2025 Scenarios for Italy

Running Head: ITALY SCENARIOS FOR 2025

Italy Scenarios for 2025

St. Edward's University

July 8, 2010

Scenario Planning 6325.02

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2025 Scenarios for Italy

Country Description, Strengths, and Weaknesses

Italy's economy is the sixth largest in the world and is strong in the industrial and agricultural industries. Italy has an economic strength in the manufacturing of goods with an emphasis on small and medium-sized family-owned firms. With the membership in several trade and economic cooperation organizations, Italy has benefited by having grater movement of goods and capital, which both contribute to the betterment and improvement of the Italian market economy. Italy has remained a strong partner with the United States and sought out additional areas in which international cooperation is imperative to overcome civil conflict.

Italy's geographic location links itself to the Middle East, other parts of Europe, as well as North and South America by different modes of transportation. The ease of transportation and location are strengths for Italy as they enable a variety of products to reach millions of consumers across the globe through exports. On the other hand, it is easier for Italy to rely on many types and forms of imports ranging from resources to healthcare due to the ease of reaching Italy.

In the coming years, one of the most important issues facing Italy will be the effort to reduce the public debt and financial instability of the country. The issue of the financial insecurity of Italy is associated with the high unemployment rate and the underground economy. In alignment with the underground economy, organized crime, corruption, and inadequate infrastructure contribute to the high unemployment rates throughout the regions in Italy. Italy can improve its economic performance over the long term with attending to several issues in the business environment: corruption, unstable political parties, and bureaucratic red tape keep the private sector and businesses from achieving and performing to their full potential.

Apparently it's not so simple

Scenario 1

It is 2025, and the Italian population has grown steadily for the past two decades, but the unemployment has increased dramatically. Although Italy's export capacities have remained stable and steady, the country relies heavily on a variety of imports,