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The origins of Made in Spain fashion. The competitive advantage of the textile, apparel and footwear districts since the Golden Age

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  • Jordi Catalan
  • Ramon Ramon-Munoz

    (Universitat de Barcelona)

Abstract

This paper explores the sources of competitive advantage of the Spanish export industrial districts that specialised in textile, apparel and footwear products. It shows that most of the nowadays outstanding Spanish firms in fashion-related international markets emerged from 1980s districts. Using a new database, the paper concludes that by then there were as many neo-Marshallian exporting districts dominated by small firms as hub-firm districts coordinated by medium-large companies. This probably allowed the latter to combine the advantages derived from Marshallian external economies (i.e. non-codified knowledge, subsidiary industries and specialized labour force) with those connected to leading firms organizational capabilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Jordi Catalan & Ramon Ramon-Munoz, 2011. "The origins of Made in Spain fashion. The competitive advantage of the textile, apparel and footwear districts since the Golden Age," Working Papers in Economics 265, Universitat de Barcelona. Espai de Recerca en Economia.
    • Handle: RePEc:bar:bedcje:2011265
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N84 - Economic History - - Micro-Business History - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N64 - Economic History - - Manufacturing and Construction - - - Europe: 1913-
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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