Multiple path dependency and creativity in industrial districts

The industrial district model represents a specifi c form of agglomeration of local fi rms (Becattini, 1990); however, it is characterized by a multiplicity of possible evolutionary patterns of growth, innovation, and learning (Humphrey & Schmitz, 1995, Asheim, 1996, Markusen, 1996, Belussi, Gottardi, & Rullani, 2003, Caniëls & Romijn, 2005; Iammarino & McCann, 2006; Martin & Sunley, 2006; Braunerhjelm & Feldman, 2006; Simmie, 2008). In the last century, some old districts have declined, whereas others have grown and changed and new districts have emerged. The aim of this chapter is to shed light on the evolutionary process of industrial districts (IDs), evaluating the role of path dependence in their growth trajectories. In this debate, globalization played a central role, and it is considered one of the challenges for the IDs model, in both developed and developing countries (Humphrey & Schmitz 2002, Guerrieri, Iammarino, & Pietrobelli, 2001, Sammarra & Belussi 2006). Following an evolutionary economics approach, we investigate the path dependence mechanism behind the evolution of IDs. Through the analysis of a series of case studies developed in the literature (12 Italian IDs) this chapter shows how different IDs have changed over time and how their growth pattern is partially determined by initial conditions and by heterogeneous capabilities cultivated by the district fi rms. Section 2 deals with the identifi cation of the main theoretical issues concerning the complex theory on multiple evolutionary path dependency. Section 3 discusses the triggering factors at the genesis and during the evolution of the IDs, while in section 4 the methodology of the study is described together with the illustration of the empirical fi ndings. Finally, in section 5 some conclusive remarks are drawn.