Innovation Processes and Industrial Districts

Paul L. Robertson (), David S. Jacobson () and Richard N. Langlois ()

No 2008-03, Working papers from University of Connecticut, Department of Economics

Abstract: In this survey, we examine the operations of innovation processes within industrial districts by exploring the ways in which differentiation, specialization, and integration affect the generation, diffusion, and use of new knowledge in such districts. We begin with an analysis of the importance of the division of labor and then investigate the effects of social embeddedness on innovation. We also consider the effect of forms of organization within industrial districts at various stages of product and process life, and we examine the negative aspects of embeddedness for innovation. We conclude with a discussion of the possible consequences of new information and communications technologies on innovation in industrial districts.

Keywords: industrial districts; innovation; division of labor; embeddedness; information technology. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L14 L25 O31 R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo, nep-ino, nep-knm, nep-soc and nep-ure
Date: Written 2008-01
Note: Draft chapter for Giacomo Becattini, Marco Bellandi, and Lisa De Propris, eds., Handbook of Industrial Districts. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, in preparation. We thankfully acknowledge suggestions made by the editors and by Arnaldo Camuffo and Paola Cillo. Any errors, of course, remain our responsibility
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