Ex-post evaluation of Territorial Integrated Projects in Italy: an empirical analysis at firm level

Abstract

This paper focuses on the evaluation of an incentive program for local development realized in southern Italy during the last decade. In the framework of the policy instruments aimed at reducing territorial disparities and at supporting local development, territorial integrated projects (TIPs) have been considered a peculiar operational mode to implement EU funded regional development programmes. A TIP is defined as a “set of inter-sectorial actions, closely consistent and linked among them, which converge towards a common objective of territorial development and justify a unitary implementation approach”. The resources allocated for each TIP may be aimed at three types of interventions such as infrastructures, public actions and aid schemes. Through an empirical analysis on the resources allocated to aid schemes, this paper investigates, at firm level, the possible different performances of the beneficiaries of subsidies provided by TIPs, as compared to non-beneficiaries. In particular a subset of firms which received subsidies in the period 2002-2007 is considered, through the implementation of an empirical analysis which uses propensity score matching methods and a difference-in-differences approach jointly. Results show effectiveness of the program with reference to employment and sales, while we have mixed effects with respect to other outcome variables.