The state strikes back : industrial policy, state power and the emergence of competitive multinational enterprises in Italy and Spain

Abstract

This thesis compares the industrial policy strategy implemented by the Italian and Spanish governments to favour the internationalisation of domestic firms in the high value-added sectors of banking, electricity and telecommunications. The trajectory of six firms that successfully completed the transition from inward-looking monopolist to European champion (the banks Unicredit, Intesa-Sanpaolo, BBVA and Santander, the Italian electricity utility ENEL and the Spanish telecommunications firm Telefonica) is compared with that of two firms that failed to become European champions and are currently controlled by foreign competitors (the Spanish electricity utility Endesa and the Italian telecommunications incumbent Telecom Italia). The comparison of successes and failures makes clear the factors that led some Italian and Spanish firms to become European champions and others to be taken over.