Innovazione, qualit? e marchi nei distretti industriali

In 2009, the growth and revenue performance of district firms in Italy deteriorated sharply. The effects of the 2009 crisis were evident also in terms of distribution performance as the gap between the best and worst-performing firms widened. Nevertheless, despite the difficult economic environment, the Italian production system demonstrated its good reaction capacity. Our analysis points to a significant strengthening of the ability of district firms to react through more intensive use of technological innovations, trademarks, and quality management system certifications. Nevertheless, in markets characterised by increasingly fierce competitive pressures, Italian producers need to further accelerate their efforts to innovate, raise quality, and exploit trademarks.