Traditional industrial districts in the face of globalization: the case of the Marche footwear district

Eleonora Cutrini (), Giacinto Micucci () and Pasqualino Montanaro ()
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Giacinto Micucci: Bank of Italy
Pasqualino Montanaro: Bank of Italy

No 150, Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) from Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area

Abstract: This paper studies the case of the Marche footwear districts. Statistical evidence and interviews with entrepreneurs suggest that the traditional inter-firm relationships within these districts have significantly changed during the past decade. Some leading firms have been building up more exclusive relations with their suppliers, including those abroad, along �buyer-driven� value chains. Moreover, firms have been adopting different strategies, following two main paths: the first is a �focusing-on-quality� strategy, based on upgrading the quality of the goods and investing in brands, R&D and specific distribution channels; the second is a �focusing-on-costs� strategy, which aims at minimizing the production costs of a medium-quality range of goods, including outsourcing abroad. This study shows that firms which focused on quality did better than others, both in the years before the crisis of 2008-09 and during the recession.

Keywords: global value chain; industrial districts; internationalization; footwear industry; firms� organization and strategies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L23 L25 L67 R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-hme and nep-sbm
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Journal Article: Traditional Industrial Districts in the Face of Globalization: The Case of the Marche Footwear District (2013)
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