Lucio Picci

My research interests are at the intersection between political economy, public governance and the economics of innovation. Over the years, I've worked, or consulted, for international organizations such as the European Commission, the World Bank, and the United Nations, and for several branches of the Italian government, including the Prime Minister's Office and the Italian Anti-Corruption Authority.

My work has been published in the American Journal of Political Science; Journal of Business & Economic Statistics; Research Policy; The Review of Economics and Statistics; and The World Bank Economic Review.

My book titled "Reputation-based Governance" (Stanford University Press, 2011) proposes a model of public governance which hinges on the presence of strong reputational incentives.

My new book is titled "Rethinking Corruption. Reasons Behind the Failure of Anti­-Corruption Efforts" (Cambridge University Press; 2024). It is a multidisciplinary research, based on three main case studies: Brazil, Russia, and the United States. It is a bold attempt to move beyond the currently prevailing paradigm on corruption and anti-corruption.