Research

76% of Italians believe in industry as a driver of development

Gender equality, environmental sustainability, integrated welfare, dialogue with schools are the topics on which there are most expectations

2 December 2024

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Industry and the factory constitute, in the collective imagination of Italians, a sort of 'obscure object of desire'. On the one hand, they are obscure, little-known entities: hence the attribution of a marginal weight in the country's economic development, as noted in the previous article. On the other hand, they are nevertheless considered central, almost essential, to the growth of a territory and its people.
In order to deepen the perception of the role Italians attribute to industry, in the latest survey of the Monitor sul Lavoro (MOL, Community Research&Analysis for Federmeccanica) we asked respondents a series of statements in relation to three areas: innovation processes, employment and development; professional growth and inclusion; and the relationship with the territory.

Innovation processes, employment and development

The area of 'innovation and employment' gets the highest level of approval. For almost half of the Italians (48 per cent), industry has made significant progress in the area of new technologies (66.9 per cent). Above all, it is perceived as a thermometer and a key player in the performance of the entire economy: for 63.8 per cent, if manufacturing is doing well, the surrounding area is also positively affected. What is more, it is also a driving force for all other sectors (59.5 per cent).

The employment of the younger generation is also perceived as a guarantee (52.7 per cent), so much so that it offers more skilled jobs than other production sectors (47.1 per cent). In this respect, therefore, industry occupies a central position in the collective imagination.

Professional growth and inclusion

The area of 'professional growth and inclusion' scores highly, albeit to a slightly lesser extent: one third of Italians (30.4%) perceive the industry to be very strong in this respect. It certainly represents a job opportunity for the younger generations (52.5 per cent), just as - by virtue of technological innovations - it now allows women to perform a job not only in administrative areas, but also in production (46.8 per cent). Less widespread, however, is the idea that industrial companies are attentive to promoting gender equality (35.9 per cent), offering opportunities for professional growth to their employees (33.5 per cent), rather than being alert to possible discrimination (30.6 per cent).

The relationship with the territory

The third area, paired with the previous one, is the 'relationship with the territory' entertained by industries. Just over one in four respondents (27.6%) believe that factories develop a significant relationship with their surroundings. While there is broad agreement that industries should be supported because they contribute to the growth of both the country and the workers (56.4%), there is less perceived commitment to environmental sustainability issues (37.3%), rather than to cultural initiatives and voluntary work in the area (35.3%). Still, the link and collaboration with community institutions is not perceived to a high degree (34.2 per cent), rather than the importance of the corporate welfare system to complement the public one (33.4 per cent).

An overall indicator

By constructing an overall indicator for the three areas analysed above, it is possible to obtain a summary image of the role assigned to industry by Italians. For more than a fifth of the population surveyed (21.4%), it occupies an absolutely decisive, 'central' position for development. The majority of Italians (54.8%), express some perplexity, but are definitely aware of the importance of the role of industry and attribute it a 'relevant' role. A minority does not consider industry to have such a significant role and assigns it a 'modest' weight (21%) and hardly anyone considers it 'marginal' (2.8%).

The advent of Artificial Intelligence

So, overall 76.2% believe in the role of industry for future development. Other indications on the decisive role of industry come from other aspects. Even with regard to the advent of Artificial Intelligence, which is so worrying because of possible job losses, although there is still a lack of knowledge of what it actually is (only 40.9% are able to provide a correct definition), those who believe it will bring more advantages (59.6%) than disadvantages (50.4%) to the world of work prevail. What is more, there is an awareness that industry will not be able to avoid introducing it into its production processes, while paying attention to the training of human capital and its preservation (50 per cent). While strenuous defence orientations in favour of jobs find space in 38.5 per cent of the respondents. Again, and particularly for the younger generations, they would like to see greater commitment and the opening of a dialogue with schools (85.9 per cent), through the launch of internships and apprenticeships (35.2 per cent), rather than the promotion of meetings within companies to directly acquaint families and young people with work and the changes that have taken place (19.2 per cent).

It is precisely from these aspects that a 'centrality' attributed to industry in development still takes shape. The 'cognitive dissonance' syndrome stems from the gap between reality and the Italians' perception of industry. There is a misrecognition of the actual role, but at the same time a significant importance is still attributed to it. It is not enough to emphasise objective data, because a reversal of the trend transits through cultural action. A 'reputation' needs to be built by opening up to families and young people, building relationships and projects with territories, schools, voluntary activities and local communities: generating territorial ecosystems favourable to work and industry.