Extract from the report on development activities

The Foundation’s web site aims to create an environment on the web where debates can take place between those interested in problematic discussions regarding the theme of Innovation and its impact throughout history. We hope that it will be a place which welcomes an atmosphere of sensitivity and dedication towards the elaboration and analysis of all problems faced by man in this modern age.

The Giannino Bassetti Foundation is the outcome of the desire of the Bassetti family to honour and commemorate the memory of the "Cavaliere del Lavoro" Giovanni Bassetti, an entrepreneur of particular capabilities and merits. Their aim was to promote reflection, studies, wide-spread activities through which to exalt the value of those qualities of entrepreneurialism, innovation, moral and social commitment that were largely attributed to him. Indeed Giovanni Bassetti was not an entrepreneur of mere economic success – his commitment is characterized, above all, by his entrepreneurial choices and by his sincere acceptance of the moral belief which guided him.

Reflecting and encouraging people to reflect on the significance of his testimony, concurring to review the most profound intuitions and motivations in cultural, social, contemporary political conditions – this is the essential starting point of the Foundation’s work programme.

The base hypothesis is this: "Innovation is the ability to achieve the improbable" and "the entrepreneurial innovation is the innovation carried out within the sphere of business institutions". These major points of reflection will be discussed, in particular, by scientists, men of social and political culture, entrepreneurs, the young, organizing a series of seminar reflections in befitting ways and places.

The line of research would appear to fall into 3 categories:

• Research, theoretical for the most part. This deals with the significance of concepts and implications.
• Research of a prevailing ethical nature. This deals with the moral implications of entrepreneurial innovations, either already introduced or simply as a hypothesis.
• Research on the mechanisms in which the power is wielded and on the mechanisms of responsibility, both of which regulate the implementation of innovations in an advanced capitalist society.

It is clear that, for every one of these three principal threads of research, the methodology adopted should be diverse.

It is a fact that, up until now, a real "criticism" of the causes and effects relating to the practice of the entrepreneurial activity of innovation almost doesn’t exist. This lack of reflection has led to a large part of the difficulty encountered by public opinion in understanding, valuing and appreciating the entrepreneurial function in their relations with the social risk management involved in every innovation.

Many aspects of the matter have been systematically ignored, either due to cultural indolence or due to the absence of motivated scientists. One example (one of many) is the relationship between entrepreneurial innovation developed in the field of businesses (be they small or average-sized) and its impact, not only economic, on the general context. This should, in all probability, be studied in depth referring to these same small entrepreneurs who often have no awareness of the consequences (not only of a business nature) of their own actions.

The task and the procedures of this sphere of the Foundation’s activity consist of

• singling out this type of situation and pointing them out, presenting them to scientists and educationists in order to be better able to penetrate the complex implications, operative or effective
• in order to achieve this, the procedure involves a systematic resort to the commitment of groups made up of a mix of scientists and experts
• carrying this out with analogous initiatives localized world wide

In short, what is being said is the firm belief that a substantial share of the activity should be dedicated to increasing awareness of the problematic aim of our Foundation: to create a new ‘updated’ awareness based around the memory of a pioneer; a new and widespread sense of social, civil, political responsibility extended to men of culture, of science, of power; a contribution to public opinion so that, together, we can all learn how to increase awareness of living responsibly, fulfilling our role of modern men, called up by the strength of the forces that we control in order to create together the future of humanity.

The Foundation premises

The Fondazione Giannino Basssetti’s address is: Via Michele Barozzi 4, near Corso Venezia, in the centre city of Milan.

It can be easily reached by subway: line number one, Palestro stop (see
the map – Google maps). For contacts
send a e-mail; or phone or fax to: Phone: +39 02 76392030 Fax: +39 02 76392030

Chairman: Piero Bassetti

Board member and Councillor at Milan Town Council from 1956 to 1967. The first President of the regional council of Lombardy from 1970 to 1974 , Member of Parliament from 1976 to 1982, from 1982 to 1997 he was the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture in Milan as well as President of the Union of Italian Chambers of Commerce (Unioncamere) from 1983 to 1992. From 1993 to November 1999 he was the President of the Association of Chambers of Commerce Abroad (CCIEE). Currently…- Go to personal page 

Board of Directors

• Piero Bassetti
• Giorgina Bassetti
• Gianfelice Rocca
• Ottavia Bassetti
• Emilio Galli Zugaro
• Franco Simeoni

Board of Auditors

• Achille Dozzi
• Attilio Mentasti
• Luigi Erba

Web Site Staff and collaborators

This site has an open editorial approach: anyone can contribute to its development. In addition to the Staff members, listed below, others who have taken part include the authors of
documents ritten specifically for the Foundation and all those who have sent in their articles or comments on the topics addressed. Since June 2002 readers’ comments are no longer listed in a special section (formerly the Forum), but included directly in the pages of the site. To submit comments, documents on the topics covered or other information, write to us.

Documents or messages will only be published after they have been checked through by a member of the Web Site’s Staff (see below).

Board of publishing:

• Bertilla Corti: Secretary. To get in touch: segreteria@fond...
• Francesco Samorè: Scientific direction. To get in touch: francesco.samore@fond...
• Tommaso Correale Santacroce: Coordinator. To get in touch: correale@fond...
• Alessandro Scoscia. To get in touch: scoscia@fond...
• Jonathan Hankins: Foreign Correspondent. To get in touch: hankins@fond...
• Rossella Scialla: Stage (thanks to Università Vita – Salute San Raffaele di Milano). To get in touch: scialla@fond...

Collaborators:

• Cristina Grasseni: Scientific collaboration. To get in touch: grasseni@fond...
• Jeff Ubois: Specific documents and comments. To get in touch: ubois@fond...
• Margherita Fronte: Specific documents and comments. To get in touch: fronte@fond...
• Angela Simone: Report. To get in touch: info@fond...
• Virginia Sanchini: Report. To get in touch: info@fond...
• Alessandro Blasimme: Insights. To get in touch: info@fond...