Institutions are not only created and built, but also — and especially — need to be learnt. It is a process which takes place in all economies, but acquires a special importance in less advanced countries. Not only theoretical arguments, but also the practical experience over the past 15...

This research analyses through the use of instrumental variables estimation whether democracy has an effect on variables belonging to three different categories: fiscal policy, inequality in income distribution and political instability. It shows there is no stable relation between democracy and...

This paper provides an overview of the literature on international differences in the gender wage gap. It then focuses on the Italian case and analyzes differentials in gender wage and employment gaps across regions. The cross-regional variation reproduces the negative correlation between gender...

This study intends to provide some updated empirical evidence on Italian Education Returns through Quantile Regression. Such a methodology enables us to explore the (Quantile Treatment) Effect of Schooling on the (shape of) income conditional distribution (viewed as reflecting the distribution...

The paper addresses two aspects of the debate that has recently developed in Italy about the reform of the system of industrial relations. One is the introduction of a statutory minimum wage and the other is the reform of collective bargaining. These two problems are jointly analysed and a...