4th September 2008, 08:35 PM
"It is worth noting that at least one archaology company, LG, is a co-operative."
The Italian commercial archaeological sector is set out in a coopterativa fashion with regional Soprintendenza's keeping an eye on things, with the government controlling most of it and Universities/Institutions mucking in.
I've worked with a couple of them, and the standard of work is very high, but they did seem susceptible to fluctuations in the market place [probably not helped by the huge problem of illegal construction in Italy, due to planning permission sometimes taking 10years
]. From what I gathered, the system seemed to include quite small numbers of people working in a very local scale, each with a vested interest to keep standards high so that work came in. The cost of living in Southern Italy especially is very low compared to Southern England so I'm not sure if, on a larger scale, this system would work here; and presumably it wouldn't stop fierce undercutting on quotes.
The Italian commercial archaeological sector is set out in a coopterativa fashion with regional Soprintendenza's keeping an eye on things, with the government controlling most of it and Universities/Institutions mucking in.
I've worked with a couple of them, and the standard of work is very high, but they did seem susceptible to fluctuations in the market place [probably not helped by the huge problem of illegal construction in Italy, due to planning permission sometimes taking 10years
]. From what I gathered, the system seemed to include quite small numbers of people working in a very local scale, each with a vested interest to keep standards high so that work came in. The cost of living in Southern Italy especially is very low compared to Southern England so I'm not sure if, on a larger scale, this system would work here; and presumably it wouldn't stop fierce undercutting on quotes.