Thesis title: Adoption and use of Earth Observation satellite data: a multidimensional analysis focused on Italian Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs) and IRIDE Program
The potential of Earth Observation (EO) satellite data as a tool to improve public policies is widely recognised by public institutions and scientific literature.
However, despite its potential value and substantial public investment in Earth Observation infrastructure, such as the European Copernicus programme and the
Italian IRIDE constellation, a persistent 'last-mile gap' remains. EO satellite data remains significantly underutilised by its intended end users: Local and regional
authorities (LRAs). This thesis investigates the overarching hypothesis that significant technological, organisational and environmental barriers hinder the
effective adoption of EO and limit its transformative potential in enhancing public services. This research employs a multi-level, mixed-methods approach structured
as a “collection of papers”.
This methodology combines qualitative analyses to provide a comprehensive understanding of the adoption process. The empirical investigation includes: a qualitative case study of the policy rationale behind Italy's IRIDE programme; a large-scale survey of 109 Italian LRAs mapping adoption rates, barriers and benefits; in-depth qualitative case studies of two Italian regional systems (Tuscany and Lombardy) analysing organisational dynamics, technology's perceived benefits and constraints; and comparative survey of 25 European LRAs testing the
generalisability of the findings. The research was conducted between 2022 and 2025. The analysis is guided by a combined theoretical framework which applies the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) model to assess systemic factors, and the Technology Affordances and Constraints Theory (TACT) to explore user-level interactions. The findings confirm moderate and fragmented adoption rates of 58% and 56% across Italy and the EU respectively, with usage predominantly experimental. The research identifies a “strategic investment paradox”, whereby 20–28% of LRAs access public EU data via non-European commercial platforms, thus undermining the goal of data sovereignty. The thesis proposes a
multidimensional “hierarchy of constraints” and makes stakeholder-specific, data-driven recommendations to establish a user-centred EO ecosystem for subnational
governments. The results contribute to the design of data-driven innovation policies within the European space and public administration ecosystems.