MILAN (ITALPRESS) – In Italy there are 400 thousand young companies, led by under 35, of which more than half operate in the market tertiary. In the last seven years, almost 67 thousand were lost (-14.3%) and their incidence on the total fell from 9.1% to 8%. In the market tertiary the contraction has been of more than 47 thousand enterprises (-15.4%), with a share on the total passed from 10.9% to 9.7%. However, this sector continues to have a significantly higher incidence of youth enterprises than the other sectors of the economy as a whole (9.7% versus 6%).
These are the most important data that emerged in the last analysis of the Confcommercio Study Office and carried out at the 17th National Forum of Young Entrepreneurs of Confcommercio in Milan. In terms of geographical distribution, there is a wide gap between North and Central-South. In the North, almost half of young entrepreneurs are concentrated – with Lombardy as the first region – and has a total decline in the last seven years more contained (-3.2%), with a reduction of 19.0% in the Centre and 22.9% in the Mezzogiorno. According to Confcommercio’s analysis, this data reflects the effects of demographic trends in recent years, which resulted in a reduction in the young population, particularly accentuated in the Mezzogiorno.
In detail, in the South the Confcommercio Area (including business, housing and catering, transport and services to enterprises and people) records a contraction of young entrepreneurs equal to 25.9% and a decrease of 9,7% of the population between 18 and 34 years. On a sectoral level, traditional sectors, in particular small food and non-food trade, are the main losses of young entrepreneurs. A trend that reflects not only demographic dynamics, but also the most general difficulties of the distribution format.
In contrast, the sectors with greater specialization or characterized by a greater dimensional scale, such as professional activities (+28.6%) and large distribution (+27%). The losses of young entrepreneurs are concentrated, on the other hand, in the more traditional sectors, in particular small business. The presence of young entrepreneurs also seems to accompany a greater presence of young people among the employees. The proportion of employed under 35 is systematically higher in younger enterprises, particularly in those with less than five years of activity. In these enterprises, 36.1% of employees are under 35, compared with 24.5% registered as a whole.
The phenomenon takes on particular importance in some sectors: among enterprises with less than five years, the share of young employees reaches 49.3% in housing and catering, 47.7% in health, 46.6% in services to the person and 42.4% in professional activities. The greater presence of young human capital is also associated with better results on innovation and business performance.
According to Istat, a greater share of young employees is positively correlated with the probability that the company has successfully invested in digital technologies, both with the performance in the medium term, measured in terms of growth in employment, turnover and productivity.
“We are facing a radical change as people and as enterprises. The same labour market, between Artificial Intelligence and the issues of environmental, economic and social sustainability is faced with a historical challenge. Companies, in particular new enterprises, must learn to navigate the unexpected and, sometimes, the unpredictable. And it is a responsibility for the system of representation starting from the one dedicated to young entrepreneurs because they are them that when they decide to do business, they do it mostly in the sectors that Confcommercio represents. We have always been home and voice for young enterprises that populate the market, the lives of people, cities and territories and the choices of the new generations. ”, said the president of Confcommercio Carlo Sangalli.
“The data demonstrates this: young enterprises bring sustainability and innovation and hire young workers. This is why we do not convince ourselves when we see that the public debate focuses on measures to encourage youth employment and we do not think instead of enhancing young businesses and young people who are doing business,” commented Confcommercio’s president Matteo Musacci. “The generational issue cannot be reduced to a simple generic tax relief, but it must be encouraged more what creates value for all, i.e. entrepreneurship. We do not claim that making business in Italy is easy, but that it is simple – he added – we ask clear and just rules and policies that invest on those who decide to undertake investing their own resources, their energies and their own identity”.
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
