Globalisation and the Viability of Industrial Districts

As increasingly diversified patterns of growth are emerging and different avenues are followed by industrial districts to face globalisation, more attention should be paid to industrial districts response to global competition. How global forces shape industrial districts in different ways? This research addresses the theme of the viability of industrial districts in dealing with dramatic changes in their competitive environment. By relying on a cross-national comparison and a mono-sectoral investigation of the footwear industry, this study attempts to shed the light on the formulae or recipes for both success and failure in two industrial districts - Montebelluna in Italy and Northampton in Britain. In particular, the interpretative lens provided should help to shed some light on the response of industrial districts to global competition, and should be especially valuable to scholars, managers, small firm owners, policy makers and anybody else who has an interest in globalisation and the challenges faced by industrial districts in sunset industries.