By Gunnar Litz, supervised by Robert A. Novack📧 (Thesis Supervisor) and John C. Spychalski📧 (Honors Advisor) (2021)
The modern Italian wine industry is characterized by high fractionalization and small-to-medium enterprises which make up the global exporting empire Italy has become. This industry is highly regulated allowing producers to receive quality certifications for abiding by a plethora of restrictions. The evolution of regulation in the Italian wine industry has culminated with the establishment of the quality classification system. This system was formed through three major pieces of legislation which were passed in 1963, 1980, and 1992 establishing DOC, DOCG, and IGT certifications, respectively. Each has had deep ramifications on the industry and its supply chain. By reviewing the literature, analyzing key statistics, and the interviews of two individuals highly experienced in the wine industry, the effects of these regulations are ascertained, Italy’s global competitiveness is reviewed, and recommendations are made on how to improve Italy’s ability to dominate the world market while not jeopardizing the fragile economy of small firms.
Access the paper at Electronic Theses for Schreyer Honors College (ETDA) website here.