Many industrialized countries have introduced environmental policy measures in order to reduce negative externalities linked to economic activities. These policy actions produce different effects on the economic system depending on the regulatory tools adopted and the specific objective of...

In this paper we propose an innovative methodology that aims to solve drawbacks related to how patent data are allocated and organized in international databases. We propose as a case study the biofuels sector, in order to evaluate the validity of such a method. Starting with a systematic...

The study provides a wide-ranging empirical analysis of the drivers of innovation, with a particular focus on the policy side, in residential energy efficiency technologies. The panel analysis of 23 OECD countries over the period 1990-2010, confirms the importance of adopting a systemic...

The purpose of this paper is to explore the differentiated impact of demand-pull and technology-push policies in shaping technological patterns in the biofuels sector. The empirical analysis is based on a novel and original database (BioPat) containing patents in the field of biofuels selected...

The Europe 2020 Strategy has identified the key goal of smart, more inclusive and sustainable growth. In this direction, redirecting firms’ innovation activities towards ecological targets without hampering their competitiveness is of paramount importance. The double externality issue related...

The pollution haven hypothesis affirms that an open market regime will encourage the flow of low-technology polluting industries toward developing countries because of potential comparative advantages related to low environmental standards. In contrast, the hypothesis suggested by Porter and van...

The study of innovation and technological change is an increasing field of economic enquire because innovation can be considered a major engine of growth. This paper is concerned with the determinants of innovation and technological change. Different theoretical approaches present in the...

The paper explores the causes and effects of persistence in the discretionary allocation of public subsidies to R&D activities performed by private firms in high-tech and low-tech industries. It applies the distinction between virtuous Matthew-effects and vicious Matthew-effects. The former...