Localized creativity, small high-tech entrepreneurship, related innovation platforms, social capital embedded in dynamically open territorial communities and context-specific though continuously upgrading policy platforms are all means to face new challenges and to promote increased absorptive...

We provide evidence on the role of spillovers through vertical linkages in service firms’ internationalisation process. We combine input–output coefficients with region-level information on downstream manufacturing sector exports to build a measure of spillovers through backward linkages,...

We provide evidence on backward linkages between downstream manufacturing sectors and the export performance of Italian business service firms. Combining input-output coefficients from the National Accounts with region-level information on the international involvement and market thickness of...

We provide evidence on the firm-level productivity effects of imports of intermediates. Exploiting a large panel of Italian manufacturing firms we are able to separately test the role of offshoring to high and low income countries. Contrary to our expectations, no significant impact is found out...

This paper provides new evidence on the determinants of the export performance of firms in services based on a cross-section of Italian firms in the NACE Sections G, I and K for the year 2003. The empirical analysis of the determinants of the export status and intensity shows that the success of...

We provide evidence on the firm level productivity effects of imports of intermediates. By exploiting a large panel of Italian manufacturing firms, we are able to separately explore the role of importing from high and low income countries. Importing does not permanently affect the firm...

The paper discusses the development of peripheral cities and regions in a world where economic integration is growing. The paper argues that the development of peripheral cities and regions depends on their development potential and accessibility to markets. Their sustainable development,...

As the biggest producers and employers of the system, in general SMEs in laggard regions need to keep pace with the expanding rate of technological change that is taking place. To achieve that goal, adequate tools must be developed to generate sufficient transfer of knowledge to those regions...