This paper exploits the results of a survey conducted by the Bank of Italy in 2012 on a sample of 1,200 Italian manufacturers in order to analyse logistics costs, outsourcing and the features potentially impacting on the efficiency of the Italian supply chain. We also compare manufacturers' assessments of the possible weaknesses of logistics services with the main indicators of infrastructure endowment and local accessibility available in the literature. We find evidence of some correlations between our key variables: first, logistics costs represent a smaller proportion of total costs for manufacturers in territories with good accessibility; second, this cost ratio is higher where manufacturers encounter major hurdles that negatively affect supply-chain efficiency. Finally, manufacturers' assessments of logistics weaknesses are better for territories with easier accessibility and higher indicators of infrastructural endowment.
Published in 2015 in: SRM, Italian Maritime Economy: Rischi e opportunità al centro del Mediterraneo, Napoli, Giannini.
