Neighborhood, knowledge exchange and innovation: evidence from the city-region of Montreal (Canada)

Joint with D. Doloreux and R. Shearmur In this study we explore one of the fundamental relationships in economic geography: the one between neighborhood characteristics, local knowledge exchange, and firm innovation. To this end we combine two sources of data: demographic, educational, employment and mobility characteristics of Montreal’s smallest census units and the results of … [Read more…]

Sovereignty instability and development

With M. Balestra, G. Cainelli, R. Ganau, M. Pasquato e R. Pierdicca We study the long-run effect of past sovereignty instability on current economic development at the subnational, local level in Italy. We proxy sovereignty instability through the yearly number of changes in sovereignty occurred in the period 1000–1861, and assess its effects on a … [Read more…]

Enlightenment and the long-term persistence of the Habsburg administrative tradition

With G. Cainelli and R. Ganau We study the persistent effects of the Enlightenment-inspired administrative reform implemented by the Habsburg Monarchy in 1755 to analyze current administrative efficiency differentials in public goods provision in Northern Italy. We exploit exogeneity in the frontier established in 1748 by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle between the Habsburg-ruled Duchy of … [Read more…]

The determinants of eco innovation and conventional innovation among manufacturing SMEs

Joint with D. Doloreux and R. Shearmur Highlighting the critical role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in both economic growth and environmental impact, this study investigates the determinants of eco-innovation and conventional innovation within 634 manufacturing SMEs in Quebec, Canada. Using multinomial logit analysis, we analyze the drivers of the two types of innovation … [Read more…]

Thrive, survive or perish: the impact of regional autonomy on the demographic dynamics of Italian Alpine territories

Mountain communities face the threat of depopulation, as residents age or move to large cities in the lowland. This issue is pressing for Italy, where a large portion of the territory is mountainous and the overall population is rapidly aging. This paper analyses whether the autonomous status of a region affects the demographic dynamics of … [Read more…]