Marco Tortora

Sustainable Systems and Energy Management at the Regional Level: Comparative Approaches

Marco Tortora is Research Fellow at the Department of Economic Sciences, University of Florence, Italy, and Adjunct Professor in International Business and European Business Program Coordinator at Kent State University in Florence, Italy, and Chair of the nonprofit association FAIR Italy. He studied Economics and specialized in International Affairs and Economic Geography. His PhD dissertation, completed at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, dealt with the geographical and economic analysis of information flows in the media industry. Because of his academic and professional experience, his research interests are in the following areas: sustainability and international business, energy markets and the environment, communication and information. Current and recent research projects include media and information flows, energy markets and environmental regulations, sustainable tourism and the marketing of places, social business and global education. Marco Tortora (University of Florence, Italy)

A Conceptual Framework for Tourism Transition Areas Based on Territorial Capital: a Case Study of Vinci

The purpose of this paper is to review past literature on destination competitiveness policy, vision, identity and image and to offer a conceptual framework that relates to the concept of the territorial capital as the key component in the establishment of a shared and integrated vision for tourist destinations. The framework is tested on the case of Vinci, Tuscany, and the findings are based on a focus group and a SWOT analysis. The results reveal that the level of awareness policy makers and other primary stakeholders have in recognizing and adopting the territorial capital concept for the development of a shared, integrated and sustainable strategic vision is absent. The major contribution of this work is inter-disciplinary since, to our knowledge, is the first attempt to analyse an in-transition tourist area through the role of a geographical concept, the territorial capital, and to link it to destination policy and strategic management terms, such as vision, identity, and image.

Humanism and Business: The Case of a Sustainable Business Experience in the Florentine Tourist Sector Based on the Civil Economy Tradition

Is it possible to have a sustainable tourism experience through the humanities (art, culture, and religion) in a city of arts? Florence is worldwide known as the city of Renaissance and Humanism. Its culture and art are the reason why millions of people every year travel to Florence to discover its beauty, richness, and culture. Though, not many people know that many of the places they visit, the paintings and statues they admire, and the history of some families and religious orders they listen to are also the first example of responsible practices both for the community (society) and, extended meaning, for the environment (ecology). This paper presents a case study of a grassroots innovative business activity in tourism designed to promote a different perspective of history and art, and to make tourists conscious of the way people lived and thought about their world when Humanism started in Florence, and to inspire potential future impacts. The case study, selected to be presented at EXPO2015 in Milan, is intended to be a living lab for an interdisciplinary and empirical approach to mix humanist and social studies and to promote a different way to do business in a responsible way.