This volume contains some essays of two international conferences both organized by Fondazione Edison under the aegis and with the scientific collaboration of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. The first conference is "Districts, Pillars, Network Facilities" held in Rome, in the siege of Lincei at Palazzo Corsini, on 8* and 9* April, 2003. The Organizing Committee of this conference was composed by Giacomo Becattini, Sergio Carra, Marco Fortis, Giorgio Lunghini, Luigi Pasinetti, Umberto Quadrino, Alberto Q- drio Curzio, Alessandro Roncaglia and Edoardo Vesentini. The second conference is "New Science, New Industry - The Challenges for the New Europe" held in Rome in the siege of Lincei at Palazzo Corsini, on 13* and 14* October, 2004. The Organizing Committee of this conference was com- posed by Arnaldo Bagnasco, Patrizio Bianchi, Sergio Carra, Marco Fortis, Au- sto Graziani, Alberto Quadrio Curzio, Edoardo Vesentini and Giovanni Zanetti. Both were international conferences with the participation of a total of 48 speakers coming fi-om 9 different countries.We publish in this volume only some essays of the two Conferences as the de- cision to edit a book in English was taken only after the two conferences were over. Therefore not all the speakers were able to contribute with a paper. Some information are useful to know the two organizing Institutions.
