found that digital instruments contribute to innovate the business model of all the selected SMEs, creating new distribution channels and new ways to build and deliver value to customers; moreover, the use of social media becomes the driver and the “prerequisite” for internationalisation. Research limitations: The main limitations are related to the limited number of case studies and the difficulty in the replication of results. Practical implications: Focusing on Made in Italy, our study contributes to the existing literature on business model and digital transformation of SMEs. Second, it contributes to the internationalisation literature, identifying new paths for entering new geographical markets. In addition to the theoretical implications, this study provides some managerial implications to accomplish the digital transformation of SMEs operating in Made in Italy. Originality. To the best of our knowledge, the present is the first specific study aimed at investigating this intriguing theme for Made in Italy SMEs.

Recently, the customs chemistry laboratory of Bari, Italy, initiated a project to organize activities for students, with the purpose of promoting awareness of its role and services in the Apulia region, as well as to encourage students to study chemistry. This paper aims to show how the project can be an effective way to introduce students to the role of chemical analysis in the evaluation and valorization of one of the more-exported Italian products, by means of a 2 h lab-integrated lecture. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) was the product chosen as it is one of the more widely known symbols in the world of being “made in Italy”. Great attention has been devoted to the importance of the sensorial analysis of EVOO. Through this activity, students are introduced to the richness of their own sensory skills in the context of the official custom regulations. Evidence collected from the postactivity student survey responses indicates that this integrated lab–lecture was extremely successful at accomplishing the aims identified, and that students particularly appreciated the multidisciplinary approach.

The first high fashion show organized in Florence in 1951 represented an important event for the development of the Italian fashion sector, increasing the importance of the fashion industry in inte...

Italy is one of the European countries hosting the largest number of Chinese immigrants. In the early 1980’s, the first Chinese new migrants came to Italy, where they would find an employment in the Italian textile industry. Since then, Chinese overseas have played an important role in the field of fashion, a sector of the Italian economy with a high demand in production and manual work. Petty trading and small-scale enterprises are also representations of the Chinese population’s activity in Italy. This article provides statistics concerning the Chinese migrants as an economically active person and the activities of the Chinese community in Italy as a whole.The authors analyze the phenomenon of Chinese labour migration to Italy from the point of view of the “push and pull factors” migration theory. This article illustrates the main factors leading Chinese citizens to leave their home country and shift to Italy, where China turns out to be the point of origin for one of the largest communities of extra-EU immigrants. It is shown that for the Chinese, Italy is a destination country, which is largely due to the already existing migrant network. As a case-study in the frame of this analysis, the authors take Prato (a municipal township located in Tuscany), renowned for hosting the largest Chinatown in Europe (so called “Chinese exclave”).

Purpose This paper aims to provide a snapshot of various countries’ contributions to value produced along global value chains (GVCs). It focusses on manufacturing activities and their evolution over time, in the context of GVC regionalisation. Design/methodology/approach The Trade in Value Added (TiVA) and World Integrated Trade Solution databases for the period of 2005-2015 were used to explore the case of Italy and its industries’ specialisations (Made in Italy): fashion, furniture, automotive and machinery traditionally organised into clusters. Various analyses were used to show the dynamics of gross import–export and imported–exported value-added. Moreover, the revealed comparative advantage index was computed to test whether the Made in Italy sector remains a source of competitive advantage for Italy within GVCs. Findings The results highlight how the geography of value-added is changing over time, with growing importance placed on the countries close to Italy and with a different pace according to each considered GVC. Originality/value The paper applied new methods to compare trade and analyse value-added dynamics through a recent database released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development within the TiVA initiative that is useful for scholars and policymakers.

İtalyan modası, tüm dünyada stilin ve şıklığın referans noktasıdır. Bu makalede, İstanbul’da görülen “Dilsel Manzara”ya (DM) ilişkin somut dilbilimsel işaretler toplanmış ve analiz edilmiştir. Bir DM, “belirli bir bölgedeki dillerin halka açık ve ticari işaretlerde görünürlüğünü ve göze çarpmasını” dikkate alır (Landry ve Bourhis, 1997). Bu çalışma, hedef bölge olarak özellikle seçilen, İstanbul Üniversitesi’nin de bulunduğu “Laleli” gölgesinde gözlenen dilsel-görsel işaretlerin nicel ve dilbilimsel analizine dayanır. Fotoğraf koleksiyonu, nitel bir yorumlama ile görsel nicel bir yaklaşımı zenginleştirmek amacıyla yerel mağaza sahipleriyle yapılan görüşmelerin başlangıç noktası olarak kullanılmıştır. İstanbul'daki İtalyan işaretlerinin toplanması ve analizi, “İtalyanlığın” canlılığını ve genellikle Türkiye’de bir pazarlama stratejisi olarak benimsenen “İtalyan sesinin” etkinliğini göstermeyi amaçlamaktadır. Aynı zamanda bu araştırma, İtalyan ürünlerinin sadece İstanbul’un DM’sinde değil, tüm dünyada uyguladığı çekiciliğin gücüne değinir. Made in Italy, İtalya’nın ekonomik büyümesine katkıda bulunup aynı zamanda İtalya’nın yurtdışındaki “yumuşak gücünü” de arttırır (Nye, 1990). Son bir düşünce olarak İtalyanların çoğu zaman anadillerinin yurtdışındaki şöhretinin ve canlılığının farkında olmadığının altı çizilir. Diğer Avrupa vatandaşlarının aksine, İtalyan vatandaşları genellikle dillerinin güzelliğini ve müzikalitesini bozan gereksiz bir şekilde İngilizceden alıntılanan sözcükleri benimsemeyi tercih eder (Testa, 2017)., Italian fashion is a reference point of style and elegance all over the world. Tangible linguistic signs of “Italianess” in the Istanbul Linguistic Landscape (LL) have been collected and analysed in this paper. LL takes into account the "visibility and salience of languages on public and commercial signs in a given territory" (Landry & Bourhis, 1997). This research is based on the quantification and linguistic analysis of the linguistic visual signs observed in the target area. “Laleli” district, an area located in the surroundings of Istanbul Üniversitesi, has been specifically explored. The photographic collection has been used as starting point for interviews with local shop owners in order to enrich a visual quantitative approach with a qualitative interpretation. The collection and analysis of Italian signs in Istanbul LL aims to demonstrate the vitality of the “Italianess” and the effectiveness of Italian Sounding often adopted as a winning marketing strategy in Turkey. Furthermore, this investigation serves as a powerful reminder of the attractiveness exercised by Italian products not only in Istanbul LL, but all over the world. Made in Italy contributes to Italian economic growth, but also to increase the Soft Power of Italy abroad (Nye, 1990). A final reflection highlights to what extend Italians are often not aware of the fame and vitality of their mother tongue abroad. Contrary to what happens in other European countries, Italians often prefer to adopt unnecessary anglicisms mistreating the beauty and the musicality of their language (Testa, 2017).

Through this paper, the author emphasises the importance of the role that migrant women and men play in the Italian agricultural sector, and the need to better protect them from forms of labour exploitation. Italian products are well known all over the world and represent the excellency of an entrepreneurial fabric made of thousands of family-run small and medium enterprises which from the Alps to Sicily produce unique fruits, vegetables, food, and wines. But a long history of illegal recruitment and labour exploitation, known in Italy as caporalato, tarnish the long supply chain which brings Italian agri-food products to dining tables and market shelves across the globe. In addition, to cope with the forms of exploitation occurring in the Italian countryside, this the paper points out the need to harmonise norms and regulation on labour, migration, and human rights. In doing so, it also argues that both the mens legislatoris and law enforcement authorities modus operandi should progressively move from an approach which is based on a relentless pursuit of the organized crime component for criminalising the acts of labour exploitation and illegal recruitment as defined in the criminal code, to a more comprehensive and holistic approach which puts the rights of migrant agricultural workers as the agenda’s top priority.

Over the 2010s, the representations of Italian agriculture were crossed by a tension between the “gastronationalist” claims of the “Made in Italy food” excellence and the denounces of the dramatic conditions of migrant farmworkers. In 2020, the first phase of the Covid19 crisis highlighted both the risk of workforce shortage in this sector, due to the restrictions of workers’ mobility, and the exposure of migrant labourers to the epidemics. In response to these risks, in mid-May the Government launched a regularization program for undocumented migrants. This chapter proposes a discourse analysis of the political debate on this measure, focusing on its main actors: the Minister of Agriculture Teresa Bellanova; the leader of the populist radical-right Lega party, Matteo Salvini; Aboubakar Soumahoro, grassroot union organizer. This analysis unpacks the different articulations of populism in their positions and shows that they all embrace a “populism as method”: only by representing himself/herself as a “member of the people”, one can legitimately discuss about agriculture in the Italian political debate.

In marketing studies, many researches have already investigated consumers’ responses towards mobile augmented reality (MAR) and the enhancement of user experience. Notwithstanding, little is known on how MAR creates value for consumers and companies, boosting the internationalization process. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the perceived usefulness and value creation of MAR, evaluating both suppliers’/retailers’ and consumers’ sides in the “Made in Italy” Food and Beverage context. To reach this aim, data were gathered using 5 semi-structured interviews with suppliers/retailers and an online survey administered to 361 consumers. Following a mixed-approach, data were triangulated to enhance generalisation of data. Findings indicate a particular usefulness of MAR for product traceability and communication of nutritional information for consumers. In addition, MAR may help identify falsification for the “Made in” products, especially in international markets such as China and the US. Despite these interesting insights, MAR usage and application are still limited for “Made in Italy” products. Thus, this paper provides new and fresh insights in marketing theory related to new technologies adoption, highlighting interesting implications for marketers working in international contexts.

This paper presents the design actions and the results obtained in the project “Development of fashion products”, a joint operation carried out by the Design Department, Milano Fashion Institute consortium and the IILA, Instituto Italo-Latinoamericano, based in Rome; aimed at creating a training course for trainers and local development activities, respectively, in Paraguay, to understand, support and develop actions related to micro-entrepreneurship and women’s self-determination. The aim of the project “Development of fashion products” was initially to create a training course for trainers from Latin American institution, especially for trainers from Instituto Paraguayo de Artesania de Asuncion, to strengthen the training activities already underway in the institute. The course held in Milan in2weeks through three macro themes: Fashion Design Management, Technologies and Merceology for Fashion, Design and Product Development—the latter in the form of a design workshop on research methodologies, organization and management of a fashion collection—with the aim of bringing participants to the modus operandi that today characterizes the development of a fashion product within the most prestigious made in Italy brands. The second phase of the project is focused instead on two international actions, in two municipalities of Paraguay, Pilar and Yataity, with the aim of achieving a co-design workshop with two groups of women artisans specialized in embroidery, to transmit to them the concepts of micro-entrepreneurship, female self-determination and improvement of female workers in their communities. Through this field experience, we can observe that creativity in design combined with the manual work and the ability of the artisans to know how to manipulate materials represent the expression of a society wish, able to understand the changes; today, the object of market and consumption is not only the simple possession of a specific product but also it is the experience, the “story” that the customer can live inside the object, according to values of the manufacture that create or add value to the existence.

This study examines the impact of digital transformation on customer value creation in the context of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) operating in the Made in Italy sectors, with the aim of understanding how dynamic capabilities, as enabling mechanisms, may foster digital transformation. We use multi-case study research on the digital transformation of six Made in Italy SMEs, belonging to the food, fashion, and furniture design industries. The results show that, for the selected SMEs, digital instruments contribute to innovation of their business model, creating new distribution channels and new ways to create and deliver value to customer segments. The results highlight the relevance of sensing and learning capabilities as triggers of digital transformation. In addition to the theoretical contribution to the existing literature on digital transformation and organizational capability, this study provides some managerial implications for digital transformation in SMEs operating in the Made in Italy sectors.

While the global COVID-19 pandemic affected all the industries, the Italian agri-food sector positively performed over this period, supported by the exports, underlining the need for new international strategies to authentically engage consumers. This study aims to investigate the impact of customer education (CE) on the perceptions and evaluations of foreign consumers towards Made in Italy products as a part of the food experience in the agri-food sector. After a literature review, the paper illustrates the main topics of customer education, food experience and country-of-origin (COO) effect of Made in Italy. The purposes of the conceptual paper relate to the strategic use of country-of-origin effect by companies in order to promote products and services in foreign markets, and to the analysis of the impact of customer education within the food sector on the perception of Made in Italy products taking into account the new challenges of the current situation.

The objective of this article is to investigate the systemic vision of the Made in Italy concept as a set of interrelated principles and values (tangible and intangible) oriented towards inward-looking (focus on the operations themselves) versus outward-looking (focus on the competitive context) in the scope of Design Culture. Considered a polycentric phenomenon, the performance of Made in Italy results from the connection between companies and the productive competence existing in the value chain, from the raw material to the final consumer. Thus, currently, it seems appropriate to analyze Made in Italy from the perspective of Design Culture since there is a qualitative change in the way Design is practiced, circulated, and perceived. In this prism, the fashion product is considered a hybrid product, in which material elements are valued due to the formatting of cultural, creative, and communicational references. The research approach adopted was systemic-constructivist and of a qualitative nature.

For centuries, Italy has been the benchmark for the high fashion and luxury sector, and while the ownership of the firms is often no longer totally Italian, the majority of the production is still “made in Italy”. During the financial crisis, the luxury industry has not been affected by downturn much, also thanks to “Millennials”, who assign a symbolic meaning to luxury goods as they endow relevance to virtual windows created by social networks. The brands capable of seizing the opportunity of digital communication (i.e. e-commerce; social network pages; sponsorships and commercial agreements with “influencers”; etc.) have overcome the adverse economic cycle rapidly.

Part of the research infrastructure IR.IDE (Research Infrastructure Integral Design Environment), the VIDE (Vision Integral Design Environment) laboratory aims at researching the emerging questions of representing projects of architecture, art, multimedia and cinema. Cultural Heritage is involved in many of these questions, therefore a specific focus is on the safeguard and promotion of Heritage by means of digital tools employed in survey, algorithmic and BIM 3D modeling, digital manufacturing and Immersive Technologies. VIDE, and more generally IR.IDE, are particularly interested in the Made in Italy context. One of the lines of research investigates the relationships between drawing and big data, both theoretically and through designing the features of a database which combines information on multiple semantic layers. Another research deals with the modernization of stereotomic techniques, by means of tools coming from digital modeling and 3D printing, in order to build an algorithm capable of automatizing innovative design processes. The other field researches the requirements for a Virtual Museum of Venice, in primis suitable for showing the architectural and urban transformations of the city, by means of an interactive database.

Received March 9, 2020; accepted May 5, 2020. Дата поступления 9 марта 2020 г.; дата принятия к печати 5 мая 2020 г. Relevance. The paper seeks to explore how small and medium handicrafts can successfully compete in the globalized market. It questions, in particular, the relevance of the territory, of industrial districts and of the use of information technology to create innovative approaches to production and marketing, and consolidate the territory’s competitive position in global value chains. It highlights actual viable strategies for small and medium businesses operating in particularly complex sectors like those that are part of the “fashion system”. Thus, the article deals with an important part of the national industry in the moment of world-wide crisis. Research Objective. The article discusses successful strategies of small firms in clothing and fashion industry. Its purpose is to verify if and how handicrafts operating in the sectors particularly exposed to international competition succeed in competing effectively in international markets. The study tests the thesis that local dimension does not necessarily represent a disadvantage in the age of globalization and that even handicrafts can play at the international level. The study also verifies the role of territory in granting unique competitive advantage in the global market. Data and Methods. The methodological approach combines analysis of statistical data with four case studies. The work combines analytical and empirical approaches to highlight how a single business can reach levels of excellence in troubled markets. Results. The study demonstrates that handicrafts can find spaces for growth in such declining sectors as cloth production in developed countries, provided that they succeed in focusing on niche markets through process, product, and marketing innovations; in using up-to-date technology; and in exploiting territorially embedded values. In this context technology emerges as a strategic tool as it lowers transaction costs and entrance barriers, offers innovative opportunities for re-organizing production processes, and enlarges potential markets. Industrial districts, then, continue to represent a viable strategic advantage in terms of flexibility, know-how, and cooperation. Finally, the brand “made in Italy” confirms its status as an internationally recognized synonym of quality and fashionable design, opening companies the way to high level, luxury niches. Актуальность. Статья посвящена изучению того, как малые и средние ремесленные изделия могут успешно конкурировать на глобализированном рынке. В ней рассмотрены, в частности, роль территории, промышленных районов и использования информационных технологий для создания инновационных подходов к производству и сбыту, а также для укрепления конкурентоспособности территории в глобальных цепочках создания стоимости. Освещены актуальные жизнеспособные стратегии для малого и среднего бизнеса, работающего в особенно сложных секторах, таких как те, которые являются частью «системы моды». Таким образом, статья посвящена важной части итальянской промышленности в момент мирового кризиса. Цель исследования. В статье рассматриваются стратегии малых фирм в индустрии одежды и моды. Цель исследования состоит в том, чтобы проверить, успешно ли эти фирмы конкурируют на международных рынках. В исследовании проверяется тезис о том, что размер фирмы не обязательно является недостатком в эпоху глобализации и что даже ремесленные фирмы могут эффективно играть на международном уровне. Статья также подтверждает роль территории в предоставлении уникального конкурентного преимущества на мировом рынке. Данные и методы. Методологический подход объединяет теоретическое обсуждение выбранной научной литературы и статистических данных с углублённым анализом четырёх фирм. Работа сочетает в себе аналитические и эмпирические подходы, чтобы подчеркнуть, успешные стратегии отдельных фирм. Результаты. Исследование показывает, что ремесленные фирмы могут найти пространство для роста в таких сокращающихся секторах, как производство одежды в развитых странах, при условии, что им удастся сосредоточиться на нишевых рынках с помощью инноваций в процессах, продуктах и маркетинге; в использовании современных технологий; и в использовании территориально заложенных ценностей. В этом контексте технология становится стратегическим инструментом, поскольку она снижает операционные издержки и входные барьеры, предлагает инновационные возможности для реорганизации производственных процессов и расширяет потенциальные рынки. Таким образом, промышленные районы продолжают представлять собой жизненно важное стратегическое преимущество с точки зрения гибкости, ноу-хау и сотрудничества. Наконец, бренд «Сделано в Италии» подтверждает свой статус признанного во всем мире синонима качества и модного дизайна, открывая компаниям путь к нишам класса люкс высокого уровня. The research was supported by the project “The Economy of Excellence. Italian Handicraft in the International Networks: Traditional Knowledge, Technological Innovation and Communication Strategies (19th – 20th Centuries)”, University of Padua (IT), Department of Historical, Geographical Sciences and of the Antiquity. Исследование было поддержано проектом «Экономика совершенства. Итальянское ремесло в международных сетях: традиционные знания, технологические инновации и коммуникационные стратегии (XIX – XX века)», Университет Падуи (ИТ), факультет исторических, географических наук и античности.

Purpose This paper aims to explore if firms located in industrial districts (IDs) have different adoption paths concerning Industry 4.0 technologies and get different results with respect to other similar firms located outside IDs. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a quantitative analysis related to an original data set of 206 Italian manufacturing firms specializing in made in Italy industries and adopting Industry 4.0 technologies. A case study of a district firm is also presented to explain the rationale of investment strategies and results obtained. Findings The analysis shows that there are differences between district and non-district firms when Industry 4.0 technology investments are concerned (higher investment rate in big data/cloud and augmented reality for district firms than non-district ones). In contrast to a breakthrough view of the fourth industrial revolution, the study suggests that 4.0 technologies emphasize the peculiarities and competitiveness factors typical of the district model in terms of customization and flexibility. There are differences in the motivations of adoption (product diversification for district firms vs productivity enhancement for non-district firms) and in the results achieved. Originality/value The paper is one of the first attempts to empirically explore the technological innovation paths related to Industry 4.0 within IDs, therefore, contributing to the debate on the possible evolution of the district model

Purpose of the paper : The paper aims to present two experimental projects (“#Divano per Managua” and “#Sofa4Manhattan”) conducted by an Italian small-medium enterprise of the furniture industry in order to outline crowdcrafting as a new manufacturing model. Methodology : An inductive research approach is followed. Our research strategy is a case study that works as an illustration and inspiration for new ideas. Findings : Berto Salotti projects fully embodied Knowledge Economy principles are meaningful examples of Experience Economy and act as a good application of crowdsourcing logic as well. They do represent an empirical illustration of the “future craftmanship” approach. Research limitations : The paper deals with one single case study, hardly generalizable, even if it is highly representative; the initiative is still in its starting phase and its results are hardly assessable. Practical implications : Companies aspiring to apply crowdcrafting could improve their customers’ service by looking for new ways of interaction with them. Opening up themselves to social networks, finding competencies from the outside and providing customization and product quality together with unusual experiences are some suggestions. Originality of the paper : Our work makes both scholars and practitioners aware of an Italian SME innovative in introducing crowdcrafting in its processes; at the same time, it highlights the feature of such an approach both theoretically and practically.

Purpose of the paper : Italy is one of the most attractive European destinations for FDI inflows worldwide. It has witnessed a rapid increase in mergers and acquisitions, to the point of overcoming the EU 15 mean in the years 2008-2013 (with the exception of 2012) (UNCTAD, 2014). The question of whether governments should foster foreign take-overs is crucial, since the Italian economy has been traditionally founded on “national champions”. The purpose of the paper is to present a broader research project that aims at investigating (at firms’ level) the performance differences of all the mid-sized foreign-controlled firms, compared with the non acquired firms in the manufacturing industry. Methodology : the paper analyzes firms acquired in the period between 1999 and 2009 by using data from Mediobanca Research Department. Findings : first results in terms of composition of the acquired mid-sized companies are shown. Practical implications : the paper defines the different perspectives of analysis describing the managerial effects of foreign acquisitions on the acquired firms, the MNE acquirers, and the target country with respect to the industrial development, the employment and the supply chains of the territory. Originality of the paper : the study uses Mediobanca Research Department database for the first time in order to investigate the topic of cross border acquisitions.

Scholars tend to agree on Riccardo Freda’s I vampiri (1957) being the first Italian horror film. Indeed, prior to Freda’s Paris-set Gothic potboiler, which mixes the Erzsébet Báthory legend with the Frankenstein myth, no horror movie proper seems to have been made in Italy. Drawing from a series of interviews given by the director over the years, the existing literature about Italian horror cinema conceives of I vampiri as a film appearing out of the blue, born on the fly because of an alleged bet and shot at breakneck speed in a couple of weeks. Freda’s use of the word “bet” in these interviews, and the film’s meagre returns at the domestic box-office, have led academics to see I vampiri as an epically brave, if commercially unsuccessful, challenge to the dominant taste—an experiment carried out by inventive yet unlucky pioneers, skilled artisans too ahead of their time. Resultantly, a great deal has been written about “the supposedly non-industrial quality” of Italian horror movies, “which apparently relied only on the craftsmanship of talented directors” (Di Chiara, 2016, p 30), such as Freda, Mario Bava and Antonio Margheriti. By revisiting Freda’s often-quoted anecdotes about the extemporaneous genesis of I vampiri in the light of the film’s production and distribution data preserved at the Archivio Centrale dello Stato in Rome, the present article seeks to shift the focus of discussion from the ‘Great Men’ to the broader economic, political and cultural context in which I vampiri was manufactured. The article reveals that it was the very nature of the post-war Italian film industry as regulated by the Christian-Democrat laws of 1949 that allowed Freda and his producers Ermanno Donati, Luigi Carpentieri and Goffredo Lombardo to place their bet on an unprecedented ‘Gothic made in Italy’. By adopting this materialistic approach, Freda’s experiment in terror ultimately emerges as a minor, low-risk speculation, and a market test confirming a long-standing Italian bias against home-grown horror narratives, to the point that it is more appropriate to consider Terence Fisher’s Dracula (1958) as the ‘originary film’ of Italian horror cinema.

This paper aims to describe the scenario of the contemporary footwear sector, giving a perspective to the product design methodological approaches in the context of the so called 4.0 Industry standards.To do this the text proposes the description of practical experimentations carried out focusing on cad-cam design and cnc production methods.The digital design and manufacturing processes (from the 3d scanning of the foot to the shoe last definition, from the style concept to the virtual parametric prototype of the shoes, from the definition of all the components to the final production) address from the one hand the advanced production methods supported by the enabling technology, from the other hand the renew of the traditional hand made production for the small and custom made series. Tradition and innovation aims to enable new cultural approaches to the made in Italy standards and new competitiveness keys for the footwear industry.

In this article, we examine how executives in Italian family-owned firms use their corporations’ histories to associate particular moral discourses of cultural values, responsibility, and authenticity with the “Made in Italy” brand. These links render Made in Italy a national brand – a brand representing all goods produced in Italy and an “authentic” national treasure. Through an analysis of Italian executives’ oral narratives, this article explores how collective identities are constructed in interview settings and how Made in Italy emerges through the various stances that these managers take regarding certain topics. We focus on the ways Italian executives align their corporate narratives, family histories, and brand identities with circulating ideologies on the significance of Made in Italy. By looking at how Italian managers enact Made in Italy as a national brand with collective responsibilities, this article contributes to recent research on narrative discursive practices in the corporate world.

The success of companies in foreign markets depends not only on how they enter and manage international distribution channels but also on their ability to influence the choices of retailers that include products from domestic and foreign companies in their assortments. The role of retailers, in fact, is fundamental because they constitute the link with final consumers and can decide whether to place products in their portfolios. An empirical analysis was carried out in the US market. The main aim of the analysis reported in this chapter was to investigate the influences of the COO on retailers’ choices to determine the product portfolios in their stores. In addition, a comparison was made among three countries of origin: made in Italy, made in China, and made in USA. The relationship between attention to the COO and the store experience was also investigated. Finally, this study focused on the impacts of the COO in connection with the Italian-sounding phenomena to understand how US retailers deal with the alternative between a real COO and a COO based on the foreign-sounding brand.

This study investigates the advantages and the potentiality of the ‘tourist kit’, an Italian solution based on the concept of a prepaid card that is issued by a large postal operator. The destination card can be reloaded by tourists according to their needs and its validity is not restricted to short periods. Thus, the kit provides tourists with an integrated, practical, and flexible tool capable of making their stay more enjoyable as it allows cardholders to choose and buy many products and services at discounted prices. The kit creates customer loyalty by utilising smart technology aimed at collecting accurate tourist information. This model deserves attention because it is probably the world's first case of a large postal operator entering the tourism sector with the proposal of an integrated and advanced destination card scheme. This research also discusses interesting opportunities and challenges related to the implementation of new generation tourist cards.

The food system “Made in Italy” represents an important element of Italian productions and exports and it is considered in the world as synonymous with quality. Sustainability of food productions is identified as a condition of the quality from new generations who are confronted with environmental, economic and social issues and the resulting certifications. Companies in the food system, operating in the territory of Campania region, are having to deal with the threat of relocation due to the current process of globalization and the socio-economic crisis that is going through. Following the “model of the five competitive forces of Porter”, the study focuses on the individuation of a group of campanian food companies operating in the wine, fruit and vegetables and rural tourism sectors, which represent the excellence of campanian productions, that have adopted environmental certification systems (for example ISO 14001, EMAS, ect.). Research is developed through a theoretical study and of databases, leading to the identification of a system of responsible companies which operating in a competitive and sustainable way in territory bringing direct and indirect benefits on it.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) represents a crucial ingredient of the Mediterranean diet. Being a first-choice product, consumers should be guaranteed its quality and geographical origin, justifying the high purchasing cost. For this reason, it is important to have new reliable tools able to classify products according to their geographical origin. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the efficiency of an open source visible and near infra-red (VIS-NIR) spectrophotometer, relying on a specific app, in assessing olive oil geographical origin. Thus, 67 Italian and 25 foreign EVOO samples were analyzed and their spectral data were processed through an artificial intelligence algorithm. The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) results reported significant differences (p &lt, 0.001) between the Italian and foreign EVOO VIS-NIR matrices. The artificial neural network (ANN) model with an external test showed a correct classification percentage equal to 94.6%. Both the MANOVA and ANN tested methods showed the most important spectral wavelengths ranges for origin determination to be 308&ndash, 373 nm and 594&ndash, 605 nm. These are related to the absorption of phenolic components, carotenoids, chlorophylls, and anthocyanins. The proposed tool allows the assessment of EVOO samples&rsquo, origin and thus could help to preserve the &ldquo, Made in Italy&rdquo, from fraud and sophistication related to its commerce.

The traceability of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) could guarantee the authenticity of the product and the protection of the consumer if it is part of a system able to certify the traceability information. The purpose of this paper was to propose and apply a complete electronic traceability prototype along the entire EVOO production chain of a small Italian farm and to verify its economic sustainability. The full traceability of the EVOO extracted from 33 olive trees from three different cultivars (Carboncella, Frantoio and Leccino) was considered. The technological traceability system (TTS, infotracing) consists of several open source devices (based on radio frequency identification (RFID) and QR code technologies) able to track the EVOO from the standing olive tree to the final consumer. The infotracing system was composed of a dedicated open source app and was designed for easy blockchain integration. In addition, an economic analysis of the proposed TTS, with reference to the semi-mechanized olive harvesting process, was conducted. The results showed that the incidence of the TTS application on the whole production varies between 3% and 15.5%, (production from 5 to 60 kg tree&minus, 1). The application at the consortium level with mechanized harvesting is fully sustainable in economic terms. The proposed TTS could not only provide guarantees to the final consumer but could also direct the farmer towards precision farming management.

Not withstanding the wide research on entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE), the role of education in EE is often overlooked, either in general or in the creative industries domain. Most works, in fact, focus on the education of the professionals who deal with intangibles (such as designers, etc.), while the role of other creative artisans and production experts (modellers, etc.) has not received the appropriate attention. We contribute to the existing debate analysing the ecosystem of a manufacturing fashion city, answering to two main research questions: 1) to what extent does the education of creative artisans matter in a manufacturing fashion city?; 2) how can it contribute nurturing the local EE? We analyse the case study of the Made in Italy Tuscany Academy, a technical higher education school situated in Scandicci (Florence). We study its ego-network in the local EE with the social network analysis through a questionnaire administered to 115 students.

Starting from a broad definition, the article traces the historical evolution of food policy in Italy identifying some central themes: the relationship with agricultural 'productionism', the protection of local traditions and cultures, the challenges of globalization to food safety, the increasing intervention of the European policy in the face of the food crises

In this column, we take a journey to Europe and analyze how IoT technology could be used to protect the Made in Italy brand and make it harder for fake products to find their way into the market, therefore protecting consumers from being misled in their purchases. Recent research into what is commonly referred to as the “Italian sounding” phenomenon, estimated its value to be around 100 billion Euro (+70 percent over the past 10 years). One can argue whether or not this number is the actual amount “missing” from the Italian economy or whether it is not also reflecting the fact that the offer of authentic products cannot sustain demand due to lack of enough production or simply lack of adequate distribution channels (i.e. business-driven choices, political-embargos, etc.).

Combining the reputation of the Italian cultural heritage with the popularity of the Indian Film Industry, Italy and India have been collaborating to strengthen their economic relationships using the media as a spur for cultural exchange and a key-tool to enlarge the tourist market target. Many Italian Film Commissions have invested in supporting Indian productions, understanding the benefits of film-induced tourism. Specialised supplies and equipment have been provided to facilitate the incoming of Indian companies and organize educational tours to promote the locations of the Italian Peninsula. On the Indian side, the Made in Italy brand fascinates the upper-middle class interested in luxury products and the Italian life style . The settings of romantic movies promote the idea of Italy as a land to fulfil one’s own love story imitating the Bollywood stars. It is no surprise that honeymoon holiday packages are nowadays very popular and many sumptuous Indian weddings are celebrated in Italy. The paper analyses the representation strategies of Italy for the Indian audience as used both by tour operators, to enhance film-induced tourism, and by institutions, to enhance the cultural and economic exchanges between our countries.

Despite their temporal proximity, the technologies of the early computers are far from us. Yet, they are part of the history of science and technology, and they deserve to be studied and popularized. Being machines made to run software programs, they should be exhibited running. Unfortunately, old machines still in working condition are extremely rare. Restoring or rebuilding an old computer is a hard, expensive task: the original components are rare, and the technology is forgotten and sometimes lost. The research needed to re-understand those computers has to adopt experimental archaeology methods: rebuilding old hardware/software requires proceeding by hypotheses and experiments. However, a rebuilt or restored computer is a unique exemplar and a precious specimen: it is not suitable to let people interact with it. A more flexible solution is to use software simulations. First of all, simulation is a valuable tool to carry out the experiments needed to study past technology. Second, the simulators are virtual replicas that let people fully understand the old machines by interacting with them without jeopardizing those precious relics of the past. This article presents the virtual rebuilding of the first computer made in Italy: the Macchina Ridotta (MR) of the University of Pisa. The MR was dismantled after few months of intensive usage to cannibalize the materials for a second computer. As a consequence, the MR disappeared from later chronicles and for many years was ignored by historians. When we attempted to reconstruct the MR history, we found that the survived documentation was far from complete. Simulation proved to be the key tool to support the experimental approach adopted for understanding the MR technology, rebuilding it, and assessing its achievements. The MR simulator is now used at the Museum of Computing Machinery of Pisa as a mean to truly experience a working session on the MR—a typical computer from the 1950s. The exhibit and the workshops, by exploiting the accurately reproduced characteristics of the MR, address popularization of computer science from several perspectives: from technological mechanisms to scientific foundations, passing through the representation of computers in popular culture.

The task of scheduling product orders and updating the schedule at each arrival of a new order, especially if received from an “important” client, is of crucial importance in Small-Medium Enterprises - SME. These firms, in fact, are often operating according to production-to-order with a variety of products whose amplitude depends on the industry. This note proposes a new procedure for dynamic scheduling, that means re- scheduling at the occurrence of a new job to be produced. The re-scheduling procedure is specifically developed for manufacturing SMEs, in which each job is defined: i) by a precise machining sequence that must be followed exactly; ii) by a date at which orders are released together with the necessary raw materials, and especially iii) by a delivery date that must be satisfied. Accounting for these strong constraints, from the theoretical point of view, the solution of the dynamic scheduling problem is obtained by applying the constraint programming approach, with an innovative formulation of matrix type. The manufacturing system is represented in terms of a multi-stage model, able to process a number of different products orders, each one to be manufactured according a specific “path”, i.e. a sequence of work centers. Each time a new order will arrive to the system, an upgrading of the schedule has to be done, and no assumption about the next arrival time neither the next order type and dimension can be done. As the need for a simple but robust procedure to re-scheduling is especially urgent in the field of footwear production, which contributes significantly to the export of “made in Italy”, the case study - to test the procedure - is derived from data of an FMS belonging to this sector, operating in southern Italy.

In the past, luxury often resonated with a tradition, superior quality, and a pampered buying experience, something that only very privileged few could afford. In recent years, the meaning of luxury has become profoundly different and transitioned into a phenomenon that primarily focuses on selling expensive designer brand names with a mere illusion of exclusiveness and superior quality to the masses. As a result of the mass luxury phenomena, a designer handbag or watch no longer serves the same purpose as before. Today owning a luxury brands does not transmit reliable information about its wearer’s socioeconomic status or background. With such dramatic changes in luxury industry, a large body of consumer research has looked into understanding why individuals seek luxury brands and high-end logo-ed merchandise across the globe. However, until recently, a rather unexplored area remains in the domain of ‘sustainable’ consumption of luxury brands. The overall question arises of the role of consumers with regards to sustainable practices in luxury industry and how these practices influence decisions or intentions to indulge in a behavior. For instance, does it matter to the consumer if a ‘Made in Italy’ handbag was actually made (in-part) off-shore in a factory? Does lack of transparency in manufacturing process and information play any role in forcing consumers to rethink about their perception of luxury brand and, of course, luxury itself? This chapter outlines a conceptual framework that explores factors that influence perception on consumption of sustainable luxury. It is built upon the idea that luxury brands acts as a psychological meaning of self-expression and symbolic association that individuals aspire to create or maintain. The ultimate goal of this chapter is to explore whether consumers are increasingly becoming conscious of the adverse effects of the social, moral, and environmental imbalances created by luxury brands. Based on existing theoretical and empirical insights from Theory of Impression Management and Value-Attitude-Behavior paradigm, it becomes evident that psychological determinants, such as symbolic value perception (i.e., self-directed and others-directed perception of the symbolic association with luxury bands), tendency to conform, moral judgment (i.e., ability to rationally engage one’s knowledge in performing actions that are responsible to the society), and hedonism, as well as individuals’ attitude toward and involvement with sustainable luxury brands can represent antecedents of intentions to purchase sustainable luxury. This exploratory work will be first of its kind and will contribute to the limited literature on consumers’ perception toward sustainable luxury.

The Made in..Italy is considered as a driving force for growth and employment. It is defined as the combination of art, style, innovation, culture, landscape, traditions and ancient crafts. However, we believe that the Made in.. Italy, should take a further responsibilities to go ‘beyond the growth". Does this mean we relate to all of the determinants of well-being; consider the areas of well-being and finally adopt a holistic approach of well-being. In this work, we take care of the Italian Food System and in particular that its component that can be included within the Made in Italy and as one of its orientation green can actually allow the Food System Made in Italy to help give answers in terms of "Sustainability Empowerment". Il Made in.. Italy e da molti indicato quale volano per la crescita e l’occupazione. Esso e definito come l’insieme di arte, stile, innovazione, cultura, paesaggio, tradizioni e antichi mestieri. Riteniamo pero che il Made in.. Italy, debba assumere un’ulteriore responsabilita, quella di andare "oltre la crescita". Cio vuol dire rapportarsi a tutte le determinanti del benessere; considerare gli ambiti del benessere e infine adottare un approccio olistico del benessere. In questo lavoro, ci occupiamo dell’Italian Food System, in particolare di quella sua componente che, puo esser ricompresa all’interno del Made in Italy e di come un suo orientamento green possa effettivamente consentire al Food System Made in Italy di contribuire a dare risposte in termini di "Sustainability Empowerment".

This paper compares the development of the poultry industry in Italy with the UK. Earlier research has suggested that the UK poultry industry developed a symbiotic relationship with the emerging supermarket retailers. Italy had a retarded supermarket sector. Its distribution system favoured small-scale, independent butchers rather than chains of self-service supermarkets. Despite this the Italian poultry industry also modernised, adopting US technologies. The catalyst for this modernisation was technological innovation in refrigeration technologies that enabled Italian consumers and independent retailers to be persuaded of the merits of the new ‘technological’ chicken. While the Italian market has become dominated by AIA and Amadori in recent years, the key innovators were the entrepreneurs that created the company called Arena.

This article proposes a synthetic analysis and contextualization of the most significant, thought-provoking films made in Italy during the first decade of the twenty-first century which thematize or in other ways convey the circumstances of today’s growing social inequality. Such circumstances entail collective and individual trauma, loss of security and well-being in individuals and families, indeed an increase in family breakdown – in other words, a pervasive social crisis. The films examined are: F Comencini’s Mobbing ( Mi piace lavorare, 2003); Tavarelli’s Break Free ( Liberi, 2003); Cappuccio’s I Only Wanted to Sleep On Top of Her ( Volevo solo dormirle addosso, 2004); Amelio’s The Missing Star ( La stella che non c’è, 2006); Soldini’s Days and Clouds ( Giorni e nuvole, 2007); P Virzì’s A Whole Life Ahead ( Tutta la vita davanti, 2008); and Venier’s The 1000 Euro Generation ( Generazione Mille Euro, 2009). While the extremely diverse richness of these films from the formal and existential viewpoint does not allow for their (un-systemic) commonalities to be captured by any specific formula, they do share one broad general attitude toward their public: they all refuse to manipulate it by exploitative narrative strategies (the term ‘exploitative’ here means that a film both oversimplifies/dumbs down and spectacularizes issues for box-office purposes). By their very complexity, these seven films put in place an honest and intelligent mimesis of the world that surrounds us and thus fulfil what can be argued to be the essential requirement of a solid realism.

Food industry is the first in European Community for revenues, with more than 8 millions of employee. Logistics and supply chain management play a crucial role in food industry. This paper presents a general and conceptual framework for the assessment of food supply chain (FSC) and logistics of food products in agreement with a multidisciplinary and integrated view. The target of the proposed integrated approach to supply chain design and management is the simultaneous control of quality (1), safety (2), sustainability (3) and logistics efficiency (4) of food products and processes along the whole FSC “from farm to fork”. A case study focused on package design, distribution issues, and supported by the development of an original close-loop control system is a first exemplifying step towards a new integrated approach on FSC assessment in agreement with the proposed conceptual framework. Finally, the paper presents a discussion on the most important challenges in FSC for public and private research in industry and in academic institutions.

Braccialini is one of the major Italian companies in the leather accessory field, symbol of the Italian entrepreneurship combined with know-how and imagination. In many countries, Braccialini brand stands for its authentic meaning of Made in Italy. However, Braccialini is also among the most modern companies deeply committed to the themes of environmental protection and sustainable development. In this paper, Braccialini Company will be presented by describing, in particular, its commitment toward a sustainable development.

In 2014, the luxury fashion market closed with a value of 224 billion euros marking a growth at constant exchange rates of 3 percent and driven primarily by the online channel, and the outlet one. This Special Issue on ‘Fashion and Luxury Management’ aims to highlight some features of the High-End Italian Companies pertaining to the fashion and luxury industry of Made in Italy, and their key drivers of growth such as innovation, craftsmanship, creativity, and sustainability.

Diesel represents a successful case of an Italian company in the fashion industry. This international lifestyle company succeeded in the creation and development of the denim fabric in a mature market, where the competition led by American multinationals is strong. Innovation, creativity and nonconformist choices are the fundamental roots of the company. Founded in the 1970s, Diesel immediately approached the international markets. The engine of the company’s success is its founder, Renzo Rosso. Rosso managed to merge the philosophy of Diesel with the challenges of the market. Thanks to Rosso’s marketing strategy, the company reaches young consumers across the globe. The marketing mix is based on an intense knowledge of the business and on Rosso’s personal intuition. These characteristics made Rosso a pioneer of many trends that came to be established in the market. This case analysis enables the study of the company’s internationalization process, the development of a brand identity, as well as the structural, cultural and human resource variables that favor innovation. The case study also presents how the company succeeded in repositioning a mature product. This repositioning permitted Diesel to experience continued growth in the national and international markets.

The paper deals with heritage branding, investigating communication and PR models promoted by historical companies representing Made in Italy in the global market, in order to focus on their distinctive approach to media relations strategies and related practices. The study has adopted a multi-method approach, involving a panel of companies in the food & beverage sector. In-depth interviews from PR professionals highlight the potential of heritage branding to develop an authentic form of storytelling, based on quality branded contents and the strategic management of corporate history, thus cultivating long-standing relationships with the media.

The contribution investigates the origins of Made in Italy communication and promotion. It stresses the importance of the relationship between the complex Italian fashion system and Italian cultural industry: fashion exhibitions, the role of specialized press and magazines, the movie industry and the star system of the Fifties. This history was shaped by important protagonists such as the "legendary" figure of Gianbattista Giorgini, inventor and realizator of the first Italian runway show in 1951 which is considered amongs the specialists the founding event of Italian Fashion. In these origins we meet the most important names of fashion and of the best Italian craftsmenship tradition as well as buyers, entrepreneurs and Italian and foreign journalists. All of these people and professionals together contributed to the definition and the success of Made in Italy.

This chapter outlines the main phases of Italy’s industrialization process and analyzes the contribution of a particular manufacturing organizational structure, based on clusters and sectors of specialization. A case study is made of the mechanical engineering sector, the driving force behind “Made in Italy” manufacturing specializations. The first section gives a detailed historical analysis of the various industrialization phases and of Italian exports, from the unification of Italy to the present. Export competitiveness indicators are used to assess Italy’s performance internationally and show how it has been able to maintain a good share of world exports in spite of its aggressive Asian competitors (especially China). The second section analyzes the main production specializations which took hold after WWII. A description is provided of the characteristics and dynamics of Italy’s main sectors of specialization, which the Fondazione Edison has called the 4Fs: Fashion and cosmetics; Food and wine; Furniture and ceramic tiles; Fabricated metal products, machinery and transport equipment. The 4Fs constitute the pivotal macro-sectors of Italian industry in terms of employment, added value, exports and foreign trade balance. Finally, the last section of the chapter provides an appraisal of the industrial engineering sector in terms of dynamics and major successes, and describes how it evolved to become the propeller of “Made in Italy” products.

It is well known that the agri-food industry represents an important leverage for Italian exports. Espresso coffee is one of the drivers of this industry and is one of the key Made in Italy assets. Exporting espresso means spreading Italian culture. In fact, Espresso is widely associated with the Italian way of life, even though agricultural coffee production takes place very far from Italy. The connection between espresso and Italy is not provided only by the consumption culture, but also by the production of machinery for espresso preparation. Italian firms are an example of excellence in the production of traditional espresso machines. The development of the international horeca (hotel-restaurant-cafe) sector provides an opportunity for both the espresso producers and the connected industrial sectors, to improve their position in the international markets. This article presents an analysis of the coffee machine sector, with particular regard to its connections with the horeca sector. Porter’s framework of five forces is used to show the competitive environment in which the interested sectors operate. A snapshot of the relationships within the espresso coffee sector is taken using analysis of a variety of sources. The focus is on professional coffee machines and the possible development of this industry. Through a collection of secondary data, this article highlights the challenges faced by the espresso coffee machines manufacturers. On one hand it demonstrates that it is possible to spread Italian culture through coffee consumption. On the other hand, new global challenges are emerging, such as the growing coffee capsule market.