Managerial Studies: An Italian Perspective
回顾了意大利管理学研究过去20年的演变，从本土化走向全球化，分析了这一转变对研究内容、方法和学术文化的影响，适合关注管理学科发展及学术国际化的读者。
The last 20 years have been very important for managerial studies in Italy. There are several reasons for this. The growing importance of managerial issues within Italian firms is due to the trend towards globalization; the shift between first, second, third and fourth entrepreneurial generations; increased competitive pressures from foreign competitors (principally, but not exclusively, from developing countries); the transformation from a monopolistic into a competitive structure in some industries (e.g. broadcasting and the telecommunication industries). As a result of all these factors, Italian firms have manifested an increasing need for solutions, responses to their doubts and queries, and support from managerial studies. The interaction between the factors mentioned below has reshaped managerial studies from both a content and a methodological perspective: the generational shift for management scholars; the introduction of reforms by successive education ministries; the trend towards globalization in the university sector; the reduction in financial support for universities on the part of the state. Until the 1990s the Italian approach to managerial studies was characterized as follows. The central importance of the Italian school of thought was developed in the 1920s and strongly influenced by Gino Zappa and a few other scholars in the field. For years after, managerial studies grew out of the theories and models of these ‘founding fathers’ and any significant study was required to build on them. The Italian language was used exclusively. Book publication (as opposed to research papers) was very important for one's academic career. Researchers were required to produce complete books in order to demonstrate a capacity to study a specific issue in depth and from a variety of viewpoints. This also explains why, until recently, the field was dominated by a qualitative approach. There was a focus on rather broad issues, relevant to the domestic economy or domestic firms (i.e. managerial issues for small and medium sized firms; family business management; corporate governance). Importance was given to the accounting side of management and to the history of accounting. Importance was given to public administration management. As a consequence, many studies were focused on public administration and organizational, strategic and administrative issues. Since the end of the 20th century there have been considerable changes and the trend is now towards the globalization of managerial studies. There are significant implications to these changes. Globalization has obliged Italian researchers to take into consideration foreign points of reference much more so than previously. Something similar had already occurred in some fields, given that managerial studies in Italy had clearly always had a close relationship with the Anglo-Saxon schools. Now, however, a significant number of researchers pay more attention to foreign studies and foreign scholars than domestic ones. This heightened dependence on foreign studies has significantly affected the publications of Italian academics. In terms of ‘negative trade-off’ there has also been a tendency to lose the strong cultural identity that had characterized Italian academia and a shift from qualitative to quantitative methods, implying loss of the possibility of leveraging on its own strengths. In the past there was intensive use of a deductive approach using qualitative methods combined with an ability to study cases and industries. Currently, most new generation researchers are oriented towards quantitative research, as they see this as their only possibility for involvement in academic competition and discussion abroad. The actual research content has also changed, and researchers are now much more specialized than in the past, focusing on much narrower topics and issues. This is a key issue as ‘relevance of topics studied seems to be becoming less and less relevant’. The risk is to focus on a kind of research that is appreciated only in the academic world, but not outside it. Previously, research was oriented much more to the needs of firms, even though it was still considered too academic and often not relevant enough to the practical issues that firms had to deal with. Managerial studies have also been affected by the growing globalization of Italian university courses. Even though most undergraduate and graduate programmes are still delivered in Italian, many universities are launching courses in English, both to improve the international employment prospects of domestic students and to attract foreign students. The combination of globalization in education and research has given rise to a need to attract foreign scholars to be involved in both research and teaching activities. A further consequence is that both Italian academia and, more specifically, Italian managerial studies are beginning to increasingly resemble those of other countries. As mentioned above, the introduction of a variety of university reforms over the last 20 years has also played a role in this transformation. Both the Bologna Process and the introduction of research assessment have made Italian universities increasingly similar to universities in other European and extra-European countries. The most recent reform (which is currently being put in place) appears to have been inspired – at least as far as research assessment is concerned – by the British Research Assessment Exercise and Research Excellence Framework. Combined with this is the fact that universities have received less and less financial support from the state in recent years. This makes life very difficult, especially when the objectives are to launch international publications, involve foreign faculty and set up important research projects. Given the current situation, there would not appear to be a simple or clear-cut conclusion. Indeed, there are many different interpretations that could be made. Therefore, moving from this picture to a single set of conclusions is not easy, not least because there are very different perceptions and feelings about the role, content and development of managerial studies in Italy. A pessimistic view would consider the shift from a domestically oriented to a globally oriented approach as leading to a lack of differentiation which, according to some commentators, will become a weakness. Furthermore, it is not clear whether this change will lead to a strong new culture and identity. Finally, playing by American rules creates a huge disadvantage for scholars who are not native English speakers, have considerably less money to invest and live in a context that is markedly different from that of the USA. If we consider what is happening to managerial studies in Italy from a different perspective, however, globalization is potentially a huge opportunity for Italian researchers. First, globalization opens up the world to our traditions, our scholars and their work, and our approach to managerial issues. Second, the opportunity to be involved in the international conversation on management and managerial studies makes it possible for the Italian academic world to shape the debate – at least in Europe. In addition, globalization provides Italian researchers with opportunities to work abroad in international teams and develop their research competences. However, in order for this to be a successful experience, certain conditions need to be met. We need to be able to identify and develop the positive aspects of these international experiences rather than merely copying them. Indeed, our environment is different, and this must be taken into consideration if we are to adapt the system to local needs and strengths. In addition, we need to play the game according to the current rules, whilst also endeavouring to change them in order to eliminate certain disadvantages and/or risks. The most dangerous of these is perhaps a tendency to become highly competent at analysing extremely narrow issues (which are perhaps not always that central) and losing the capacity to transfer not only techniques and technical solutions to problems but also values and ideas for the development of a sustainable world. We will be able to meet this challenge only if we maintain strong relationships and alliances with European researchers and scholars who share our ideas and perspectives. Donatella Depperu is Full Professor of Business Administration and Strategy at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Faculty of Economics and Business III (Italy). She is Vice-President of Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale. She was a member of the Executive Committee of the European Academy of Management from 2001 to 2009 and Chairperson of the EURAM Annual Conference in 2003. Her research activity has mainly focused on the strategy process, international strategies of small and medium-sized enterprises, and networks.