Poverty trap,boom and bust periods and growth. A nonlinear model for non-developed and developing countries

This work investigates the qualitative and quantitative dynamics of a Solow–Swan growth model with differential savings as proposed by Böhm and Kaas (J Econ Dyn Control 24:965–980, 2000) assuming the shifted Cobb–Douglas (SCD) production function (see Capasso et al. in Nonlinear Anal. 11:3858–3876, 2010) which makes it possible to consider the long-run dynamics of non-developed and developing countries as well as that of developed economies. The resulting model is described by a nonlinear discontinuous map generating both a poverty trap and complex dynamics. Furthermore, multistability phenomena may emerge: besides the “vicious circle of poverty”, long-run behaviours may include boom and bust periods. Complex basins can emerge, hence, economic policies trying to raise the capital per capita may fail and economies may be captured by the poverty trap.     

Beyond virtues and vices: Antonio Genovesi's and Adam Smith's “science of relationships”

ABSTRACT

Some recent literature has rediscovered the Italian tradition of “civil economy”. This literature has underlined how the discourse about virtues and vices was fundamental in order to establish how, in a political and economic context, a harmonious order could be established. On the basis of this main focus on virtues and vices, it was stated that Genovesi's thought is essentially different from Smith's one. In this article, I argue that the direct focus on questions of virtues and vices does not help capture the novelty introduced by these authors and the relational value of their agency theory.     

Is yours a learning organization?

An organization with a strong learning culture faces the unpredictable deftly. However, a concrete method for understanding precisely how an institution learns and for identifying specific steps to help it learn better has remained elusive. A new survey instrument from professors Garvin and Edmondson of Harvard Business School and assistant professor Gino of Carnegie Mellon University allows you to ground your efforts in becoming a learning organization. The tool's conceptual foundation is what the authors call the three building blocks of a learning organization. The first, a supportive learning environment, comprises psychological safety, appreciation of differences, openness to new ideas, and time for reflection. The second, concrete learning processes and practices, includes experimentation, information collection and analysis, and education and training. These two complementary elements are fortified by the final building block: leadership that reinforces learning. The survey instrument enables a granular examination of all these particulars, scores each of them, and provides a framework for detailed, comparative analysis. You can make comparisons within and among your institution's functional areas, between your organization and others, and against benchmarks that the authors have derived from their surveys of hundreds of executives in many industries. After discussing how to use their tool, the authors share the insights they acquired as they developed it. Above all, they emphasize the importance of dialogue and diagnosis as you nurture your company and its processes with the aim of becoming a learning organization. The authors' goal--and the purpose of their tool--is to help you paint an honest picture of your firm's learning culture and of the leaders who set its tone.     

Cultural tourism: an integrated analysis based on official data

Quality & Quantity - The main aim of this paper is to analyze cultural tourism in Italy and its relationship with the territory (that is considered the principal driver of the analysis) and to...     

A SHOCK ABSORPTION INDEX FOR INOPERABILITY INPUT–OUTPUT MODELS

Recent disasters have underscored the importance of enhancing resilience in economic systems. In this work, we propose a novel shock absorption index, which provides a measure of the ability of an economic system to tolerate disruptions. It is assumed that there are externally defined initial levels of system failure or disruption, as well as maximum allowable levels of inoperability for each sector. The shock absorption index is defined as the largest fraction of the anticipated initial disruption that can be absorbed by the predefined robustness limits. It provides an overall measure of the robustness of an economic system towards a disruptive event, which is driven by both the economic structure and the individual robustness of different sectors. The results of two case studies illustrate policy-making insights in identifying and prioritizing risk management strategies for critical systems.     

‘Networks of practice’ in the Italian motorsport industry

The purpose of this paper is to advance research on inter-organisational networks by proposing a practice-based view of network formation and development in technology intensive environments. The research followed an exploratory, qualitative research design based on interviews, observation and documentary evidence to examine the recursive practices that have been enacted by racing car manufacturers and suppliers in the Italian motorsport industry in their efforts to develop increasing levels of collaboration and participation in product development activities. The results show how motorsport actors acted strategically and reflexively in negotiating their roles and the level of involvement in joint activities moving towards increased interpenetration and promoting legitimisation. However, in contrast to other studies of strategic network management, the leading actors have not imposed themselves unilaterally in structuring the network and knowledge flows. Rather lead firms have acted to encourage collaboration, participation and promote a shared sense of identity amongst network members.