Fighting ecomafias through biotech innovation. The role of biotechnologies to support firm performance development and environmental restoration

Over the last years Biotechnologies have gained plenty of faith and credit by public opinion and governments worldwide. Nevertheless, despite their extraordinary and unquestionable ability to produce radical innovations improving life conditions, it is quite clear that there is still the lack of precious elements to support a full expression of their potential. In this context, the study not only aims to suggest a managerial interpretation of the phenomenon, but also attempts to examine some beliefs that have gradually consolidated on: the methods to distinguish the different biotechnology specializations; the logic to follow in setting economic policy choices; the management models to adopt to transform the potential business of scientific discoveries into real business activities, capable to produce economic value and social well-being, as well as additional resources to steadily fuel over time the research. The heart of the analysis is centred on the above-mentioned issues, with the aim of reaching an original point of view on both the reasons for the delay in the development of biotechnology and the potential of this latter in contrasting the widespread diffusion of the organized crime infiltration in the current economy, with a special focus on the questions pertaining the environmental crime. This, of course, with specific reference to the aspects of the birth and growth of new business initiatives which, albeit with different intensities at the level of individual countries and of business realities, can anyway be considered an economic phenomenon of large and established success.