Industrial Districts and Regional Economic Development: A Regulation Approach∗

DIGIOVANNA S. (1996) Industrial districts and regional economic developoment: a regulation approach, Reg. Studies 30, 373–386. This paper examines the regulatory underpinnings of industrial districts. As many regional governments have been forced to accept greater responsibility for their own economic futures, the industrial district model has been presented as an attractive path to economic development. The underlying assumption among many policy makers is that all industrial districts are based on similar models of production organization and labour relations. Nevertheless, the comparative approach illustrates that districts which appear similar on the surface are often quite distinct, particularly when the experience of workers is considered. By applying the concepts of regulation theory to the experiences of Emilia-Romagna, Baden-Wurttemberg and Silicon Valley, this paper illustrates that flexibly-specialized districts can result in a variety of social outcomes. This paper concludes that the success o...

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