Arethuse 1/2 2015

Book excerpt: The papers presented in this issue are those that the Scientific Committee has assessed as being particularly of merit. They relate to three areas, Strategic Management, Economics and Statistics, and Public Finance. These areas have not only been the subject of study of researchers who adhere to the international Association, Arethuse, but especially in recent years provide a useful opportunity for whoever operates in European countries (university researchers, spin-off, managers, entrepreneurs, local associations, public authorities, governmental and non- governmental financial institutions etc.) to enrich their knowledge. In this year with the Expo taking place in Italy, the issues concerning the quality and development of the people and territory have led to scientific fields of study and discussions that are of particular global relevance. The Universal Exposition of Milan places special emphasis on sustainable development and the new sense of globalization of economic and social phenomena. A great deal of research, the results of which are presented in this issue, provide useful contributions. They highlight the metrics to be used to promote the development of the territory; they study the impact of information technology in the tourism sector; they present studies on the most appropriate reconfiguration of relationships with retailers and the reconfiguration of supply chains; finally, special attention is paid to the redesign of management techniques and of inter- enterprise relations, in order to facilitate the growth of SMEs and the environment in which they are rooted.