ECONOMY + SOCIETY
Economy + Society
The nonni economy
Grandparents to the rescue
by Suzi Jenkins
If you are thinking about having children in Italy, you probably need to sit down in front of a Google spreadsheet and first start playing with some numbers. Among the obvious costs associated with children (adequate housing, food, clothes, toys, possibly …
Economy + Society
Florence is 'capital of Europe'
Festival d'Europa returns May 7 to 12
by Kevin Manley
As the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, Florence and the region of Tuscany have long had a ‘European calling.’ For this reason, Florence was chosen as the home of the European University Institute (EUI), which studies the activities and development of …
Economy + Society
Prato's PIN
Where study and research connect
To say that the Polo Universitario Città di Prato (PIN) is a satellite campus of the University of Florence seems reductive, but it is the most immediate way to label this innovative educational structure. In truth, with more research labs than …
Economy + Society
Makers in Tuscany
Collaboration at heart of new technological artisans
Florence is known for its traditional artisans who work leather, paper, and other materials—many of whom we have ‘met’ on the pages of The Florentine. Today, however, there’s a new type of nontraditional artisan whose tools include lasers and 3D printers. …
Economy + Society
Stealing jobs or stimulating the economy?
Immigrant labour is on the increase and why it's a good thing
by Suzi Jenkins
Italy is struggling with one of the most difficult recessions in the last 50 years. Unemployment has peaked at 11 percent, with youth and women, especially in the south, suffering the most from the stagnant economy and lack of jobs. But …
Economy + Society
Power to the people
The anxiety of TripAdvisor reviews
by Suzi Jenkins
The Internet and the new
interpretation of freedom of speech it offers has long been causing headaches
to many different members of global society: governments, businesses and
individuals. However, many are now learning to manage it rather than fight it.
With some surprising results.
Two years …
Economy + Society
The economics of study abroad
TF x FLORENS 2012
There are many students arriving this September
anxious to explore a new city, culture, and nightlife options. But how many of
them have considered the economic and cultural impact of their three- or
four-month stay in Florence? Study abroad is an extended form of …
Economy + Society
Blood is thicker than water
For Florentine business, it's all in the family
by Suzi Jenkins
Sometimes the best innovation is right under our noses and we just need help seeing it. At a time when economists are desperately searching for sustainable business models that go beyond corporate social responsibility, family businesses are showing that they have …
Economy + Society
Digital Tuscany
by Suzi Jenkins
By now it's understood that if Italy's economy is
going to have any kind of future, we have to make some pretty giant leaps in
terms of digital acceptance, appreciation and infrastructure. The statistics
speak loud and clear. We need to go digital, and …
Economy + Society
Florentines: connect the dots
It's not a resurrection unless you say it is
Recently, when I was in the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio for TEDx Florence, I realized that it had been nearly 1,000 days since my last visit to this marvellous place. I also realized that the theme of the conference, …
Economy + Society
Flat-packed solvency packages?
by Suzi Jenkins
What would you say if a multinational company offered you a 60-million-euro investment when your country was on the brink of financial disaster? Pisa, despite being in Tuscany and being quite famous, is rather the forgotten corner of the region. It …
Economy + Society
Tying the knot in Tuscany
The economics behind saying 'I do'
by Suzi Jenkins
Although the peak wedding season is now over, an upcoming trade fair in Florence will keep brides-to-be, whether foreign or native, shopping around for wedding-related products and services the whole year long. At the Fortezza da Basso from October 29 to …
Economy + Society
Is Florence fit for business?
A game Florence can win, one trade fair at a time
by Suzi Jenkins
The next time you are on Google Maps, look at Italy in its entirety. You will notice that Florence is equidistant from the country's two largest cities, Milan and Rome. Then look at the geography of Italy and note that Florence …
Economy + Society
A nation of influence
Italy's role in the European Union
by Aimee Bateas
As
one of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU), Italy, like, its fellow
members, is faced with the ongoing challenge of standing out and exerting
influence within it. To date, Italy has been one of its most influential states
in the EU, …
Economy + Society
Turin > Florence > Rome
Why Florence was Italy's second capital
by Aimee Bateas
As Italy
begins its celebration of 150 years of unification, Tuscans recognize this
anniversary as a significant milestone for the region, but especially for
Florence. Although Tuscany and Florence are known as being the heart of the
Italian Renaissance, with Dante and the Medicis calling …
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Thursday, May 23, 2013