In economic sectors, medium sized businesses in particular have been the driving element for the market, and the success of “Made in Italy” exports are proof to this. Also families represent a very dynamic subject with a significant impulse on demand both in terms of IT and telecoms spending.

The good news mainly concerns the growth of the IT market in Italy which, with a higher pace than the rest of the national economy, confirms the recovery of IT demand that started in 2004. In contrast, the telecommunications market slowed down, showing a very discontinuous trend, mainly due to regulatory reorganisation and tariff cuts.

The demand for ICT on the other hand was flat in the Public Administration, owing to limited investment and to in-house policies which are constantly eroding shares from the market.

Within the Italian economic context, the Rapporto 2008 provides a slightly positive evaluation of the ICT sector, related to the fact that part of the economy is heading down the road of innovation with a view to increasing competitiveness and to take on the global market.

However, this reaction is still too weak and too slow with respect to the innovation trend on the international level. The number of businesses involved in Italy are too few, the speed and acceleration with which innovation is carried out too slow, and the resources set aside for investment in the sector too scarce.

If the picture described above doesn’t change or no efforts are made to invert the trend, the gap between Italy and other major economies is destined to widen with a subsequent drop in competitiveness and growth levels.

In order to boost growth, it is indispensable for Italy to put in place a strategic, consistent and systematic policy for innovation geared towards a comprehensive improvement of the economy, with initiatives addressing all major issues including:

- Increasing use of innovative technology in all sectors by empowering citizens and providing the country with the necessary infrastructure, training programmes and instruments;

- Sustaining the processes of reorganisation and cultural and educational change that are prerequisite to make the best use of technology in Public Administration and Business;

- Promoting development of IT innovation, in order to meet the demand for adequate solutions for the Italian productive system, and particularly SMBs and Public Administration, as well as to reclaim an international role in the production of innovative technology with competitive products and services.

The key elements for this are already in place – they can be found in trends and positive initiatives currently underway; it is only a matter of defining a policy, removing obstacles and reducing the gap in a reasonable timescale. Assinform has been addressing these issues for some time and intends to continue doing so together with its members and major institutional bodies.