Distretti industriali, imprese multinazionali e catene del valore

The paper reconsiders the key issue of the industrial district and the multinational enterprise as two alternative or complementary drivers of local development in the light of new empirical evidence. That evidence derives from the results of two surveys of the determinants of linkages between local firms and foreign affiliates. The surveys were conducted in the Italian province of Modena in the past few years; Modena is well-known internationally for its leading industrial districts, which specialise in both traditional and high-tech manufacturing industries. The evidence shows that local firms and foreign affiliates are actively engaged in a dense local production network where foreign affiliates can play a crucial role in enhancing the position of local firms in global value chains.