Luciano Pietronero is an Italian statistical physics and full professor at the department of physics at University of Rome Sapienza. He was the founder and director of the Institute of Complex Systems of CNR from 2004 to 2014. Luciano’s research activities have been on fundamental and applied problems in the areas of condensed matter theory, statistical physics, and complex systems. His most recent focus is on economic complexity. He is the author of about 400 papers in leading scientific journals, and he has been awarded the Enrico Fermi Prize, highest award of the Italian Physical Society, in 2008.

In a conversation with Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, BCG Chief Economist, Professor Pietronero discusses using the tools of physics to forecast long-term economic growth, the value and limitations of imposing the rigor of natural science on economics, and why he thinks that the study of nations’ “economic complexity”, a quantification of comparative advantage, is a better predictor of long-term economic growth than existing methods.

***

About the BCG Henderson Institute

The BCG Henderson Institute is the Boston Consulting Group’s think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.