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Old and new Italian multinational firms

Author

Listed:
  • Fabrizio Onida

    (Università Luigi Bocconi di Milano)

  • Giuseppe Berta

    (Università Luigi Bocconi di Milano)

Abstract

After a quick profile of Italian foreign direct investments since 1900 and a short review of the main explanations of the lagged multinational growth by Italian manufacturing companies, a quick glimpse of business histories is given to the only two still today living "old protagonists" (Pirelli, Fiat) and to three old corporate groups (Olivetti, SNIA Viscosa, Montecatini-Montedison) who had also reached a significant degree of full internationalization early in the XX century, but during the second postwar period underwent profound dismantling of their original business mission. Finally the paper focuses on few cases of "new protagonists," mid-size family companies who undertook a true multinational strategy only in the most recent decades and today represent the core of the Italian "fourth capitalism."

Suggested Citation

  • Fabrizio Onida & Giuseppe Berta, 2011. "Old and new Italian multinational firms," Quaderni di storia economica (Economic History Working Papers) 15, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:workqs:qse_15
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:bdi:workqs:qse_2 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. James R. Markusen & Anthony J. Venables, 2021. "Multinational firms and the new trade theory," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: BROADENING TRADE THEORY Incorporating Market Realities into Traditional Models, chapter 3, pages 47-67, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Crafts,Nicholas & Toniolo,Gianni (ed.), 1996. "Economic Growth in Europe since 1945," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521499644, November.
    4. Aldo Enrietti & Renato Lanzetti, 2002. "Fiat Auto: le ragioni della crisi e gli effetti a livello locale," Working Papers (-2012) 0207, University of Bergamo, Department of Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alessandro Borin & Riccardo Cristadoro, 2014. "Foreign direct investment and multinational firms," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 243, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    2. repec:bdi:workqs:qse_7 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Federico Barbiellini Amidei & John Cantwell & Anna Spadavecchia, 2011. "Innovation and Foreign Technology in Italy, 1861-2011," Quaderni di storia economica (Economic History Working Papers) 07, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Italian industry-multinational companies;

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • N63 - Economic History - - Manufacturing and Construction - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N64 - Economic History - - Manufacturing and Construction - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N83 - Economic History - - Micro-Business History - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N84 - Economic History - - Micro-Business History - - - Europe: 1913-

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