The Effect of Organized Crime on Firm Technical Efficiency and R&D Investments - February 26, 2026 University of Messina

The Effect of Organized Crime on Firm Technical Efficiency and R&D Investments

PRIN2022 PNRR

Final Conference

February 26, 2026

University of Messina,

Department of Economics

Aula Magna 2

1:00 | Institutional greetings

Prof. Gustavo Barresi, Director, Department of Economics, University of Messina

Dr. Salvatore La Rosa, Questore (Provincial Police Chief) of Messina

Col. Lucio Arcidiacono, Provincial Commander of the Carabinieri of Messina

Col. Gerolamo Franchetti, Provincial Commander of the Guardia di Finanza of Messina

Lt. Col. Vincenzo Letizia, Section Head of the Anti-Mafia Investigative Directorate (DIA) of Messina

Prof. Antonio Del Pozzo (Chair), University of Messina

11:30 | Session 1*

The Hidden Costs of Organized Crime: Quantifying Impacts on Firms, Credit, and Innovation. Chair: Prof. Carlo

Migliardo

Carlo Migliardo– University of Messina

The Mafia’s Economic Grip: Firm Efficiency and a Composite Indicator of Organized Crime (with A. F. Forgione)

Antonio F. Forgione– University of Messina

Crime and Credit: Analyzing the Impact of Organized Crime Perceptions on Loan Restrictions (with C. Migliardo and M.Spadaro)

Marco Spadaro– University of Messina

The Silent Stranglehold: Quantifying Organized Crime’s Chilling Effect on Firm Efficiency and R&D (with A. F. Forgione and C. Migliardo)

Salvatore Loprevite– University for Foreigners “Dante Alighieri” of Reggio Calabria

Response or Adaptation? The Control Paradox of Italian SMEs in Organized Crime Contexts (with R. Mavilia and M. Spadaro)

Domenico Nicolò– Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria

Organized Crime and Resilience in Family Firms: Insights from a Natural Experiment in Judicial Administration (with A. Forgione and C. Migliardo)

13:30 | Light lunch

14:30 | Session 2*

The Economics of Organized Crime: Market Frictions, Detection, and Institutional Responses. Chair: Prof. Salvatore Loprevite

Monica Milasi– University of Messina

Organized Crime and Market Distortions: A General Equilibrium Analysis with Quasi-Variational Inequalities (with A. F. Forgione and C. Migliardo)

Paolo Mustica– University of Messina

Unmasking the Mafia: Decoding Italy’s Criminal Networks Using a Dual Toolbox of Text Mining and Data-Driven Crime Indices (with A. F. Forgione and C. Migliardo)

Giulia Cattafi– University of Catanzaro

Information Asymmetries and Certification: Evidence from the Italian Legality Rating Program (with A. Del Pozzo, A. F. Forgione and C. Migliardo)

15:30 | Coffee break

16:00 | Session 3*

Defending Institutions: Tackling Organized Crime through Public Administration and Law Enforcement. Chair: Prof. Antonio Fabio Forgione

Vincenza Caracciolo La Grotteria– Mediterranea University

of Reggio Calabria

The Impact of Organised Crime on Public Administration Activities

Ettore Squillaci– Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria

Prevention and Punishment in the Fight against Illegal Economy

16:40 | Roundtable

From Theory to Action: Civil Society and Economic Actors in the Fight for Legality

Moderator: Prof. Antonio Del Pozzo, University of Messina Panelists: Prof. F. De Domenico (University of Messina), Dr. I. Lembo (Anti-usury Foundation Father Pino Puglisi), Dr. A. Liparoti (Libera Association Messina), Dr. G. Lupò (Confindustria Messina), Dr. D. Mangiapane (ANCE Messina)