IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/urbstu/v45y2008i13p2715-2734.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Symbiotic Division of Labour between Heterogeneous Districts in the Dutch and Italian Horticultural Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Fiorenza Belussi

    (Department of Economics and Business, Padua University, via del Santo 33, 35123 Padova, Italy, fiorenza.belussi@unipd.it)

  • Silvia Rita Sedita

    (Department of Economics and Business, Padua University, via del Santo 33, 35123 Padova, Italy, silvia.sedita@unipd.it)

Abstract

This article focuses on the historical development of one ornamental horticulture district in the Netherlands and two in Italy. The aim is to underline the global division of labour among three districts driven by industrial district heterogeneity, uneven learning systems and a unique specialisation in production and retailing. The historical development of all the districts is very similar, but the application of science and the role of local institutions explain the evolution of the cluster in the Netherlands. Despite the lack of natural resources and unfavourable climate, high labour and energy costs, the Dutch district and the Netherlands-based horticulture industry hold a leading position. Although endowed with better natural resources, the Italian districts belong to a very weak national innovation system and are now strongly dependent on the Dutch system.

Suggested Citation

  • Fiorenza Belussi & Silvia Rita Sedita, 2008. "The Symbiotic Division of Labour between Heterogeneous Districts in the Dutch and Italian Horticultural Industry," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(13), pages 2715-2734, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:45:y:2008:i:13:p:2715-2734
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098008098202
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0042098008098202
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0042098008098202?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alessia Sammarra & Fiorenza Belussi, 2006. "Evolution and relocation in fashion-led Italian districts: evidence from two case-studies," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(6), pages 543-562, November.
    2. Arjen Van Klink & Evert‐Jan Visser, 2004. "Innovation In Dutch Horticulture: Fresh Ideas In Fresh Logistics," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 95(3), pages 340-346, July.
    3. repec:ilo:ilowps:328743 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2003. "Deconstructing clusters: chaotic concept or policy panacea?," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(1), pages 5-35, January.
    5. John Humphrey & Hubert Schmitz, 2002. "How does insertion in global value chains affect upgrading in industrial clusters?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(9), pages 1017-1027.
    6. Bair, Jennifer & Gereffi, Gary, 2001. "Local Clusters in Global Chains: The Causes and Consequences of Export Dynamism in Torreon's Blue Jeans Industry," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(11), pages 1885-1903, November.
    7. Delphine Gallaud & Andr? Torre, 2005. "Geographical proximity and circulation of knowledge through interfirm relationships," SCIENZE REGIONALI, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2005(2).
    8. Elshof, Paul., 1998. "The Dutch flower sector : structure, trends and employment," ILO Working Papers 993287433402676, International Labour Organization.
    9. C. C. De Lauwere, 2005. "The role of agricultural entrepreneurship in Dutch agriculture of today," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 33(2), pages 229-238, September.
    10. Richardson, G B, 1972. "The Organisation of Industry," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 82(327), pages 883-896, September.
    11. Fiorenza Belussi & Alessia Sammarra, 2006. "Evolution and Relocation in Fashion-led Italian Districts: Evidence from two Case-Studies," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0023, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno".
    12. Gereffi, Gary, 1999. "International trade and industrial upgrading in the apparel commodity chain," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 37-70, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Silvia Rita Sedita & Ivan De Noni & Luciano Pilotti, 2014. "How do related variety and differentiated knowledge bases influence the resilience of local production systems?," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0180, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno".
    2. Fiorenza Belussi & Silvia R Sedita & Tine Aage & Daniele Porcellato, 2011. "Inward Flows of Information and Knowledge in Low-tech Industrial Districts: Contrasting the ‘Few Firms Gatekeeper’ and ‘Direct Peer’ Models," Chapters, in: Paul L. Robertson & David Jacobson (ed.), Knowledge Transfer and Technology Diffusion, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Valentina De Marchi & Joonkoo Lee & Gary Gereffi, 2014. "Globalization, Recession and the Internationalization of Industrial Districts: Experiences from the Italian Gold Jewellery Industry," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 866-884, April.
    2. Yusaf H. Akbar & Sonia Ferencikova, 2007. "Industrial Clustering and Global Value Chains in Central and Eastern Europe: Role of Multinational Enterprises in Industrial Upgrading," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2007(3), pages 237-251.
    3. Matanda, Margaret Jekanyika & Freeman, Susan, 2009. "Effect of perceived environmental uncertainty on exporter-importer inter-organisational relationships and export performance improvement," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 89-107, February.
    4. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2011. "Conceptualizing Cluster Evolution: Beyond the Life Cycle Model?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(10), pages 1299-1318, November.
    5. Anna Giunta & Domenico Scalera & Francesco Trivieri & Jeffrey B. Nugent & Mariarosaria Agostino, 2011. "Firm Productivity, Organizational Choice and Global Value Chain," Working Papers 2011R09, Orkestra - Basque Institute of Competitiveness.
    6. repec:ilo:ilowps:369852 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Meenu Tewari, 2005. "The Role of Price and Cost Competitiveness in Apparel Exports, Post-MFA: A Review," Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi Working Papers 173, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi, India.
    8. Gancarczyk, Marta & Gancarczyk, Jacek, 2018. "Proactive international strategies of cluster SMEs," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 59-70.
    9. Cuervo-Cazurra, Alvaro & Pananond, Pavida, 2023. "The rise of emerging market lead firms in global value chains," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    10. Belussi , Fiorenza, 2015. "The international resilience of Italian industrial districts/clusters (ID/C) between knowledge re-shoring and manufacturing off (near)-shoring," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 32, pages 89-113.
    11. Montalbano, Pierluigi & Nenci, Silvia & Pietrobelli, Carlo, 2017. "Opening and linking up: Firms, global value chains and productivity in Latin America," MERIT Working Papers 2017-030, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    12. Lucio Biggiero & Enrico Sevi, 2009. "Opportunism by cheating and its effects on industry profitability. The CIOPS model," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 191-236, September.
    13. Andrea González & Juan Carlos Hallak, 2022. "Relational links for insertion in non‐mass global value chains: Opportunities for middle‐income countries," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 653-672, May.
    14. Pauline Debanes, 2018. "Modes of Insertion into Global Value Chains as a Source of Firms' Heterogeneity?," Working Papers halshs-01849224, HAL.
    15. Pipkin, Seth & Fuentes, Alberto, 2017. "Spurred to Upgrade: A Review of Triggers and Consequences of Industrial Upgrading in the Global Value Chain Literature," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 536-554.
    16. Linqing Liu & Shiye Mei, 2016. "Visualizing the GVC research: a co-occurrence network based bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 109(2), pages 953-977, November.
    17. Valentina De Marchi & Matthew Alford, 2022. "State policies and upgrading in global value chains: A systematic literature review," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 88-111, March.
    18. Mahmudul Hasan Fouji & Imranul Hoque, 2021. "Supplier Internationalization Through Upgrading in Global Supply Chain: Evidence from the Garments Industry of Bangladesh," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 116-129, December.
    19. Juthathip Jongwanich & Archanun Kohpaiboon, . "Firm Productivity, Globalization and Global Product Sharing: Lesson from Thai Manufacturing," Chapters, in: Chin Hee Hahn & Dionisius A. Narjoko (ed.), Globalization and Performance of Small and Large Firms, chapter 11, pages XI-1 - XI, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
    20. Lorenzo Ciapetti, 2011. "Technological Change, Knowledge Integration and Adaptive Processes: The Mechatronic Evolution of the Reggio Emilia District," Chapters, in: Paul L. Robertson & David Jacobson (ed.), Knowledge Transfer and Technology Diffusion, chapter 5, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    21. da Rocha, Angela & Kury, Beatriz & Tomassini, Rodrigo & Velloso, Luciana, 2017. "Strategic Responses to Environmental Turbulence: A Study of Four Brazilian Exporting Clusters," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 39, pages 155-174.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:45:y:2008:i:13:p:2715-2734. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.gla.ac.uk/departments/urbanstudiesjournal .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.