معرفی
Francesco AIELLO is a Full Professor of Economics at the Department of Economics, Statistics and Finance "Giovanni Anania" at the University of Calabria, Italy. He has held this position since 2012, after progressing from Assistant Professor (1996-2003) to Associate Professor (2003-2012) at the same institution. He is the founder of OpenCalabria.com (2015), a non-profit think-tank focused on the Calabrian economy and Italian regional economic divides, and serves as Editor in Chief of the associated online journal Regional Economy.
His educational background includes:
- Laurea (BA) in Economics, University of Calabria, summa cum laude (1989)
- 2-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Economics (1991)
- PhD in Agricultural Economics, University of Naples (1995)
- Summer Schools in Econometrics and Social Science Data Analysis (1990-1994)
Professor Aiello is an applied economist specializing in micro-econometrics, international trade, and evidence-based policy formulation. His current research focuses on the innovation-productivity nexus at firm level, with particular emphasis on family firms and regional economic divides in Inner areas. He has published extensively in leading journals including Journal of Economic Surveys, Papers in Regional Science, and Small Business Economics, with over 120 publications documented in university records.
His recent publications reveal a strategic research trajectory examining how innovation drives productivity, particularly in family firms, while increasingly addressing the intersection of digitalization and environmental sustainability. The 2025 work on "Bayesian insights on digitalization and environmental sustainability practices" demonstrates his engagement with the EU's twin transition agenda, while numerous Italian-language publications address practical economic challenges in Southern Italy.
Professor Aiello has served as scientific coordinator for multiple EU Commission, Italian Ministry of Research, and Regione Calabria-funded projects. He currently leads the DS-FITTI "Dynamic South: Firms Innovation, Twin Transition and Investments" project and coordinates research within the PNRR Tech4you initiative focused on climate change impacts. He has supervised 204 Bachelor's and Master's theses plus 6 PhD theses, reflecting his significant mentorship role.
He is an active member of the "DIVARI DI PRODUTTIVITA', INNOVAZIONE E POLITICHE DI SVILUPPO" research group examining firm productivity determinants, territorial policies, trade barriers, and efficiency analysis. His professional service includes membership on the National Commission for National Scientific Qualification in Economic Policy (2021-2023) and referee work for major economics journals including American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Journal of Economic Surveys.
