The Veneto region faces critical economic challenges as we enter 2025, particularly regarding the balance between quality and quantity in economic development.

Will 2025 be a turning point?  Will we free ourselves from the persistent economic culture of rigid managerial molds? Will we react to creeping protectionism by favoring the economy of quality over quantity? In short, will we resort to creative destruction, the prerogative of innovations that present a decisive quality advantage?  Is the economy of quantity in the Treveneto region in turmoil after Trump’s victory, who, with grit announced trade protectionism and, therefore, increasing trade duties? In the direction of the United States, Veneto exports are worth $7.3 billion and those of Trentio-Alto-Adige are worth over a billion (up 74% in the last eight years).  The economy of quantity is then in turmoil following the waves of tourists who fly “low cost” and make house rents skyrocket, with owners are preferring the “Bed and Breakfast” model over long-term leases for residents.  An again, there the hustle and bustle at airports due to increasing flights that cause overcrowding and noise pollution.

Despite the confusion, quantity economics dominate the scene. Among the causes hidden under the carpet of social conventions is the lack of economists with a rare combination of qualities .  Maynard-Keynes argued that the economist must have a high standard in various fields. He must be a mathematician, a historian, a statesman, a philosopher or at least he must be in some measure. Unfortunately, we have become accustomed to the accountants metrics of the quantities of products, services, sales and profits.  The light is shed on quantitative successes, and the adverse outcomes are left out.  ISTAT has highlighted the significant inequality in income distribution and the low incidence of protected natural areas. If the alarm were to sound on the poor growth quality, not only would Trumps tariffs be a cause for concern, but, above all, his agenda does not contain Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments.  The Scottish economist and philosopher valued qualitative parameters such as fairness, honesty, benevolence, and empathy in evaluating the goodness of economic activity, which is high if conducted to benefit society as a whole.  If the invisible hand of competition represented by Adam Smith in his work The Wealth of Nations can induce selfish behavior, the same author in his Theory of Moral Sentiments, suggests that human beings as social creatures, tend to shake hands to regulate their relationships better.  Between selfishness and altruism, the range of cultural values is vast.  The selfish accent or the altruistic tone will set the scene depending on the circumstances.  Selfishness and altruism chase each other in the cultural space.  Today, this space is monopolized by quantity.  As the Japanese like to say, if the water flows purely from the source and flows clear upstream, there is no need to purify it downstream.  In short, quality must be anticipated. It, like health, must be maintained and improved.  Nothing more than preventive actions can serve to enhance company performance qualitatively.  Interventions must be carried out continuously because quality is dynamic, changing the perception that both companies and consumers have of it over time.

Quality is a long, all-around adventure. Growing quantity paints the short-term scenario “pink”.  It is the quality that indicates the path to long-term prosperity.  It is a pity that the voices we hear are only those of contingency plans to minimize the impact of protectionism and duties.  While waiting for another accident, we limit ourselves to proposing to manufacture in the territory where the goods are destined and wink at some Chinese producer to come and invest in our territory.  In the meantime, quantity stimulates rivalry and foments discord.  Embracing the moral sentiments evoked by Smith, quality is not a luxury, it does not foment envy, it does not raise barriers of rank.  The first generation entrepreneurs who will change course will demonstrate the sustainable lightness of the quality economy, no longer affected by nervous bulimia.