The conference would like to provide an answer to a fundamental question: do the new information and communication technologies (ICT) and the rising level of globalisation of the world economy represent an opportunity for growth and innovation on the part of sectors producing Italy's well-known export products (the so-called "made in Italy"); or are they a threat where the "global" will crush the "local" and standardisation will eliminate regional differences?

Industrial districts and SME networks are characterised by their high level of human interrelations, by the quality and quantity of the social links that take place in well-defined locations. These relations concern various ambits - employers and employees, suppliers, industrial relations with the unions, trade associations and institutional situations - and they are able to create an climate of trust and an accumulation of know-how that have allowed enterprises that are generally quite small to be competitive and innovative.

At this stage, it would be interesting to analyse to what extent these new technologies are likely to affect this ability to compete and innovate (in terms of both process and product).

The purpose of this debate, which will involve economists, industrialists and institutional personalities, is to see to what extent the organisational models and infrastructure networks of the districts can be redesigned to take full advantage of the innovations introduced by the Net Economy.


Conference Programme
( PDF, 551KB)

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