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Knowledge Networks and Innovative Performance in an Industrial District: The Case of a Footwear District in the South of Italy

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Author Info
Ron Boschma
Anne L. J. ter Wal

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Abstract

The traditional district literature tends to assume that: (1) the competitiveness of firms depends on external sources of knowledge; (2) all firms in a district benefit from knowledge externalities; (3) relying on external knowledge relationships necessarily means these are confined to the district area. Our case study of the Barletta footwear district in the South of Italy suggests otherwise. Based on social network analysis, we demonstrate that the local knowledge network is quite weak and unevenly distributed among the local firms. A strong local network position of a firm tended to increase their innovative performance, and so did their connectivity to extra-local firms. So, it mattered being connected either locally or non-locally: being co-located was surely not enough. Having a high absorptive capacity seemed to raise only indirectly, through non-local relationships, the innovative performance of firms.

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File URL: http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&doi=10.1080/13662710701253441&magic=repec&7C&7C8674ECAB8BB840C6AD35DC6213A474B5
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Publisher Info
Article provided by Taylor and Francis Journals in its journal Industry & Innovation.

Volume (Year): 14 (2007)
Issue (Month): 2 ()
Pages: 177-199
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Handle: RePEc:taf:indinn:v:14:y:2007:i:2:p:177-199

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Related research
Keywords: Knowledge networks; industrial districts; innovative performance; absorptive capacity; footwear industry;

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Andrea Morrison, 2004. "Gatekeepers of knowledge within industrial districts:who they are, how they interact," CESPRI Working Papers 163, CESPRI, Centre for Research on Innovation and Internationalisation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy, revised Nov 2004. [Downloadable!]
  2. Stefano Breschi & Francesco Lissoni, 2001. "Knowledge spillovers and local innovation systems: a critical survey," LIUC Papers in Economics 84, Cattaneo University (LIUC). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Harald Bathelt & Andersand Malmberg & Peter Maskell, 2002. "Clusters and Knowledge Local Buzz, Global Pipelines and the Process of Knowledge Creation," DRUID Working Papers 02-12, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies. [Downloadable!]
  4. Ron A. Boschma, 2002. "Knowledge, Market Structure, and Economic Coordination: Dynamics of Industrial Districts," Growth and Change, Gatton College of Business and Economics, University of Kentucky, vol. 33(3), pages 291-311. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Anders Malmberg & Peter Maskell, 2002. "The elusive concept of localization economies: towards a knowledge-based theory of spatial clustering," Environment and Planning A, Pion Ltd, London, vol. 34(3), pages 429-449, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Elisa Giuliani, 2005. "The Structure of Cluster Knowledge Networks Uneven, not Pervasive and Collective," DRUID Working Papers 05-11, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies. [Downloadable!]
  7. Todtling, Franz & Kaufmann, Alexander, 2002. " SMEs in Regional Innovation Systems and the Role of Innovation Support--The Case of Upper Austria," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 15-26, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Lissoni, Francesco, 2001. "Knowledge codification and the geography of innovation: the case of Brescia mechanical cluster," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(9), pages 1479-1500, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Bennett Harrison, 1992. "Industrial Districts: Old Wine in New Bottles?," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 26(5), pages 469-483, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Ron Boschma, 2005. "Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 61-74, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Andre Torre & Alain Rallet, 2005. "Proximity and Localization," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 47-59, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Stefano Breschi & Francesco Lissoni, 2003. "Mobility and Social Networks: Localised Knowledge Spillovers Revisited," CESPRI Working Papers 142, CESPRI, Centre for Research on Innovation and Internationalisation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy, revised Mar 2003. [Downloadable!]
  13. Alessandro Malipiero & Federico Munari & Maurizio Sobrero, 2005. "Focal Firms as Technological Gatakeepers within Industrial Districts Knowledge Creation and Dissemination in the Italian Packaging Machinery Industry," DRUID Working Papers 05-05, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies. [Downloadable!]
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Rik Wenting & Oedzge Atzema & Koen Frenken, 2008. "Urban Amenities or Agglomeration Economies? Locational Behaviour and Entrepreneurial Success of Dutch Fashion Designers," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 0803, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Jan 2008. [Downloadable!]
  2. Fiorenza BELUSSI & Luciano PILOTTI & Silvia Rita SEDITA, 2006. "Learning at the boundaries for industrial districts between exploitation of local resources and the exploration of global knowledge flows," Departemental Working Papers 2006-40, Department of Economics University of Milan Italy. [Downloadable!]
  3. Lukas Lengauer & Eva Nussmüller & Michaela Trippl & Franz Tödtling, 2008. "Innovation and Knowledge Sourcing in the Vienna ICT Manufacturing Sector," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2008_04, Department of City and Regional Development, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. [Downloadable!]
  4. Jérôme Vicente & Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Olivier Brossard, 2008. "Getting Into Networks and Clusters: Evidence on the GNSS composite knowledge process in (and from) Midi-Pyrénées," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 0815, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Oct 2008. [Downloadable!]
  5. Roberta Rabellotti & Anna Carabelli & Giovanna Hirsch, 2007. "Italian SMEs and industrial districts on the move: Where are they going?," Working Papers 115, SEMEQ Department - Faculty of Economics - University of Eastern Piedmont. [Downloadable!]
  6. Fiorenza Belussi & Luciano Pilotti & Silvia Rita Sedita, 2006. "Learning at the boundaries for industrial districts between exploitation of local resources and exploration of global knowledge flows," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0033, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno". [Downloadable!]
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