The intensity of business R&D in Italy: why reducing the gap with the EU is possible and worthwhile

Alessandro Sterlacchini ()

Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, 2017, vol. 44, issue 2, No 6, 245-257

Abstract: Abstract This note examines the level, trend and size distribution of the R&D expenditures by Italian firms. Comparisons with the performance of the major EU countries indicate that the Italian backwardness in terms of business R&D is mainly due to a declining contribution of the largest firms. Only thanks to an increasing number of SMEs performing R&D and the investments of a group of not too large companies, the Italian performance has not deteriorated over the last years. This suggests that, by means of well-designed and adequately funded policy measures, the goal of reducing the R&D gap with the EU is still possible.

Keywords: Business Research & Development (R&D); Italy; EU countries; R&D policies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O32 O38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1007/s40812-016-0068-z

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