48066 - Economics and Local Institutions

Learning outcomes

This course in Economics of Local Systems aims at providing students, starting with an average level of understanding of the foundations of economic theory and law, a set of knowledge useful in the analysis and solution of the problems raised by the development of local economic systems, their comparison and transferability. Local and global development interact more and more. This is why, at different levels of government and governance, project design, implementation, management and evaluation is needed: projects concerned with regional development and cooperation between developed and developing countries as well as emerging and I transition countries. The course should be able to contribute to the formation of this type of skills.

Course contents

Part I. Local systems of production and regional development

 I.1. Specific characters of Italian industry and main stylized facts

I.2. National specialization model and North-South dualism

I.3. Firm size, human resources and innovation

I.4. Trasferability and innovation regional policies

Parte II. Fiscal federalism and global crisis

II.1. General scenario and contraddictions

II.2. Fiscal federalism in Italy

II.3. Economic policies and the international crisis

II.4. Coordinating different levels of government

II.5. Systemic failures and solutions

Parte III. Local development policies evaluation

III.1. Local development definitions

III.2. Local development policies and tools

III.3. Key concepts and criteria in evaluation procedures

III.4. The institutional context in EU and at the national and local levels.

III.5. Evalutation methods in the synthetic approach

III.6.  Evalutation methods in the analytic approach

Readings/Bibliography

Part I.

IDSE-CNR (a cura di), Trasformazioni strutturali e competitività dei sistemi locali di produzione. Rapporto sul cambiamento strutturale dell'economia italiana, Milano, Franco Angeli, 1999

G. Becattini, Il distretto industriale, Torino, Rosenberg & Sellier, 2000 (Cap. 1, 2, 7, 9).

G. Cainelli, R. Leoncini, Externalities and long term local industrial development: some empirical evidence from Italy, Revue d'Economie Industrielle, n. 90, 1999 (pp. 25-39).

L. Mytelka, Local systems of innovation in a globalised world economy, Industry and Innovation, vol. 7, 2000 (pp. 15-32).

F. Onida, Se il piccolo non cresce. Piccole e medie imprese italiane in affanno, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2004 (Cap. 4, 5, 6, 7 e 8)

Part II.

G. Brosio, S. Piperno, Governo e finanza locale. Un'introduzione alla teoria e alle istituzioni del federalismo fiscale, Torino, Giappichelli, 2009.

Part III.

 G. Antonelli, Valutazione e sviluppo locale. Principi teorici e applicazioni all'Appennino Bolognese, Università di Bologna (in corso di stampa).

T. J. Bartik, Local economic development policies, Upjohn Institute Staff Working Paper No. 03-91, 2003.

Teaching methods

Recommended courses to follow prior to this one: two courses in economics and an English course.

Specific readings will be suggested during the course, in addition or in substitution to those listed in the bibliographical references for the course. Updating and changes will be promptly communicated during the course.

Assessment methods

The final exam consists in a written and oral examination.

Students attending regularly the lectures will be asked to write, under the guidance of the lecturer, short essays on specific topics and present them at the oral exam.

Teaching tools

For further explanation and analysis, students can contact and speak to lecturers during their office hours or through e-mail.

Consultation of specific web sites can be useful to find documents, data and references for specific topics

The help of librarians is useful to find both basic and specific bibliographical references 

Links to further information

http://www.dse.unibo.it - poi digita Persone/Docenti/Gilberto Antonelli

Office hours

See the website of Gilberto Antonelli