Dear Colleagues,

the increasingly rapid evolution of territorial and community contexts, their reference values and the needs of citizens-consumers, the challenges posed by globalisation, digital transformation, ecological transition and new production and consumption models are leading entire economic sectors and, in general, all types of companies to have to redefine the boundaries of their activity and their strategic-organisational dynamics.

All this implies the need to define cohesive and evolving relational frameworks able to allow the realisation of a responsible, participatory, collaborative, sustainable and for these reasons smart economic model, able to better interpret and respond to the interests of stakeholders and of the reference territory, generating an exchange value which is at the same time economic, social and environmental and that adds up to those produced through territorial regeneration and sustainability processes.

This model can be called “smart economy”, because it is based on the principle of belonging and on that set of mutually supportive and immediately available territorial and community relations, and on that system of common values, symbols and resources, sometimes latent, which, acting as a bridge between subjects, make it possible to make effective, efficient and lasting even the relational environments created for economic purposes.

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the service sector, in particular in the retail, fintech and digital sectors, those producing typical products, start-ups, non-profit and for-profit social enterprises, companies most involved in digital transformation processes and those belonging to the clean tech sector, must be motivated and involved in this process.

Ultimately, types of smart economy are:

·the circular economy, given the physical proximity and emotional sharing of those involved and the greater ease of lending and re-using;

·the sharing economy, to distribute goods and services more efficiently and sustainably;

·the economy of the commons, which are also valued with a view to generating new services, new activities, new goods and thus a smart economic spin-off;

·the green economy, accelerating the process of ecological transition;

·the blue economy, generating a positive environmental impact especially on the oceans and seas.

Research articles and reviews of study on these topics are welcome. I thank you for the contributions you consider sending.

Prof. Francesco Manfredi

Section Editor

Smart Economy; Circular Economy; Sharing Economy; Blue Economy; Green Economy; Commons; Community Development; Economic Sustainability