Knowledge is key to competitiveness: companies are showcasing themselves

(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) – “Corporate culture is also the way in which we describe the role of business in society and its contribution to the growth of local areas and communities. It is a heritage deeply rooted in our country’s history, capable of uniting tradition and innovation, skills and creativity, thereby contributing to Italia’s identity and competitiveness.” Francesco Somma, Confindustria’s Vice-President for Corporate Culture and Legal Certainty, made these remarks on the eve of Corporate Culture Week, organised by Confindustria and Museimpresa, which is taking place this year from 9 to 23 November under the theme ‘Knowledge for Competitiveness’.

Now in its 25th edition, this has become a traditional occasion to shine a spotlight on the role of business in society and its contribution to the growth of local areas and communities. The strength of the initiative lies in the widespread participation of trade associations and Museimpresa, which bring to life a packed programme of events. Company visits, special openings of museums and corporate archives, meetings, workshops, talks, exhibitions, guided tours, conferences and other initiatives provide tangible opportunities to offer an insider’s view of business. The aim is to give a voice to entrepreneurs and those who work in companies; showing how products, technologies and skills are developed means bringing to light a reality that often remains outside the public narrative and demonstrating, in contemporary terms, what it means to run a business today.

“All our regions have played their part in building that culture of enterprise in which we recognise the roots of our entrepreneurial identity. Confindustria has long been committed to taking these messages beyond the confines of businesses, to making them accessible – especially to young people – in order to inspire their entrepreneurial spirit,” emphasises Francesco Somma.

Corporate Culture Week forms part of Confindustria’s broader, cross-cutting and ongoing commitment to promoting and enhancing entrepreneurial culture: people, stories, ideas and responsibility. It brings together humanistic knowledge and scientific expertise, an appreciation of beauty and the technical know-how needed to make things work, the ability to plan and the skill to execute. Raising awareness of this heritage and making it more recognisable has long been one of our objectives. This commitment is all the more necessary to bring the role of business and its economic and social contribution back into the public debate. ‘We want to continue along this path, creating more opportunities to open up businesses, foster connections and experiment with new ways of communicating, because understanding businesses means understanding Italia better,’ says Confindustria’s Vice-President for Corporate Culture and Legal Certainty. This is also the meaning behind ‘Knowledge for Competitiveness’, the chosen theme: to promote greater awareness of corporate values, in the belief that spreading them means investing in the future.”

“Knowledge is key to competitiveness” presents a twofold challenge. On the one hand, it means understanding one’s own history, the skills and values that define a company’s identity, because an awareness of one’s roots is also a means of facing the future. On the other hand, it means making oneself better known, bridging the gap between businesses and the community through the ability to explain what it means to run a business today: investing, innovating, creating jobs, developing skills, and taking on risks and responsibilities.