Giacomo Pignataro (p), Calogero Guccio

Giuseppe Roma

This paper analyses the technical efficiency growth in the Italian hospital sector over a period characterized by substantial reforms that shifted the responsibility of both managing and funding, from central to regional governments. While the main focus of the literature on the impact of decentralization on efficiency is on the level of healthcare expenditure, we consider the efficiency in the production of hospital services. Moreover, we wish to assess the long-term performance of healthcare provision, so as to be able to examine the dynamics of the potential difference in efficiency across providers, as well as the dynamics characterizing the best performers.
The specific objectives pursued in the paper are:
- To estimate the technical efficiency of the Italian hospitals over the period 1999-2010 through nonparametric frontier approaches;
- To assess the efficiency growth over time;
- To assess convergence patterns of efficiency, both at hospital and at a regional level, also considering the similarity of time paths of efficiency between regions (club convergence).
We use nonparametric estimators to examine not only the level of inefficiency in each year of our data, but how this varies over time. To avoid the typical biases of nonparametric estimators, particularly the ones related to the ad hoc choice of estimators and to the curse of dimensionality, we use an efficiency estimation protocol recently proposed by O’Loughlin et al. (2021). The protocol is essentially data-driven, minimizing discretion in the choice of the model and the estimator to be used. In particular, it makes use of the diagnostics developed by Wilson (2018) to indicate whether reducing dimensionality (of the input-output space) might be advantageous, and also checks for the convexity of the production set and for the nature of the returns to scale (Kneip et al., 2016), for the choice of the best efficiency estimator. In addition, we carry out an analysis of the convergence of the efficiency time paths, using the Phillips and Sul (2007) approach.
We find that, globally, the Italian hospitals experienced a considerable deterioration in efficiency over the time period under observation, but the trend is not homogeneous at the level of geographical areas. The Center and South of the country have experienced a more pronounced decrease in efficiency than those in the North of the country, even if the latter have also experienced a deterioration of their efficiency.

Debora Gambina (p), Fabio Mazzola (p)

Giacomo Pignataro

This work aims at tracking down the main determinants of the implementation speed of the European Cohesion interventions.
The implementation time of the same project typology could be heterogeneous depending on the features of the territory where the project is performed.
The paper explores the potential heterogeneities among EU countries in the timing of project completion and identifies their determinants. It implements a project-level investigation by extracting the relevant information from Kohesio database.
To take into account the natural differences in the execution time between the sectors and typology, we classify the cohesion projects by thematic areas and spending categories.
For each EU country, we group the cohesion projects by provinces and apply a logistic regression. The dependent variable is the average execution time of the projects in the province vis-à-vis the national average. The explanatory set is composed of some variables which could cause the speed of projects’ implementation (i.e., absorption capacity, development level, competitiveness, innovative behavior, institutional quality, administrative efficiency, proxies of decision-making speed and political strategies and so on).
The model estimates the relative role of each explanatory variable in influencing, on average, the probability that the provinces are outperforming in project execution. The identification of the causes of projects’ implementation speed for each country allows the European policymaker to apply differentiated measures by country to overcome inefficiencies.

Silvia De Nicolò (p), Alessia Broka, Stefan Angel

Debora Gambina

In Austria, social assistance programs undergo variations among Laender/federal provinces, leading to differences in eligibility criteria, benefits, and the organizational and financial structures. The coexistence of diverse anti-poverty schemes in such a distinctive context prompts us to scrutinize their varying effectiveness in terms of policy targeting. Consequently, our goal is to evaluate the targeting efficiency at the local level, recognizing that aggregated analyses may obscure disparities between the percentage of beneficiaries and poor households, as noted by Tonutti et al. (2022). Additionally, we contribute to the existing literature by examining potential misalignments in the amount of provided cash transfers and the local poverty gap. We measure poverty rates and gaps by using two Foster-Greer-Thorbecke indices, i.e. the headcount ratio and the poverty gap index, relying on data from the EU-SILC survey. To derive reliable estimates, we employ small area estimation models that integrate both survey and registry office data. This estimation is conducted for 24 local areas, taking into account the province and the degree of urbanization. We assess the targeting effectiveness by means of a Beta regression model, defined at the area level, that disectangles the analysis between rural and urban area as to account for such differences.

Jakša Puljiz (p)

Silvia De Nicolò

The EU Cohesion policy has been trying to formulate its urban dimension for a long time. The latest changes covering 2014-2020 period brought a series of novelties with regard to promotion of the integrated approach to urban development. Within this context, Croatia seized the opportunity to initiate work on its policy framework for urban development, incorporating novel financial and operational mechanisms. This study scrutinizes the measures undertaken to implement the integrated urban development strategy, assessing the extent of its realization. This paper examines the critical steps in setting the integrated approach to urban development. It evaluates to what extent the integrated approach has actually been achieved. For this purpose, a special framework for assessing the success of the integrated approach was developed. Based on the analysis of the documentation and the comparison of approaches in Croatia and other member countries, it is concluded that a relatively ambitious approach has been applied in Croatia regarding the use of Cohesion policy funds for the needs of integrated urban development and that significant effects have been achieved in a relatively short period. These achievements are evident not only in the scale of project financing but also in the substantial enhancement of institutional capacities and inter-territorial cooperation. On other hand, the most significant challenge lies in operationalizing the integrated approach at the project implementation stage, a policy challenge common across the European Union.

Giuseppe Roma (p)

Jakša Puljiz

Conceptual model and concrete projects for urban regeneration

The paper is based on a long-standing expertise in the field of urban regeneration in Italy and Europe. It includes a repertoire of the structural processes that have generated abandoned urban complexes and an analysis of quantitative data in 13 Italian metropolitan areas.
Through a system of relationships between different variables it is possible to determine the best regeneration strategy that involve local institutions, communities and the private sector
Thanks to technological innovation, a significant real estate asset has gradually become available, mainly located within urbanized and very often central areas, now available for a transformation that increases its value economic, social and environmental.
Such valorization can provide a multiplicity of ways through which the initiatives can be positive for the common good and for increasing social capital. For possible strategies were examined by acting:
- through sale as brownfield;
- through the sale of building following a partnership between local authorities and investors;
- through participation in local entities with investors that allow longer-term returns also participating in the management of the assets resulting from the transformation process;
-through the creation of functions of significant public interest (social housing, student housing, public spaces, temporary homes, etc.) which involve the use of public sector investments.
The conceptual model was then tested in concrete projects to support the choices of public decision makers. Examples that will be presented,