You are invited to submit a paper for inclusion in the Workshop “The Economics of New Technologies and Global Change”, to be held at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy on September 17th and 18th 2025. The workshop is jointly organized by a network of universities, including Gran Sasso Science Institute, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, University of Ferrara, University of Parma, University of Pisa, University of Trento, and Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (Pisa) with support from the Italian Ministry of University and Research and the European Union – Next Generation EU within the PRIN 2022 program.
The workshop aims to provide a forum for junior and senior scholars conducting state-of-the-art research in the fields of economics of innovation, industrial economics, labour economics, economic geography and international economics. The workshop will be organized around three major thematic tracks: 1) intangible assets and resilience to disruptive shocks; 2) twin transition: impacts on firms and workers; 3) automation, innovation, and global value chains. For each track, possible topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
Track 1 – Intangibles and Resilience to Disruptive Shocks
• The impact of intangible assets on firm performance during economic downturns.
• The role of knowledge diffusion in shaping innovation responses to disruptions.
• How digital transformation influences labour markets and inequality in times of crisis.
Track 2 – Twin Transition: Impacts on Firms and Workers
• The evolving skill requirements of digital and green jobs.
• The impact of digitalization and green transformation on firm performance and labour markets.
• The spatial distribution of digital and green skills and its effects on local economies.
Track 3 – Automation, Innovation, and Global Value Chains
• The determinants of automation adoption across countries and industries.
• The impact of automation on international trade and labour markets.
• How innovation influences global value chain participation and upgrading opportunities.
The workshop aims to advance understanding of the economic implications of various aspects of new advanced technologies and global production networks by bringing together research on intangible assets, the twin digital and green transitions, and employment outcomes. We further aim to provide insights for industrial and innovation policies aimed at addressing current competitiveness and societal challenges.
Organizational Details
The Workshop will take place in Milan, Italy, over two days. It will feature a mix of contributed presentations and invited keynote speakers. No fee is required. A limited amount of funding is available to partially cover travel and 2
accommodation expenses for selected participants. Priority will be given to early-career researchers and those with limited institutional support. Applicants who wish to be considered for financial assistance should indicate their request in their submission and provide a brief justification. Decisions on funding allocation will be communicated upon acceptance of the paper.
Submission and Selection Process
Please send an email to enteg@outlook.it with the subject “Workshop Submission”. Submissions should include the names and affiliations of co-authors (if any) and either a full paper or 2-3 pages extended abstract (around 2000 words, including references) in .pdf format. Senders must specify the track under which their research should be considered. The scientific committee will evaluate submissions based on their scientific quality and relevance to the workshop themes.
Keynote Speakers
The workshop will feature keynote speeches from:
• Ljubica Nedelkoska: Complexity Science Hub & Central European University, Vienna, Austria.
• Klaus Prettner: Professor of Macroeconomics and Digitalization at Department of Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU), Vienna, Austria.
Important Dates
• Opening of the submission for the extended abstracts: 10 March 2025.
• Closing of the submission for the extended abstracts: 31 May 2025.
• Decision on acceptance: 22 June 2025. Participants must confirm their participation within 10 days of the decision’s notification.
• Registration deadline for presenting attendees: 18 July 2025.
• Conference in Milan at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore: 17-18 September 2025.
Scientific & Organizing Committee
Gianluca Capone (Unipr), Chiara Franco (Unip), Marco Grazzi (Unicatt), Fabio Lamperti (Unicatt), Fabio Landini (Unipr), Alberto Marzucchi (Gssi), Daniele Moschella (Sssup), Fabio Pieri (Unitn), Ugo Rizzo (Unife), Chiara Tomasi (Unitn), Luigi Tredicine (Unipr).