RISULTATI RICERCA

This paper presents the result of a research on the determinants of the demand for arts tourism in the area of Syracuse (Sicily, Italy). We adopt the cojoint analysis method to investigate whether the inclusion of particular cultural sites in the tours is important in influencing the demand decisions of the consumers-tourists. The samples includes 131 people, who answered a questionnaire during their visit at the Greek Theatre of Syracuse. Although this sample should include people interested in artistic goods, the real importance of the cultural heritage of sites appears to be very limited, and different attributes like the accommodation seem to play a larger role in determining the choices of the consumers.

Regulation of public utilities is an important economic issue in local markets; it’s strongly joined whit the goals of privatisation and competition in public utilities markets and the local public bodies deficit reduction. Of course the financing aspects are one of the more important element of regulation. Public utilities bodies have to cope with efficiency and efficacy of their actions. The development, in the Urban Clean up Services, besides modify the relationship among local public body, management and townsman/user, will aim to achieve economic, social and environmental goals. The paper analyses the application of urban clean up tariff. The calculation method of the urban clean up tariff (Metodo normalizzato) is tested in the city of Rome, in order to offer a good example of the new method of financing the urban clean up sector in Italy.

This paper aims to provide a statistical description of some important aspects concerning the Italian Ministries internal labour market (ILM) functioning and to analyse its evolution occurred during the ’90s. Ministries’ hierarchical structure and dynamics are studied focalising in particular on: i) hierarchical levels identification and composition; internal dynamics: promotions among hierarchical levels; external dynamics: ports of entry and ports of exit identification and description; iv) general and specific human capital (education and work experience) relative importance for jobs at different hierarchical levels. Implications for human resources policies that derive are also discussed.

The growth of liberalization processes in the public utilities sector emphasizes the increasing attention on «property management companies», i.e. local-owned asset management companies. The legitimacy of such companies originates from the company oriented asset reallocation of networks, plants and other assets related to services whose offer is being liberalized, namely based on article 35 of Budget Law for 2002, which provides for the withdrawal of networks plants and other assets. A deverticalisation of the supply chain is hence necessary, based on a separation of infrastructural assets (by now common carriers) from the service and supply management. Asset Management Companies are hence by no mean a legislative fluke: they issue from a reorganization rationale, with solid legal financial and economic grounds. The paper will address in a more detailed way the issue of the start-up and activity of local-owned asset management companies, and namely their legitimacy, function and qualities as well as the start-up methodology and strategy and the development perspective based on innovative finance tools.

On September 28, 2003, Italy ran without electricity supply for more than 12 hours because of an accident. However, shortly before this accident, during the summer, already five blackouts had taken place. This shows that beside some occasional circumstances (which we analyse), the causes of such too frequent system failures are also structural and due especially to a long-term shortage in electricity supply. We therefore investigate such causes, due in particular to the Malthusian policy implemented in recent years by the former electricity monopolist ENEL (still holding considerable market power), the complicated laws regulating the siting of electricity plants, the NIMBY sindrome, for which we propose some possible treatment to ease negotiations among local communities and industry. We conclude by discussing the possible introduction of capacity payment, the legislation underway to provide an incentive to the building of new electricity production plants. We also argue that the process of privatization of electricity production undertaken must be completed, so that consumers may reap the advantages of lower electricity prices. However at the same time a better regulation and definition of the public service obligations which private firms must bear is needed to avoid further damaging blackouts.