IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/growch/v39y2008i3p414-435.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatial Agglomeration, Technological Innovations, and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Italian Industrial Districts

Author

Listed:
  • GIULIO CAINELLI

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact on firms' productivity of innovative activities and agglomeration effects among firms belonging to Marshallian industrial districts and the possible joint effect of these two forces. We study a sample of 2,821 firms active in the Italian manufacturing industry in the period 1992–1995. Our analysis uses an original data set based on three different Istituto Nazionale di Statistica statistical sources—Community Innovation Survey, Archivio Statistico delle Imprese Attive (Italian Business Register), and Sistema dei Conti delle Imprese (Italian Structural Business Statistics)—to estimate an “augmented” Cobb‐Douglas production function to account for the impact of technological innovations and district‐specific agglomeration effects on a firm's productivity growth. Our data set allows us to distinguish between product and process innovations, thus, through econometric analysis, we hope to achieve a better understanding of which of these two types of innovative activities benefits most from participation in an industrial district. Our empirical results show that belonging to an industrial district and making product innovations are key factors in the productivity growth of firms and that product innovations appear to have a greater effect on the economic performance of district rather than non‐district firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Giulio Cainelli, 2008. "Spatial Agglomeration, Technological Innovations, and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Italian Industrial Districts," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(3), pages 414-435, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:growch:v:39:y:2008:i:3:p:414-435
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2257.2008.00432.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2257.2008.00432.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1468-2257.2008.00432.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giulio Cainelli & Nicola De Liso, 2005. "Innovation in Industrial Districts: Evidence from Italy," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(3), pages 383-398.
    2. Zvi Griliches & Jacques Mairesse, 1995. "Production Functions: The Search for Identification," NBER Working Papers 5067, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Rachel Griffith & Stephen Redding & John Van Reenen, 2004. "Mapping the Two Faces of R&D: Productivity Growth in a Panel of OECD Industries," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(4), pages 883-895, November.
    4. Zvi Griliches, 1998. "Productivity, R&D, and Basic Research at the Firm Level in the 1970s," NBER Chapters, in: R&D and Productivity: The Econometric Evidence, pages 82-99, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Dietmar Harhoff, 1998. "R&D and Productivity in German Manufacturing Firms," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 29-50.
    6. Rosenthal, Stuart S. & Strange, William C., 2001. "The Determinants of Agglomeration," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 191-229, September.
    7. Philippe Martin & Gianmarco I.P. Ottaviano, 2021. "Growing locations: Industry location in a model of endogenous growth," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Firms and Workers in a Globalized World Larger Markets, Tougher Competition, chapter 1, pages 3-24, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    8. Roberta Capello & Alessandra Faggian, 2005. "Collective Learning and Relational Capital in Local Innovation Processes," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 75-87.
    9. repec:dau:papers:123456789/10093 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Glaeser, Edward L & Hedi D. Kallal & Jose A. Scheinkman & Andrei Shleifer, 1992. "Growth in Cities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(6), pages 1126-1152, December.
      • Edward L. Glaeser & Hedi D. Kallal & Jose A. Scheinkman & Andrei Shleifer, 1991. "Growth in Cities," NBER Working Papers 3787, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
      • Glaeser, Edward Ludwig & Kallal, Hedi D. & Scheinkman, Jose A. & Shleifer, Andrei, 1992. "Growth in Cities," Scholarly Articles 3451309, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    11. Francesco Aiello & Paola Cardamone & Valeria Pupo, 2005. "Produttività e capitale tecnologico nel settore manifatturiero italiano," L'industria, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 1, pages 119-146.
    12. Joshua S. Gans & Stephen P. King, 2007. "Patent Length And The Timing Of Innovative Activity," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(4), pages 772-772, December.
    13. Wakelin, Katharine, 2001. "Productivity growth and R&D expenditure in UK manufacturing firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(7), pages 1079-1090, August.
    14. Zvi Griliches, 1998. "R&D and Productivity Growth: Comparing Japanese and U.S. Manufacturing Firms," NBER Chapters, in: R&D and Productivity: The Econometric Evidence, pages 187-210, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Hall, Bronwyn H. & Mairesse, Jacques, 1995. "Exploring the relationship between R&D and productivity in French manufacturing firms," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 263-293, January.
    16. Breschi, Stefano & Lissoni, Francesco, 2001. "Knowledge Spillovers and Local Innovation Systems: A Critical Survey," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 10(4), pages 975-1005, December.
    17. Griliches, Zvi, 1980. "R & D and the Productivity Slowdown," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(2), pages 343-348, May.
    18. Iammarino, Simona & McCann, Philip, 2006. "The structure and evolution of industrial clusters: Transactions, technology and knowledge spillovers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1018-1036, September.
    19. Ron A. Boschma & Jan G. Lambooy, 2002. "Knowledge, Market Structure, and Economic Coordination: Dynamics of Industrial Districts," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 291-311.
    20. Zvi Griliches, 1998. "Issues in Assessing the Contribution of Research and Development to Productivity Growth," NBER Chapters, in: R&D and Productivity: The Econometric Evidence, pages 17-45, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    21. Eve Caroli & John Van Reenen, 2001. "Skill-Biased Organizational Change? Evidence from A Panel of British and French Establishments," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 116(4), pages 1449-1492.
    22. J. Stanley Metcalfe, 1997. "The Evolutionary Explanation of Total Factor Productivity Growth : Macro Measurement and Micro Process," Revue d'Économie Industrielle, Programme National Persée, vol. 80(1), pages 93-114.
    23. Ron Boschma & Anne L. J. ter Wal, 2007. "Knowledge Networks and Innovative Performance in an Industrial District: The Case of a Footwear District in the South of Italy," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 177-199.
    24. Catherine Beaudry & Stefano Breschi, 2003. "Are firms in clusters really more innovative?," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(4), pages 325-342.
    25. Ottati, Gabi Dei, 1994. "Trust, Interlinking Transactions and Credit in the Industrial District," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 18(6), pages 529-546, December.
    26. Henderson, Vernon & Kuncoro, Ari & Turner, Matt, 1995. "Industrial Development in Cities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(5), pages 1067-1090, October.
    27. Jiann-Chyuan Wang & Kuen-Hung Tsai, 2003. "Productivity Growth and R&D Expenditure in Taiwan's Manufacturing Firms," NBER Working Papers 9724, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    28. Boari, Cristina & Odorici, Vincenza & Zamarian, Marco, 2003. "Clusters and rivalry: does localization really matter?," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 467-489, December.
    29. Baptista, Rui & Swann, Peter, 1998. "Do firms in clusters innovate more?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 525-540, September.
    30. Brusco, Sebastiano, 1982. "The Emilian Model: Productive Decentralisation and Social Integration," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 6(2), pages 167-184, June.
    31. Simona Iammarino, 2005. "An evolutionary integrated view of Regional Systems of Innovation: Concepts, measures and historical perspectives," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(4), pages 497-519, June.
    32. Valdemar Smith & Anni Lene Broberg & Jesper Overgaard, 2002. "Does Location Matter for Firms' R&D Behaviour? Empirical Evidence for Danish Firms," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(8), pages 825-832.
    33. Roberto P. Camagni, 1995. "The Concept Of Innovative Milieu And Its Relevance For Public Policies In European Lagging Regions," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(4), pages 317-340, October.
    34. Giovanni Dosi, 2000. "Sources, Procedures, and Microeconomic Effects of Innovation," Chapters, in: Innovation, Organization and Economic Dynamics, chapter 2, pages 63-114, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Marasteanu, I. Julia & Jaenicke, Edward C., 2013. "Agglomeration and Spatial Dependence in Certified Organic Operations in the United States," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 149551, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Cainelli, Giulio & D’Amato, Alessio & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2015. "Adoption of waste-reducing technology in manufacturing: Regional factors and policy issues," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 53-67.
    3. Qingfang Wang, 2010. "Immigration and Ethnic Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Study in the United States," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(3), pages 430-458, September.
    4. Antonioli, Davide & Borghesi, Simone & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2014. "Are Regional Systems Greening the Economy? the Role of Environmental Innovations and Agglomeration Forces," Climate Change and Sustainable Development 172436, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    5. Giulio Cainelli & Massimiliano Mazzanti & Sandro Montresor, 2012. "Environmental Innovations, Local Networks and Internationalization," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(8), pages 697-734, November.
    6. Burlina, Chiara & Casadei, Patrizia & Crociata, Alessandro, 2023. "Economic complexity and firm performance in the cultural and creative sector: evidence from Italian provinces," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 116979, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. David Doloreux & Jose Gaviria de la Puerta & Iker Pastor-López & Igone Porto Gómez & Borja Sanz & Jon Mikel Zabala-Iturriagagoitia, 2019. "Territorial innovation models: to be or not to be, that’s the question," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 120(3), pages 1163-1191, September.
    8. José Antonio Belso-Martínez & F. Xavier Molina-Morales, 2011. "The drivers of the open district development: a social capital approach," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(2), pages 49-70, June.
    9. Elias Sanidas & Hyeri Park, 2011. "Korean Augmented Production Function: The Role Of Services And Other Factors In Korea¡¯S Economic Growth Of Industries," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 36(1), pages 59-85, March.
    10. Scaringella, Laurent & Radziwon, Agnieszka, 2018. "Innovation, entrepreneurial, knowledge, and business ecosystems: Old wine in new bottles?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 59-87.
    11. Pier Luigi Sacco & Guido Ferilli & Giorgio Tavano Blessi & Massimiliano Nuccio, 2013. "Culture as an Engine of Local Development Processes: System-Wide Cultural Districts I: Theory," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 555-570, December.
    12. Bressanelli, Gianmarco & Visintin, Filippo & Saccani, Nicola, 2022. "Circular Economy and the evolution of industrial districts: a supply chain perspective," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    13. Matthias Duschl & Tobias Scholl & Thomas Brenner & Dennis Luxen & Falk Raschke, 2015. "Industry-Specific Firm Growth and Agglomeration," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(11), pages 1822-1839, November.
    14. José A. Belso-Martinez & Francesc Xavier Molina-Morales, 2013. "Non-Linear Relationships of Internal and External Resources on a Firm's Innovation: The Case of the Spanish Vinalopó Footwear Cluster," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(3), pages 494-521, September.
    15. Jaenicke, Edward C. & Goetz, Stephan J. & Wu, Ping-Chao & Dimitri, Carolyn, 2009. "Identifying and Measuring the Effect of Firm Clusters Among Certified Organic Processors and Handlers," 2009 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, 2009, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 49205, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    16. Frank Giarratani & Geoffrey J.D. Hewings & Philip McCann (ed.), 2013. "Handbook of Industry Studies and Economic Geography," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 3542.
    17. Marasteanu, I. Julia & Jaenicke, Edward C., 2014. "Clusters of Organic Operations and their Impact on Regional Economic Growth in the United States," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 170336, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    18. Zhen Wang & Xupeng Zhang & Chaozheng Zhang & Qing Yang, 2022. "How Regional Integration Affects Urban Green Development Efficiency: Evidence from Urban Agglomeration in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-16, June.
    19. Wang, Keqiang & Li, Guoxiang & Liu, Hongmei, 2021. "Porter effect test for construction land reduction," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    20. Vaz, Eric, 2013. "The Spatial Business Landscape of India," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 1(4), pages 241-253.
    21. Kai Chang & Huijia Zhang & Boyang Li, 2024. "The Impact of Digital Economy and Industrial Agglomeration on the Changes of Industrial Structure in the Yangtze River Delta," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 9207-9227, June.
    22. Roberta Piergiovanni, 2010. "Gibrat's Law in the “Third Italy”: Firm Growth in the Veneto Region," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 28-58, March.
    23. Fiorenza Belussi & Lisa De Propris, 2013. "They are industrial districts, but not as we know them!," Chapters, in: Frank Giarratani & Geoffrey J.D. Hewings & Philip McCann (ed.), Handbook of Industry Studies and Economic Geography, chapter 20, pages 479-492, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    24. repec:ris:cieodp:2013_020 is not listed on IDEAS
    25. Costantini, Valeria & Mazzanti, Massimiliano & Montini, Anna, 2013. "Environmental performance, innovation and spillovers. Evidence from a regional NAMEA," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 101-114.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Roberto Antonietti & Giulio Cainelli, 2011. "The role of spatial agglomeration in a structural model of innovation, productivity and export: a firm-level analysis," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 46(3), pages 577-600, June.
    2. Ugur, Mehmet & Trushin, Eshref & Solomon, Edna & Guidi, Francesco, 2016. "R&D and productivity in OECD firms and industries: A hierarchical meta-regression analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(10), pages 2069-2086.
    3. Hall, Bronwyn H. & Mairesse, Jacques & Mohnen, Pierre, 2010. "Measuring the Returns to R&D," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 1033-1082, Elsevier.
    4. Iammarino, Simona & McCann, Philip, 2006. "The structure and evolution of industrial clusters: Transactions, technology and knowledge spillovers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1018-1036, September.
    5. Simona Iammarino & Philip McCann, 2010. "The Relationship between Multinational Firms and Innovative Clusters," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 8, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Jarle Møen & Helge Sandvig Thorsen, 2017. "Publication Bias in the Returns to R&D Literature," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 8(3), pages 987-1013, September.
    7. Raquel Ortega-Argilés, 2013. "R&D, knowledge, economic growth and the transatlantic productivity gap," Chapters, in: Frank Giarratani & Geoffrey J.D. Hewings & Philip McCann (ed.), Handbook of Industry Studies and Economic Geography, chapter 11, pages 271-302, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Kafouros, Mario I., 2008. "Economic returns to industrial research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(8), pages 868-876, August.
    9. B.G. Jean Jacques Iritié, 2018. "Economic issues of innovation clusters-based industrial policy: a critical overview," Global Business and Economics Review, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 20(3), pages 286-307.
    10. Zhang, Rui & Sun, Kai & Delgado, Michael S. & Kumbhakar, Subal C., 2012. "Productivity in China's high technology industry: Regional heterogeneity and R&D," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 79(1), pages 127-141.
    11. Aiello, Francesco & Cardamone, Paola, 2012. "Regional economic divide and the role of technological spillovers in Italy. Evidence from microdata," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 205-220.
    12. Kafouros, Mario I. & Buckley, Peter J., 2008. "Under what conditions do firms benefit from the research efforts of other organizations?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 225-239, March.
    13. Peilei Fan, 2011. "Innovation capacity and economic development: China and India," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 49-73, April.
    14. Seenaiah Kale & Badri Narayan Rath, 2018. "Does Innovation Enhance Productivity In Case Of Selected Indian Manufacturing Firms?," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 64(05), pages 1225-1250, November.
    15. Subal Kumbhakar & Raquel Ortega-Argilés & Lesley Potters & Marco Vivarelli & Peter Voigt, 2012. "Corporate R&D and firm efficiency: evidence from Europe’s top R&D investors," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 125-140, April.
    16. Lang, Guenter, 2009. "Measuring the returns of R&D--An empirical study of the German manufacturing sector over 45 years," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(9), pages 1438-1445, November.
    17. Jiang Wei & Minfei Zhou & Mark Greeven & Hongyan Qu, 2016. "Economic governance, dual networks and innovative learning in five Chinese industrial clusters," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 1037-1074, December.
    18. Scaringella, Laurent & Radziwon, Agnieszka, 2018. "Innovation, entrepreneurial, knowledge, and business ecosystems: Old wine in new bottles?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 59-87.
    19. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Fabrice Comptour, 2010. "Do clusters generate greater innovation and growth? An analysis of European regions," Working Papers 2010-15, Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados (IMDEA) Ciencias Sociales.
    20. Esther Goya & Esther Vayá & Jordi Suriñach, 2011. "Productivity and innovation spillovers: Micro evidence from Spain," IREA Working Papers 201126, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Dec 2011.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:growch:v:39:y:2008:i:3:p:414-435. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0017-4815 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.