Abstract

{ABSTRACT} Using global input-output tables with detail for Italy’s four macro-regions and employment data by skill level and industry, the paper analyzes the changes in the competitiveness of these regions over 1995-2006. In this period, the network of Global Value Chains (GVCs) rapidly became denser and China and Eastern European countries became important players in the world economy. In the paper, we first argue that conventional measures of regional competitiveness (based on gross exports) can lead to distorted indicators. We propose and apply a more appropriate indicator to depict the main changes and find substantial regional differences. Next, we quantify the contribution of China and Eastern Europe to these changes, adopting an approach that takes both competition from these countries and increased export opportunities to these countries into account. Finally, we separately analyze the implications for high-skilled and low-skilled labor in Italian regions.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER } Bart Los is Professor of Economics at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands. He was one of the co-coordinators of the World Input-Output Database project and is Vice-President of the International Input-Output Association.