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The performance of Italian Industrial Districts in and out of the 2008-2012 crisis

Author

Listed:
  • Valter Di Giacinto

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Andrea Sechi

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Alessandro Tosoni

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

By exploiting firm level balance sheet data from the Cerved database and employment data from the INPS database, we provide a detailed description of the productivity performance of Italian industrial districts firms over the 2003-2017 period. The main structural features of industrial districts are first compared with those of the other types of local labour market areas. The performance of district firms is subsequently analysed both overall and separately for the firms belonging to the core district industry and the remaining companies. We find evidence of a positive and sizeable district productivity premium, increasing over the period of analysis. However, in order to consolidate their performance, industrial districts had to undergo significant structural changes. Medium-sized and large firms have grown in importance, also through a process of capital deepening that involved both tangible and intangible fixed assets. At the same time, structural adaptation involved the acquisition of a more significant role by firms not operating in the main district industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Valter Di Giacinto & Andrea Sechi & Alessandro Tosoni, 2022. "The performance of Italian Industrial Districts in and out of the 2008-2012 crisis," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 701, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:opques:qef_701_22
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    industrial districts; agglomeration economies; structural adaptation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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