Assessment of the potential demand for establishing a science and technology in Desio

The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the potential demand for establishing a science and technology park in an abandoned site of the municipality of Desio, located in the province of Monza e Brianza. The goal is reached first by identifying which are the empirical conditions that a park should have to become a successful reality, and then by verifying whether these conditions are available in local context. Therefore, some hypothesis about local market’s characteristics and the feature of the geographical site of destination have been formulated and scrutinized through the research presented in this work. At the end, it has been verified whether proposing a science and technology park in Desio represents an appropriate solution or not. The trend of local market is detected through analytical methodologies, which use statistical data provided by statistic databases or reports. In addition, in order to understand the perception and the interest of provincial companies in science and technology park, a sample of high-tech firms has been interviewed. In this way it has been matched the outcome of empirical analysis with the real requirements of enterprises. Finally, investigating the endogenous conditions of the site itself, it was possible to comprehend if the area enjoys the required features to receive a science and technology park and the functions that the technopole should provide. This dissertation is composed by four main chapters. The first chapter presents some official definitions, which draw the portrait of ideal park and its goals. Then, thanks to analysis of the first worldwide experiences, the main objectives and the peculiarities of successful parks as well as the positive externalities they generate are clarified. In this chapter the traits of the suitable location to receive a science and technology park are described as well as the facilities that the park has to included, the stakeholders involved in the creation of such organizations together with their main goals. At the end of the first chapter, some qualitative and quantitative indicators to assess the performance of a park are provided. The second chapter takes into consideration the Italian experience in science and technology parks. At the beginning, this research spots the Italian trend for what concerns the number of enterprises and employees presented in the science and technology parks, the turnover they realize and their geographical distribution. Then, the attention is moved on the activities performed within the national technology centres and the categories of stakeholders involved at national level. Chapter ends with “best practice” to establish a science and technology park. They are basically guidelines obtained by summarizing the information provided by national and international experiences. “Best practice” maps the endogenous and exogenous features that local market, location and real estate asset have to own in order to provide a fruitful experience. These guidelines are used in the following chapters to develop analysis. In particular, chapter three aims at investigating if local market enjoys the proper conditions to receive a technopole. Hence, it aims at understanding if there is a potential demand in local context to establish a science and technology park. In this respect, analysis about the trend of high-tech enterprises as well as efforts in R&D and innovative activities are provided. Data mainly come from statistic databases, such as Istat and ASR Lombardia. Anyway, also reports issued by Monza e Brianza’s Chamber of Commerce and Italian Chambers of Commerce were useful information sources. Outcome of empirical analysis have been matched with the results of a questionnaires addressed to provincial high-tech active enterprises. This latter’s mission was to find the presence of a real demand for having a technopole, beyond the potential one. Finally, chapter four describes the most important elements of the site, such as the accessibility and the surrounding activities developed. Taking into consideration the high-tech market trend and the enterprises already located within the site, the chapter identifies the functions that the new pole should offer. They include both spaces for new firms and for support activities. To conclude, through SWOT analysis are presented the peculiarities of the project.