With Richard Taylor of the Stockholm Environment Institute - Oxford Centre I am currently working on a project involving simulation modelling of knowledge diffusion dynamics. This research is concerned with informal learning processes taking place through face-to-face interactions and (to a lesser extent) computer mediated interactions.
Moroever, with Andrea Morone (my brother) of the University of Bari, Richard and I are trying to evaluate our simulation models via laboratory experiments.
I'm also working with Richard Taylor on a taxonomy of knolwdge flows patterns. The proposed taxonomy is based on the broad distinction between knowledge gain and knowledge diffusion: the former relates to those processes of knowledge flows which deliberately involve a barter among subjects; the latter relates to those processes where knowledge is no longer traded on a voluntary basis (quid pro quo), but freely flows while agents interact.
Finally, with Richard Taylor and Roberta Sisto of the University of Foggia, I have been investigating knowledge flows and innovation potential in organic food production networks.
Firms growth, innovation and exports
With Carmelo Petraglia from the University of Napoli "Federico II" and Pina Testa from the University of London I'm investigating the determinants of growth and innovation in the Italian manufacturing sector using a "knowledge production function" in order to explore the relation between the innovative inputs and innovative outputs.
Moreover, with Pina Testa I've also analised the determinants of Italian small- and medium-sized enterprises' turnover growth having in mind the fact that the Italian economic system relies substantially on small firms which have traditionally managed to stay competitive by adopting strategies such as the creation of well-integrated social and institutional clusters or specialising in the production of quality goods (the so called Made in Italy).
Finally, with Cesare Imbriani of the University of Roma "La Sapienza" and Pina Testa I investigate whether innovating activities and quality goods' production have any effect on firm's probability to be exporter.
Innovation systems
With Richard Taylor of the Stockholm Environment Institute - Oxford Centre - I am developing agent-based models of innovation networks. The objective is to model interactions among firms based upon partnership formation to carry out joint innovations. Agents (i.e. firms) are endowed with different Skill Profiles and aim to be the first to innovate, either on their own or in partnership. Hence, an important task in our model is obtaining information about the complementarity of other firms' profiles. In different versions of this model, we either assume the presence of local institutions to act as facilitators of information exchange, or we assume that information flows are bounded to local neighbourhoods. This is based on the recognition that geographical factors are an important aspect of innovation, and is related to the literature on industrial districts/clusters and innovation networks.
SUSTOIL project
SUSTOIL is led by the University of York and involves 23 academic and industrial partners. The WP (Work Package) leaders in SUSTOIL are: FORTH (WP1), Agrotechnology and Food Innovations BV (WP2), University of Pannonia (WP3), University of York (WP4, 7 & 8), University of Manchester (WP5), University of Foggia (WP6). Each partner plays a distinctive and complementary role which is integrated with the expertise of an Advisory Board composed of experts from the EU, US and beyond.
The University of Foggia Unit is working, under my coordination, on the definition and calibration (using fieldwork data) of an AB (Agent Based) model. The objective of this model is twofold: (1) to understand the extent to which various environmental, economic and policy constrains prevent bio-fuel and bio-refinery energy from emerging as a new technological regime; (2) to develop, through the analysis of heterogeneous agents interactions at macro, meso and micro levels, various policy scenarios and policy prescriptions compatible with a sustainable development approach.