Federico Niccolini

Achieving Success under Pressure in the Conservation of Intensely Used Coastal Areas

Understanding how biological conservation and socioeconomic development can be harmonized in social- ecological systems is at the core of sustainability science. We present the case of a Mediterranean marine protected area (MPA), the Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo MPA, that exhibits high ecological performance under intense pressure from fishing, tourism, and coastal development. This case study illustrates how socioeconomic development and significant conservation benefits can coexist, even in a challenging context. Based on this case study, we present a framework for what elements and interactions have determined the high ecological performance of this MPA, and highlight the key leverages that have enabled ecosystem recovery. In particular, the most critical elements underlying high performance were sufficient leadership and knowledge to identify a conservation vision and to catalyze some key actors in the implementation of this vision. Thus, success was ultimately determined by the ability of the leadership of the MPA to devise and implement an effective strategy, with the support and participation of key actors that were external to the MPA organization. The insights from this case study may be applicable to improving MPA management in other systems with similar characteristics, including high human pressures and the presence of an MPA authority.

Ecoturismo in Europa: metodologie per l’eccellenza

Ecotourism is a sector with strong potentials to address the entire tourism industry in the direction of the ecosystems conservation, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development. In order to reach this complex challenge, organizations involved in the ecotourism sector should develop a systemic approach related to the organization, management and strategic process of ecotourism supply. To evaluate the effectiveness of an eco tourism system it is essential to have an overview on the different methodologies used to identify the successful experiences in this field.

Latent Ties Identification in Inter-Firms Social Networks

Social networks are usually analyzed through manifest variables. However there are social latent aspects that strongly qualify such networks. This paper aims to propose a statistical methodology to identify latent variable in inter-firm social networks. A multidimensional scaling technique is proposed to measure a latent variable as a combination of an appropriate set of two or more manifest relational aspects. This method, tested on an inter-firm social network in the Marche region (Italy), it is a new way to grasp social aspect with quantitative tools that could be implemented under several different conditions, using also other variables.