OECD Territorial Reviews: Bergamo, Italy

212 Pages·2016·7.634 MB·English

by  Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECD Territorial Reviews
BERgamO, ITaly
OECD Territorial Reviews
This series offers analysis and policy guidance to national and sub-national governments seeking to strengthen
territorial development policies and governance. These reviews are part of a larger body of OECD work
on regional development that addresses the territorial dimension of a range of policy challenges, including
BERgamO, ITaly
governance, innovation, urban development and rural policy. This work includes both thematic reports and
reports on specific countries or regions.
Contents 2016
Chapter 1. Challenges and opportunities for Bergamo
Chapter 2. Bergamo’s strong industrial sector
Chapter 3. Developing innovation and workforce skills in Bergamo
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04 2016 02 1 P

OECD Territorial
Reviews: Bergamo, Italy
This work is published under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The
opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official
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Please cite this publication as:
OECD (2016), OECD Territorial Reviews: Bergamo, Italy, OECD Publishing, Paris.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264251984-en
ISBN 978-92-64-25197-7 (print)
ISBN 978-92-64-25198-4 (PDF)
Series: OECD Territorial Reviews
ISSN 1990-0767 (print)
ISSN 1990-0759 (online)
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3
FOREWORD –

Foreword
In 2001, the OECD conducted an OECD Territorial Review of Bergamo,
acknowledging the strengths of its industrial structure and highlighting its
competitiveness in international markets. The review also identified several weaknesses,
among them a lack of formal education of the labour force and a poorly developed
transport infrastructure. It concluded that the province needed to improve local
governance and recommended the creation of a “regional alliance” among local actors.
These weaknesses remain today areas of development for policy action.
In the years since the Territorial Review, Bergamo has maintained its industrial base
but has experienced a slowdown in its productivity. This has led to a distinct decline in
Bergamo’s competitive advantage relative to other OECD Territorial Level 3 (TL3, or
small) regions of similar industrial structure. Some of the factors contributing to this
lacklustre performance were identified in the 2001 review, such as a low level of skills in
the workforce and the need to improve co-ordination among local economic actors. Other
factors have come to the fore more recently, such as increasing international competition
and an increasingly unfavourable national macroeconomic and regulatory framework.
The goal of the current review is to monitor progress since the last review and to
reassess the main development challenges of Bergamo in the current context, with a
special focus on how to transition to higher value-added and more technology-intensive
activities. Actions to support this transition include: 1) elaborating a development plan for
the province that is supported by all local actors; 2) improving the skills of the adult
population through adequate education and training programmes; 3) stimulating the
innovation system; 4) attracting foreign direct investment (FDI); and 5) boosting the
competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The creation of a framework to build a development strategy for Bergamo remains a
crucial ingredient for future policy design and implementation. Only a concerted effort,
by local public and private stakeholders, can contribute to a holistic strategy that
promotes complementarity across policies. The recent administrative reform of the
provincial government makes the need to create a platform where local actors can meet
and elaborate a common vision for Bergamo’s future even more pressing.
This review was undertaken under the auspices of the Regional Development Policy
Committee (RDPC), created in 1999 as a unique forum for international exchange and
debate. The RDPC has developed a number of activities, including a series of Territorial
Reviews of regions. These studies follow a standard methodology and common
conceptual framework, allowing countries to share their experiences and disseminate
information on good practices.
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– ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledgements
The OECD would like to thank the Chamber of Commerce of Bergamo, Bergamo
Sviluppo, and the provincial and municipal administrations for their co-operation and
support during the review process. The OECD acknowledges the constructive and very
informative discussions with representatives from all sectoral associations, as well as the
Mayor or Bergamo and the Rector of the University of Bergamo. Special thanks go to
Paolo Longoni from the Chamber of Commerce of Bergamo, for the overall co-ordination
of the project and liaison between the OECD Secretariat and the local team.
The Secretariat is also grateful to the Netherlands and Sweden for the involvement of
their peer reviewers, Linco Nieuwenhuyzen, Strategy Advisor at Brainport Development
N.V., Eindhoven (Netherlands), and Tomas Ekberg, Chief Analyst, Region Västra
Götaland (Sweden).
The OECD Territorial Review of Bergamo is part of a series of OECD Territorial
Reviews produced by the OECD Public Governance and Territorial Development
Directorate and its Regional Development Policy Division, led by Joaquim Oliveira Martins.
The report was drafted by a team composed of David Bartolini and Alexander Lembcke,
under the supervision of Enrique Garcilazo. The report benefited from valuable insights
and inputs from Karen Maguire, William Tompson and Joaquim Oliveira Martins.
The report draws on key contributions from Rafael Boix. Kate Lancaster provided
editorial support. Ulrike Chaplar, Jennifer Kilbourne, Jennifer Allain and Pilar Philip
prepared the manuscript for publication.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS –

Table of contents
Acronyms and abbreviations ................................................................................................................. 11
Executive summary ................................................................................................................................. 13
Assessment and recommendations ........................................................................................................ 15
Chapter 1. Challenges and opportunities for Bergamo ........................................................................ 23
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 24
Lessons from the 2001 OECD Territorial Review of Bergamo ............................................................ 26
National economic and regulatory framework ...................................................................................... 28
The territory and the demographic structure of Bergamo ..................................................................... 41
Economic trends and performance of the province of Bergamo ........................................................... 50
A strategic approach to local governance .............................................................................................. 76
Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................... 87
Note ....................................................................................................................................................... 88
Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 88
Annex 1.A1. Functional urban areas and comparison regions ........................................................... 91
Chapter 2. Bergamo’s strong industrial sector ..................................................................................... 95
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 96
Industry remains a key driver of productivity in Bergamo ................................................................. 108
Rising trade and internationalisation ................................................................................................... 125
Conclusions ......................................................................................................................................... 137
Notes ................................................................................................................................................... 140
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 140
Annex 2.A1. Location quotients.......................................................................................................... 148
Annex 2.A2. Distribution of firms by size class .................................................................................. 152
Chapter 3. Developing innovation and workforce skills in Bergamo................................................ 155
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 156
Innovation and growth ........................................................................................................................ 156
Innovation performance in Bergamo and Lombardy .......................................................................... 158
Innovation in the business sector......................................................................................................... 164
Networks and innovation .................................................................................................................... 171
Innovation bottlenecks and drivers...................................................................................................... 177
Shifting demand for skills ................................................................................................................... 181
Skills and employment ........................................................................................................................ 184
The evidence on skills: PISA and PIAAC ........................................................................................... 185
Enhancing skills and innovation potential ........................................................................................... 193
Conclusions ......................................................................................................................................... 197
Notes ................................................................................................................................................... 198
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 200
Annex 3.A1. Comparison regions and PISA/PIAAC proficiency levels ............................................. 205

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Tables
Table 1.1. Recommendations of the OECD 2001 review .................................................................. 26
Table 1.2. Subnational fiscal rules in OECD countries, 2011 ............................................................ 34
Table 1.3. Domestic demand .............................................................................................................. 34
Table 1.4. Variations in lending in the province of Bergamo ............................................................ 36
Table 1.5. Territorial administrative reforms in selected OECD countries ........................................ 39
Table 1.6. Population and municipal size, 2011 ................................................................................. 46
Table 1.7. Population growth ............................................................................................................. 48
Table 1.8. Elderly dependency ratio ................................................................................................... 48
Table 1.9. Bergamo’s performance in GDP growth compared to that of other OECD
TL3 regions ....................................................................................................................... 52
Table 1.10. Trends in per capita GDP .................................................................................................. 54
Table 1.11. Employment rate, 1999-2011 ............................................................................................ 72
Table 1.12. Bergamo’s unemployment rate compared with that of other regions ............................... 72
Table 1.13. Key public, private and research stakeholders in Bergamo .............................................. 77
Table 1.A1.1. OECD TL3 comparison regions for Bergamo ........................................... ……………. 92
Table 1.A1.2 Functional Urban Areas ................................................................................................... 93
Table 2.1. Industrial sector growth rates, chain-linked volumes ........................................................ 97
Table 2.2. Contribution to gross value added by main economic sectors .......................................... 99
Table 2.3. Percentage of total gross value added of the service sector .............................................. 99
Table 2.4. Gross value added for producer services ........................................................................... 99
Table 2.5. Growth rate in the construction sector ............................................................................ 100
Table 2.6. Employment in two-digit industrial sectors in Bergamo ................................................. 102
Table 2.7. Concentration of two-digit industrial structure, Gini Index ............................................ 102
Table 2.8. Evolution of location quotients ....................................................................................... 104
Table 2.9. Annual average growth rates of industry productivity in constant volumes ................... 112
Table 2.10. Employment in knowledge-intensive sectors (shares of total) ........................................ 115
Table 2.11. Employment in knowledge-intensive sectors, growth rate .............................................. 117
Table 2.12. Average firm size by economic activity .......................................................................... 120
Table 2.13. Evolution of industrial paradigms ................................................................................... 123
Table 2.14. Trade in value added in Bergamo, 2009.......................................................................... 138
Table 2.15. Share of trade in value added in the province of Bergamo, 2009 ................................... 139
Table 2.A1.1. Evolution of two-digit location quotients ........................................................................ 148
Table 2.A1.2. Activities with more than 1 000 employees and location quotients,
Bergamo .......................................................................................................................... 150
Table 2.A2.1. Share of firms’ local units by size class in Bergamo, 2011............................................. 152
Table 3.1. Recipients in Bergamo of funding from the European Union’s Seventh
Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development
(FP7) ................................................................................................................................ 180
Table 3.A1.1. OECD TL3 comparison regions for Bergamo ................................................................ 205
Table 3.A1.2. PISA proficiency levels in mathematics ......................................................................... 206
Table 3.A1.3. PIAAC proficiency levels in numeracy........................................................................... 207

Figures
Figure 1.1. Indicators of well-being, comparing Italy with the OECD average .................................. 29
Figure 1.2. Lombardy outperforms Italy in most well-being indicators .............................................. 29
Figure 1.3. Average annual GDP growth in OECD countries, 2000-13.............................................. 30
Figure 1.4. Evolution of real GDP per capita ...................................................................................... 31
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Figure 1.5. Evolution of labour productivity in Italy compared to the average for G7
countries ............................................................................................................................ 31
Figure 1.6. Labour cost competitiveness, 2000-12 .............................................................................. 32
Figure 1.7. Evolution of Italy’s public debt and budget deficit ........................................................... 32
Figure 1.8. Access to credit indicators with respect to EU countries, 2013 ........................................ 36
Figure 1.9. Quality of governance in Italy compared to that of OECD countries ............................... 40
Figure 1.10. European Quality of Government Index, 2013 ................................................................. 41
Figure 1.11. OECD TL3 regional typology for Italy ............................................................................. 42
Figure 1.12. Distribution of population in TL3 regions, according to the OECD typology .................. 43
Figure 1.13. Land use in the province of Bergamo ............................................................................... 44
Figure 1.14. Municipal administrative structure in Italy compared to that of OECD
countries, 2012 .................................................................................................................. 45
Figure 1.15. Municipal structure in Lombardy’s provinces .................................................................. 46
Figure 1.16. Functional urban areas in Italy .......................................................................................... 47
Figure 1.17. Composition of demographic trends in Bergamo and Italy ............................................... 49
Figure 1.18. Population and area of functional urban areas in Lombardy ............................................. 49
Figure 1.19. Population dynamics in functional urban areas in Lombardy, 2001-11 ............................ 50
Figure 1.20. GDP per capita in Bergamo compared to that of other OECD TL3 regions ..................... 52
Figure 1.21. GDP growth rate in Bergamo compared with that of selected OECD TL3
regions ............................................................................................................................... 53
Figure 1.22. Evolution of GDP per capita in Bergamo compared to that of OECD TL3
regions and OECD countries ............................................................................................. 53
Figure 1.23. Labour productivity in Bergamo is higher than in Italy and the OECD TL3
average .............................................................................................................................. 55
Figure 1.24. Evolution of labour productivity relative to selected TL3 regions .................................... 55
Figure 1.25. Productivity trends in TL3 regions with high levels of productivity ................................ 57
Figure 1.26. Population density has a positive impact on labour productivity ...................................... 58
Figure 1.27. Labour productivity in metropolitan areas, 2010 .............................................................. 58
Figure 1.28. Percentage of population living in cities, for each province in Lombardy,
2011 ................................................................................................................................... 59
Figure 1.29. GDP growth and urbanisation in Lombardy’s provinces, 2000-11 ................................... 59
Figure 1.30. Effect of growth rates on TL3 regions close to metropolitan areas .................................. 61
Figure 1.31. Performance of Milan compared with that of other Italian metropolitan
areas ................................................................................................................................... 63
Figure 1.32. Labour productivity in large metropolitan areas, 2000-10 ................................................ 63
Figure 1.33. Differences in productivity relative to Milan .................................................................... 64
Figure 1.34. Patent applications per 1 million inhabitants .................................................................... 66
Figure 1.35. Patent intensity, average, 1998-2010 ................................................................................ 66
Figure 1.36. Evolution of patent applications ........................................................................................ 66
Figure 1.37. Educational attainment for Italy, Lombardy and Bergamo, 2013 ..................................... 67
Figure 1.38. Students’ performance in mathematics ............................................................................. 68
Figure 1.39. Adult skills ........................................................................................................................ 68
Figure 1.40. Training in the last 12 months ........................................................................................... 68
Figure 1.41. Passenger trends and destinations for Bergamo’s airport.................................................. 69
Figure 1.42. Participation rate for Bergamo and Italy ........................................................................... 71
Figure 1.43. Employment rate in Bergamo compared with that of Italy and OECD TL3
average .............................................................................................................................. 71
Figure 1.44. Unemployment rate in Bergamo compared with that of Italy and OECD TL3
average ............................................................................................................................... 72
Figure 1.45. Rate of youth unemployment (ages 15-24) ....................................................................... 73
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Figure 1.46. Unemployment trends in Bergamo according to age ........................................................ 73
Figure 1.47. Female participation rate across OECD countries ............................................................ 74
Figure 1.48. Variation in female participation rate among OECD countries ........................................ 74
Figure 1.49. Female participation rate in Bergamo, Lombardy and Italy.............................................. 75
Figure 1.50. Female participation rate in Lombardy’s provinces .......................................................... 75
Figure 1.51. Main objectives and structure of development .................................................................. 76
Figure 1.A1.1. EU-OECD methodology for the definition of functional urban areas............................... 91
Figure 2.1. Annual growth rate of employed in the industrial sector .................................................. 98
Figure 2.2. Location quotient of the tourism chain in the province of Bergamo ............................... 101
Figure 2.3. Dynamics of employment in the province of Bergamo, by sector .................................. 104
Figure 2.4. Dynamics of employment in the industrial sectors in the province of
Bergamo .......................................................................................................................... 105
Figure 2.5. Dynamics of employment in the construction and service sectors, Bergamo ................. 106
Figure 2.6. Evolution of relative labour productivity, 1995-2008 ..................................................... 109
Figure 2.7. Evolution of relative labour costs .................................................................................... 110
Figure 2.8. Annual average growth of labour and multi-factor productivity in industry
and services, 1995-2008 .................................................................................................. 111
Figure 2.9. Benchmarking productivity in Bergamo, current prices ................................................. 112
Figure 2.10. Evolution of price index for the main sectors in Italy ..................................................... 113
Figure 2.11. European NUTS 2 regions ranked by share of employment in
knowledge-intensive sectors ........................................................................................... 115
Figure 2.12. Share of persons employed in high- and medium-high technology
manufacturing ................................................................................................................. 116
Figure 2.13. Business density in selected OECD countries and Bergamo, 2013 ................................ 118
Figure 2.14. Export propensity in Bergamo benchmarked with other economies ............................... 126
Figure 2.15. Evolution of exports ........................................................................................................ 127
Figure 2.16. Percentage of external trade and annual growth rate by sector in Bergamo ................... 127
Figure 2.17. Trade openness ................................................................................................................ 129
Figure 2.18. Ratio of exports to imports .............................................................................................. 129
Figure 2.19. Index of contribution to trade balance of the manufacturing sector in
Bergamo .......................................................................................................................... 130
Figure 2.20. Evolution of the share of imports by country of origin ................................................... 131
Figure 2.21. Exports per worker and firm size (manufacturing sector) ............................................... 131
Figure 2.22. Exports per worker and specialisation (manufacturing sector) ....................................... 132
Figure 2.23. Sectoral breakdown of foreign direct investment in Bergamo, 2013 .............................. 132
Figure 2.24. Trade in value added, 2009 ............................................................................................. 135
Figure 2.25. Trade in value added: Indirect domestic content of gross exports from
domestic intermediaries, and foreign value added of gross exports, 2009 ...................... 136
Figure 2.26. Trade in value added for Bergamo: Foreign value added of gross exports,
2009 ................................................................................................................................. 136
Figure 2.27. Trade in value added: Indirect domestic content of gross exports from
domestic intermediaries, 2009 ......................................................................................... 137
Figure 3.1. Regional innovation performance, 2014 ......................................................................... 159
Figure 3.2. R&D contribution of Lombardy ...................................................................................... 159
Figure 3.3. Total R&D spending and contribution by sector in Lombardy ....................................... 160
Figure 3.4. International comparison for R&D expenditure and personnel (industrial
structure comparison group) ............................................................................................ 161
Figure 3.5. International comparison for R&D expenditure and personnel (urban
structure comparison group) ............................................................................................ 162
Figure 3.6. Patenting activity in selected Italian provinces ............................................................... 163
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