“Dai sistemi locali ai network de-territorializzati: verso i meta-distretti e le reti tra distretti”

This paper studies the evolution of relationship between innovation and territory, due to the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The hypotesis is that the application of ICT in management modifies the organizational processes of division of labour and makes the physical proximity less important. In this way, firms - with the application of ICT - could overcome the necessity to locate themselves closed to other firms (suppliers, customers, competitors) and to producers of technology because the relationships are driven by the technological network and not by territory and physical contiguity. The development of ICT allows the construction of networks of firms belonging to different territory and local systems. In this way, what are the implications for local systems of firms? In order to demonstrate the evolution of the role of territory, the present work studies a few cases of meta-districts and national networks of districts, in order to show their structural features and critical factors.