Innovation and gender identity across history and business culture
Original research from the Bank of Italy explores centuries-old legacies that still matter today
History teaches us, including in management and business culture. And in innovation. These are not dusty relics of the past, but important legacies that still leave their mark, perhaps centuries later. This is the understanding you get when you read the fascinating research piece “Inventrici: l’eredità delle corporazioni medievali” (Inventors: the legacy of medieval corporations) by Sabrina Di Addario, Michela Giorcelli and Agata Maida hosted by the Bank of Italy series Discussion Topics.
The research takes its cue from an observation: the proportion of women inventors is significantly lower than that of men. Starting from this fact, the authors of the study try to verify whether the low propensity of women with patents in Italy is related to the historical conception of the role of women in society, measured by their presence among the founders of companies in the Middle Ages. Using history, therefore, as a tool for understanding the present. Including in innovation.
The analysis then uses data on corporations from the Central State Archives and administrative data on employers and employees as well as data from the European Patent Office.
The results show that the Italian provinces which had a higher proportion of women among the founders of medieval companies are those which today have a higher proportion of female inventors and a more intense female patenting activity. And that’s not all: estimates also show that these same provinces now have a higher percentage of female graduates, especially from STEM schools, and a higher participation of women in the labour market.
The analysis carried out by Sabrina Di Addario, Michela Giorcelli and Agata Maida helps to understand a particular aspect of the life of companies and regions, an important factor today, but one which has its roots in the past.
Inventrici: l’eredità delle corporazioni medievali
Sabrina Di Admario, Michela Giorcelli, Agata Maida
Bank of Italy, Discussion Topics No. 1480, March 2025
Original research from the Bank of Italy explores centuries-old legacies that still matter today
History teaches us, including in management and business culture. And in innovation. These are not dusty relics of the past, but important legacies that still leave their mark, perhaps centuries later. This is the understanding you get when you read the fascinating research piece “Inventrici: l’eredità delle corporazioni medievali” (Inventors: the legacy of medieval corporations) by Sabrina Di Addario, Michela Giorcelli and Agata Maida hosted by the Bank of Italy series Discussion Topics.
The research takes its cue from an observation: the proportion of women inventors is significantly lower than that of men. Starting from this fact, the authors of the study try to verify whether the low propensity of women with patents in Italy is related to the historical conception of the role of women in society, measured by their presence among the founders of companies in the Middle Ages. Using history, therefore, as a tool for understanding the present. Including in innovation.
The analysis then uses data on corporations from the Central State Archives and administrative data on employers and employees as well as data from the European Patent Office.
The results show that the Italian provinces which had a higher proportion of women among the founders of medieval companies are those which today have a higher proportion of female inventors and a more intense female patenting activity. And that’s not all: estimates also show that these same provinces now have a higher percentage of female graduates, especially from STEM schools, and a higher participation of women in the labour market.
The analysis carried out by Sabrina Di Addario, Michela Giorcelli and Agata Maida helps to understand a particular aspect of the life of companies and regions, an important factor today, but one which has its roots in the past.
Inventrici: l’eredità delle corporazioni medievali
Sabrina Di Admario, Michela Giorcelli, Agata Maida
Bank of Italy, Discussion Topics No. 1480, March 2025