Abstract
This chapter presents the results of an empirical research on the Bologna district, specialised in automatic packaging machinery. The Bolognese packaging machinery industry has been studied for the excellence of some companies for a long time (Lipparini, 1995;Lipparini and Lorenzoni, 1994). However, the positive performance of some dynamic firms may be related to the local context, where firms have developed a network of historically path-dependent, locally based, specific interactions: a nexus of productive relationships, and a wide net of social relationships conducive to a fast innovation activity. Within this technological district a clustering of innovations has occurred; in turn, this has led to a self-reinforcing mechanism of industrial growth. The generation and diffusion of knowledge have been promoted throughout specific communication processes which have crossed large firm nets, with suppliers, subcontractors, and local institutions. The empirical study presented aims to show the close relationship existing between the dynamics of localised technological change and the role of local communication processes.
Article FootNote
A first analysis of the Bologna packaging machinery district was presented at the “Inloco project” workshop, organised in Nice, at the Latapses Institute (Sophia Antipolis, Nice University), October 1998. This international project, sponsored by the UE (Tser) was organised by the Fondazione Rosselli (Turin) under the scientific supervision of Cristiano Antonelli. See Belussi (1998).
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Belussi, F. (2003). The generation of contextual knowledge through communication processes. The case of the packaging machinery industry in the Bologna district. In: Belussi, F., Gottardi, G., Rullani, E. (eds) The Technological Evolution of Industrial Districts. Economics of Science, Technology and Innovation, vol 29. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0393-4_15
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