Ceris-Cnr, W.P. N° 3/2004

Uno studio sull’innovazione
nell’industria chimica
[Italian chemical firms' innovative behaviour]

Anna Ceci*, Mario De Marchi**,
Maurizio Rocchi**
* Istat
Istituto Nazionale di Statistica
Via Cesare Balbo 16, 00184 - Roma
Tel. 06.7297.6234;
Fax 06.4667.8025
ceci@istat.it
** Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Istituto di Ricerca sull’Impresa e lo Sviluppo (Ceris-Cnr)
Sezione di Ricerca di Roma, Istituzioni e Plitiche per la Scienza e la Tecnologia
Via dei Taurini, 19, 00185 Roma, Italy
Tel. (+ 39) 06.4993.7848 (de Marchi);
Tel. (+ 39) 06.4993.7850 (Rocchi)
Fax (+39) 06.4455692
demarchi@isrds.rm.cnr.it
rocchi@isrds.rm.cnr.it

Abstract: In our analysis, we have remembered the general result reached by studies on
innovation of late, according to which innovation in manufacturing industry is a complex
phenomenon and does not lend itself to be described and explained through simplistic
analytical models. We have then taken clue from a variegated description of the firms’
innovative behaviour, based on several indicators of their innovativeness.
Our results confirm the idea that remarkable differences exist between the two sub-sectors
into which chemical industry is broken down: pharmaceutical and basic chemicals.
As for policy implications, the close correlation between patents and basic-research
expenditure suggests that the Italian Fund for basic research (FIRB) might be useful in
order to promote innovation in chemical industry.
Keywords: Industria chimica; Innovazione; Ricerca
JEL: O32
Attribuzioni: Anna Ceci ha effettuato le elaborazioni statistiche e scritto i paragrafi “Evidenze empiriche” e “Analisi
descrittiva”. Il resto è opera di Mario de Marchi e Maurizio Rocchi.