Una multinazionale a partecipazione statale : trasformazione e internazionalizzazione dell'industria aerospaziale italiana (1969-2007)

In the context of the general decline of the Italian economy, the aerospace industry is one of the very few example of an innovative sector able to deal with the liberalization process that involved the stateowned enterprises. In fact, a new systemic firm, internationally and technologically advanced, appeared by the merger of several stateowned and private companies. This happened because of the public support that changed the model of stateownership in favor of a demandoriented policy centered around an intermediary institution. This paper shows the evolution of the space sector by the use of archival sources not yet fully explored. It proves the functioning of the institutional process that oriented the emergence of an innovative firm. The analysis sheds light on the role of technology, institutions, and economic integration on the Italian industrial retreat.

Despite the general decline of the Italian economy and its weak innovative activity, Alenia Spazio has been able to evolve into an innovative firm thanks to the Italian Space Agency demanddriven industrial policy. It concludes with the history of the internationalization process that led to Stateowned multinational. [Publisher's text].