Competitive Success of Italian Industrial Districts: A Network-based Approach

Abstract

The article conducts an explorative research on the competitive success of industrial districts (IDs) based on their capacity to adapt and evolve in response to the environmental changes. The aim is to identify the ID structural features supporting adaptation by using the complexity theory. Thus, IDs are considered as complex adaptive systems (CASs) and the ID features that foster adaptation are identified based on the main CAS properties, namely inter-connectivity, heterogeneity and control. To formulate the theory linking the values of the ID structural features with the ID competitive success, a multiple case study is carried out. Finally, three theoretical propositions are derived.