Antonio Focacci

Empirical evidence in the analysis of the environmental and energy policies of a series of industrialised nations, during the period 1960-1997, using widely employed macroeconomic indicators

This article underlines the main implications of the interrelations between the energy problem and that of environmental pollution, using the most widely used macroeconomic indicators in the field of policy analysis. In fact, carbon dioxide (CO2) emission intensity and energy intensity trends may be used to highlight the most important features of economic development over a given time scale in a variety of different countries. The empirical analysis proposed here—covering a time-span of some 40 years in a number of the most highly industrialised nations—seems to be useful if we are to understand the main similarities and differences in the interaction between the energy choices made by different countries and their respective environmental effects. Moreover, by using PPPs, it has been possible to propose a more detailed cross-country analysis for the different international situations.

A techno-economic analysis of the results of product diversification in household appliance durables--evaluating concreteness

Abstract The current tendency towards product differentiation in many areas of manufacturing is generally considered to be extremely positive. What we have attempted to do here is to verify the real degree of diversification that exists, by means of the measurement of the global performance of the most important household appliances, calculated using technical specifications available in the market. The figures enable us to evaluate the actual degree of diversification, and to calculate the Price/Global Performance ratio, a real measure of the relationship between the global technical performance of a product and its price, in order to get a critical understanding of the technical and economic results of diversification. Furthermore, we have also carried out an analysis of correlation designed to support “empirical” evidence.

Product diversification in the vehicles industry: a techno-economic analysis

Abstract The current tendency towards product differentiation in many areas of manufacturing is generally considered to be a positive phenomenon. What we have attempted to do here is to analyse the real degree of diversification that exists within the vehicles industry (in the case of all those models of cars, scooters and motorcycles for which we managed to find figures) by measuring global performance together with the use of statistical correlation. We have elaborated our figures using the technical specifications and prices available in the (Italian) market. This method enables us to evaluate the actual degree of diversification within the vehicles industry, and to calculate the price/global performance ratio, a real measure of the relationship between the global quality of a product and its price, in order to get a critical understanding of the technical and economic results.

An ores pricing mechanism for promoting sustainable development

SUMMARY In this present work, the authors, after a brief survey of current economic theories of non-renewable resources, propose an alternative mechanism for ore pricing that is consistent with sustainable development. Technological change, technological pluralism, costs and environmental issues are the main benchmarks of the present discussion. The are pricing mechanism proposed here try to encompass all of these aspects, and reconsider the role of technology and its various options. In fact, technology is strictly linked to its limits (above all those of productivity, efficiency and its resulting environmental effects) and can no longer be considered just in terms of the classical principles of the minimum cost without evaluating those aspects related to the goals of sustainable development, widely shared at the international level. Without making any claims to being an exhaustive treatment of this topic, the present work tries to apply these principles to price ores.

The definition and measurement of evolutionary materials

In this article the authors provide a quantitative definition of evolutionary materials using some different parameters. Attention has been paid about this question, from a technical, commercial and political point of view, but quantitative parameters have never been utilized. Our proposal, based on previous research work, takes into consideration eight main economic parameters covering the various aspects of evolutionary materials, in order to formulate a global index representing a synthetic measurement of the degree of evolution of different materials. Four real cases are cited showing the real differences. Technical data are not used here because, even though they may be easily quantifiable, they cannot be considered specific for commodities and evolutionary respectively.

The changing economic significance of consumer durables resulting from the evolution of productive systems

Abstract In the present paper we are aiming to establish how the price of the most important durable goods, in Italy as well as in other industrialised countries, has changed, over time, in relation to the per-capita average income, in order to identify trends and causes. The observed trends have been reconfirmed through the elaboration of the ratio between price of the durable and per-capita average wage. Furthermore, the work aims to see how the incidence of the main economic activities has varied over time with reference to value-added and the number of people involved.

Corporate Social Responsibility performance assessment by using a linear combination of key indicators

The progressive commitment towards a more sustainable model of current civil/economic societies has come to prominence, both in industrialised and developing countries. This paradigm encounters widespread acceptance encompassing the forms of external communication and the evaluation of specific business performances not just related to merely economic/financial information. As a consequence, several dedicated efforts have been made to communicate such a different awareness. Starting from these premises, the paper proposes a method to calculate the Global Corporate Social Responsibility Rate (GCSRR) of a company based on a linear combination of financial statement figures, environmental data and social values indicators. To present a synthetic comparative evaluation model and without any pretension to be exhaustive, some explanatory calculations are reported as an illustrative application of the method.

The status and the actions to implement the Kyoto Protocol in Italy: problems and perspectives

In this article, the authors point out main problems and perspectives related to the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol in Italy. After a brief and general introduction for explaining main concerns and institutional frameworks involved in the development of international procedures suitable to deal with the problem at a global level, the status of Italian actions in the different economic activities is presented. Finally, without any pretension to be exhaustive and with the appropriate cautions related to the number of available figures, statistical predictions are presented for Italy that highlight the main trends in the emissions of the effluents considered in the Kyoto Protocol.

Costs function assessment: an empirical business analytics approach for decisional purposes

The aim of the present paper is, without any pretension of to be exhaustive, to propose a business analytics contribution in the elaboration of a reliable and accurate assessment of firms costs function for decision purposes. As a matter of fact, the analyst/consultant, the entrepreneur itself or also the manager has not always the possibility to access to the wide range of all the needed useful information to deal with this task. Income statements or general accounting documents could not record - for an appropriate and sound assessment - all relevant figures. In these (not-extraordinary) cases, supplementary and accurate data gathering is both extremely hard to carry on and not synchronised with entrepreneurial needs. Hence, an analysis developing informed business decisions seems not possible except of roughly approximations. Considering these binding constraints, business analytics tools - by recurring to their interdisciplinary versatility - can surely support managerial decision-making widening and strengthening possibilities to enhance the value of retrievable insights from traditional firms accounting data. Under this perspective, management accounting combines its traditional informational power with sound scientific support for a renewed, more efficient and multidisciplinary approach to business.