Local development and company behaviour: the environmental factors that favour innovative processes in an economy-company perspective

In an era highly influenced by the well-known processes of globalisation and internationalisation of the economy, innovation represents the key to competitiveness of a region or of a territory in a broad sense . Innovation attracts new investments and opens doors to development by increasing work productivity at the same time; therefore it is necessary to create the suitable conditions for companies to innovate . Speaking of development does not mean exclusively interpreting the data that emerges from certain indicators but it implies focusing on a whole range of processes that aim at improving the quality of life and wellness of citizens. In this connection, the objective of the vision that has accompanied political decisions on a community level in the last few years, was to help Europe become the most competitive and dynamic economy in the world, based on knowledge and capable of creating a sustainable economic growth with more jobs and better working conditions without, however, neglecting the need to achieving greater social cohesion. In reality the idea that has been diffused in the last few years is that factors of an exclusively material nature have not exclusively affected the level of local development but most of all those of an immaterial nature, the majority of which can be attributed to the share capital of a community. Furthermore, the need to organise economic-financial resources to “help” local development has arisen : with the subsequent planning of political formulas capable of balancing tangible and intangible elements, perhaps through economic-financial cooperation between public and private players. During negotiations the complex subject of the role of innovation in local development will be discussed, starting with a brief examination of the theories developed during the last few years by economic learning; subsequently the decisive factors of local development will be analysed with specific reference to the role played by the innovative phenomenon in a micro and macro-economic perspective; the chapter will be completed by focusing on the current trends underway in the economic panorama, analysing the modern organisational instruments that may be implemented in order to improve personal competitiveness within the territorial context in question.