The Evaluation of «Regional Digital Agendas». A Model for Public Investments in Broadband

Despite the growing importance of public intervention for the solution of the broadband market failures, specific policy evaluation methodologies are missing. After having highlighted the complex system of the institutions involved, we develop an original model for the assessment of public investments and their policy evaluation: the model is focused on those investments financed by the EU funds 2007-13, but can be extended to the new programming period 2014-20. Together, using new Open Government Data, a first application to the broadband infrastructural development and its public governance for the period 2005-14 is presented, focusing on the macro-area North-East and Centre (NEC) of Italy. The empirical analysis shows that outcome indicators are those statistically more mature and adequate for policy evaluation, while those of output, despite being more experimental, can fruitfully complement the previous ones to achieve meaningful benchmarking. Moreover, while efficiency indicators still lack because of the incompleteness of the available statistics, the degree of effectiveness of the broadband policy can be satisfactorily assessed. Finally, a few implications for the analysis of future Regional Digital Agendas are discussed.