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Spatial agglomeration and business groups: new evidence from Italian industrial districts

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  • Giulio Cainelli
  • Donato Iacobucci
  • Enrica Morganti

Abstract

This paper is a first attempt to analyse the relationship between spatial agglomeration and firmsÂ’ organizational structures. It takes advantage of a large data set on Italian business groups that allowed us to analyse the differences in the presence and characteristics of business groups between districts and non district areas. Overall the result confirms the hypothesis that spatial agglomeration of business activities influences firmsÂ’ organization. Groups are more widespread in industrial districts than in non-district areas; moreover groups in industrial districts are less diversified and more spatially concentrated than groups outside industrial districts. Key words: business groups, industrial districts, spatial agglomeration, firmÂ’s organizational forms JEL Classification: L22, R12

Suggested Citation

  • Giulio Cainelli & Donato Iacobucci & Enrica Morganti, 2004. "Spatial agglomeration and business groups: new evidence from Italian industrial districts," ERSA conference papers ersa04p402, European Regional Science Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p402
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    business groups; industrial districts; spatial agglomeration; firmâ’s organizational forms jel classification: l22; r12;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • 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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