Tech Emerging 2012 Italy

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IV.10. SCIENCE AND INNOVATION: ITALY

OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2012 © OECD 2012328

ITALY

General features of the STI system: To put the

economy on a sustainable growth path based on

sound macroeconomic fundamentals, the Italian

government has embarked since 2011 on a

substantial process of fiscal consolidation and

structural reform. Innovation will be crucial for

boosting competitiveness and sustainable growth inthe longer term. Although many indicators point to

a modest level of STI activity, attention is being given

to increasing it. In 2010 GERD was just 1.26% of GDP,

about half of the OECD average, and more in line

with the R&D intensity of emerging economies. The

business sector performs only around half of GERD, a

low share for an advanced economy. At 0.66% of GDP

BERD lags behind the OECD average (Panel 1(d)), with

business sector innovation performance varying

across firms and regions. In fact, a segment of

innovative firms, including flexible SMEs, coexistswith many non-innovative firms operating at low

levels of productivity. Moreover, much R&D and

innovation capacity is concentrated in northern and

central regions of the country. The low share of

industry-financed public R&D (1(o)) is indicative of

weak industry-science linkages. Venture capital is in

short supply (1(h)) and the patenting rate of young

firms is low (1(f)). In general, Italy tends to perform

better on indicators of non-R&D-based innovation

(for example, it leads in Community designs). A very

low share of the population has completed tertiaryeducation (1(s)) in spite of a significant increase

since 1999. In line with its GERD, Italy has few

researchers by international standards. Participation

in international networks is quite strong, however:

41% of scientific articles and 13% of PCT patent

applications were produced with international

collaboration (1(q)(r)). Internet subscriptions are close

to the median (1(k)(l)) and e-government readiness is

relatively low (1(n)).

Recent changes in STI expenditures: GERD has recorded

annual growth of about 2.7% over the second half of

the last decade. In 2009, industry funded 44% of

GERD, government accounted for 42%, and 9% was

funded from abroad. With a budget of USD 2.5 billion

(2010-11), the Fund for the Promotion of Research

(FAR) contributed significantly to increasing public

funding for business firms, universities and PRIs.

Overall STI strategy: The National Research Plan

(2011-13) aims to promote research by strengthening business sector co-operation with the public sector

and supporting the internationalisation of research.

The Industry 2015 programme (2006-15) sets out to

support business networks and industrial

innovation projects and includes a fund for

enterprise finance. However, the National Reform

Programme 2011-12 requires general policies to have

a small impact on the national budget. The country’s

south and SMEs have attracted special attention in

STI strategies and policies. The National Strategic

Framework 2007-13 includes the NationalOperational Programme (PON) Research and

Competitiveness 2007-13, funded by the European

Hot STI issues

● Improving the framework conditions for innovation.

● Strengthening the human resource base for innovation.

● Improving the co-ordination of STI policy across government and between the central government and

the regions.

Key figures

Labour productivity, GDP per hour worked in USD, 2010 43.9 GERD, as % of GDP, 2010 1.26

(annual growth rate, 2005-10 ) (–0.1) (annual growth rate, 2005-10) (+2.7)

Environmental productivity, GDP per unit of CO2 emitted in USD, 2009 4.99 GERD publicly financed, as % of GDP, 2009 0.55

(annual growth rate, 2005-09) (+3.6) (annual growth rate, 2005-09) (–0.9)


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OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2012 © OECD 2012 329

Figure 10.24. Science and innovation in Italy

Note: Normalised index of performance relative to the median values in the OECD area (Index median = 100).

0

50

100

150

200

100

0

200

150

50

P u b l i

c R & D

e x p e n d i t

u r e (

p e r G

D P ) (

a )

T o p 5

0 0 u n

i v e r s i t i e

s ( p e

r G D P

) ( b )

P u b

l i c a t i

o n s i n t

h e t o

p - q u

a r t i l e

j o u r n a l

s ( p e

r G D P

) ( c )

F i x e d

b r o a

d b a n d

s u s c

r i b e r s

( p e r

p o p u

l a t i o n

) ( k )

W i r e

l e s s b

r o a d b a

n d s u s c

r i b e r s

( p e r

p o p u

l a t i o n

) ( l )

N e t w

o r k s

( a u t o

n o m o u s

s y s t e

m s ) (

p e r p

o p u l a

t i o n )

( m )

E - g

o v e r n

m e n t

r e a d i n

e s s i n d

e x ( n )

I n d u

s t r y - f

i n a n c

e d p u b l i c

R & D

e x p e n d

i t u r e s

( p e r

G D P )

( o )

P a t e

n t s f i l

e d b y

u n i v e r s i

t i e s a

n d p u

b l i c l

a b s (

p e r G

D P ) (

p )

I n t e r

n a t i o

n a l c

o - a u

t h o r s

h i p ( %

) ( q )

I n t

e r n a t i

o n a l

c o - p

a t e n t i

n g ( %

) ( r )

A d u

l t p o p

u l a t i o n

a t t e r

t i a r y

e d u c

a t i o n

l e v e

l ( % ) (

s )

1 5 -

y e a r - o l d

t o p p e r f o

r m e r s

i n s c

i e n c e

( % ) (

t )

D o c

t o r a l

g r a d

u a t i o n r a

t e i n

s c i e n

c e a n

d e n g

i n e e r i n g

( u )

S & T

o c c u p a

t i o n s

i n t o t a l

e m p l o

y m e n

t ( % )

( v )

B u s i n

e s s R

& D e x

p e n d i t

u r e ( p

e r G D

P ) ( d )

T o p 5

0 0 c o r p

o r a t e

R & D

i n v e

s t o r s (

p e r G

D P ) (

e )

T r i a d

i c p a

t e n t f a

m i l i e s (

p e r G

D P ) (

f )

T r a d

e m a r k s (

p e r G

D P ) (

g )

V e n

t u r e c

a p i t a l ( p

e r G D

P ) ( h )

P a t e

n t i n g

f i r m s

l e s s

t h a n

5 y e

a r s o l d (

p e r G

D P ) (

i )

E a s

e o f e

n t r e p

r e n e u r

s h i p

i n d e x

( j )

Top halfOECD

Bottom halfOECD

Science base Business R&D and innovation Entrepreneurship

Panel 1. Comparative performance of national science and innovation systems, 2011

a. Competences and capacity to innovate

Top/bottom 5 OECD values Middle range of OECD values OECD median Italy

b. Interactions and human resources for innovation

Knowledge flows andcommercialisation Internet for innovation Human resources

Top halfOECD

Bottom halfOECD


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OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2012 © OECD 2012330

Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by the

national Revolving Fund (Fondo di Rotazione), which

is of high importance for regional cohesion and

competitiveness.

STI policy governance: The Ministry for Economic

Development (MISE) is in charge of industrial

innovation, and the Ministry for Education,

University and Research (MIUR) is responsible for the

national education system, including higher

education, but also for promoting research at national

and international level. The National Agency for the

Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes

(ANVUR) has operated under MIUR since 2010.

Science base: The public research system, with HERD

of 0.36% and GOVERD of 0.18% of GDP in 2010,

performs the greater part of R&D. Higher education

and PRIs contribute to innovation in a number of

ways but their co-operation with business firms

needs to be improved. In order to improve public

research performance, a reform of funding

mechanisms for and management of universities

was approved in 2010 by Parliament and is being

implemented. The reform of the PRIs under MIUR has

also recently been undertaken.

Business R&D and innovation: As in other OECD

countries, there has been a shift towards indirect

funding of R&D in recent years. As stated in theNational Reform Programme 2011, for 2011/12, tax

incentives have been strengthened for research

commissioned by firms to universities and PRIs as

well as for research developed in collaboration with

them.

Public-sector innovation: The e-Government

Plan 2012 of the Department for Public Administration

defines a set of digital innovation projects to

modernise the public administration, to make it

more efficient and transparent, and to improve the

quality of services and reduce costs. The plan setsout some 80 projects and 27 targets to be achieved

by 2013.

Knowledge flows and commercialisation: Various

initiatives aim at bridging the gap between academia

and industry. Technological districts and high

technology poles as well as public-private

laboratories are established in different parts of the

country. The National Innovation Fund (FNI) was

created in 2012 by MiSE to facilitate the financing of

innovative projects based on the exploitation of

industrial designs and patterns. In addition, the

Innovation Package introduced in 2011 supports the

patenting activity of SMEs. The National Technology

Platforms and Industrial Innovation Network(RIDITT) were set up in 2010 to ensure dissemination

of innovation and technology between research

system and enterprises.

Globalisation: The Strategy for the Internationalisation

of Italian Research (SIRIT 2010-15) integrates the

national research priorities in international

strategies and priorities, notably the EU’s 2020

Strategy. Italy actively participates in EU R&D

programmes, the European Strategy Forum on

Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and other European

initiatives such as EUREKA (for international S&T co-

operation) and Erasmus (for mobility of students

and researchers).

Human resources: Italy has a dearth of highly skilled

human resources, and the most highly qualified

sometimes find better opportunities abroad.

During 2011/13 academics’ salaries and career

progression have been frozen in order to contain

public spending. A lack of opportunities and

unattractive career prospects and working conditions

for talented individuals may further weaken the

human resource base. A recent parliamentary act

aims to support the recruitment of early career

researchers. A new action plan for future youth

employment (Italia 2020) aims to better align

curricula with the changing demand of industry.

Emerging technologies: Italy is addressing various

cross-cutting research issues considered crucial for

enhancing economic growth, e.g. research on the

natural and cultural heritage and on the complex

systems of smart cities.

Green innovation: Italy has improved its RTA inenvironment-related technologies over the past

decade and will soon develop a specialisation if this

trend continues (Panel 3). The government provides a

number of incentives for renewable energy

production. The Energy Account (Conto Energia)

initiative promotes solar photovoltaic, and a Kyoto

Fund was set up to finance measures to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions. Green Certificates (CV)

http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011http://erawatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/erawatch/opencms/information/country_pages/it/policydocument/policydoc_0011


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OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2012 © OECD 2012 331

promote electrical energy produced from renewable

sources and White Certificates – energy efficiency

labels (TEE) – encourage energy-saving measures. A

package of fiscal incentives for energy efficiency

interventions in existing and new buildings was

approved by Parliament in 2011.

Figure10.24 Science and innovation in Italy

1. Balance as a percentage of the sum of HERD and GOVERD.

2. Balance as a percentage of total GBAORD.

3. Balance as a percentage of total funding to national performers.

4. Balance as a percentage of the sum of HERD and GOVERD funded by government and higher education and components of (5).

5. Balance as a percentage of the sum of indirect funding of business R&D and innovation through R&D tax incentives and direct funding

of BERD through grants, contracts and loans.

Source: See reader’s guide and methodological annex.

1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932690586

25.3 9.0 4.8

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

50/50 0/100100/ 0 75/25 25/75

Industry

High-techmanufacturing

High-knowledgemarket services

Large firms

Foreign affiliates

Services

Medium- to low-techmanufacturing

Low-knowledgeservices

SMEs

Domestic firms

OECD median Italy EU27 Italy (1997-99)

% of PCT patentapplications filed byunivers ities and PRIs

Bio- and nano-technologies

ICT Environment-relatedtechnologies

Panel 2. Structural composition of BERD, 2009As a % of total BERD

Panel 3. Revealed technology advantage in selected fields, 2007-09Index based on PCT patent applications

Panel 4. Overview of national innovation policy mix, 2010

Italy Italy (2005) OECD sample median

University-centred (1)

Basic research oriented (1)

Civil oriented (2)

Generic (2)

Institutional block funding (3)

Support to business R&D and innovation (4)

Direct funding of business R&D (5)

Public research

Public support to business R&D and innovation

Public lab-centred (1)

Project-based funding (3)

Applied/experimental research oriented (1)

Defence oriented (2)

Indirect funding of business R&D (5)

Thematic (2)

Support to public research (4)

0

20

40

60

80

100

OECD median

Italy

OECD median (2005)

Italy (2005)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932690586http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932690586

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Tech Emerging 2012 Italy