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Industrial Districts and Socio-economic Well-Being: An Investigation on the Italian Provinces Disparities

Author

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  • Claudio Berardino

    (G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti and Pescara)

  • Giuseppe Mauro

    (G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti and Pescara)

  • Davide Quaglione

    (G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti and Pescara)

  • Alessandro Sarra

    (G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti and Pescara)

Abstract

This paper examines the territorial disparities between Italian provinces through an alternative measure (well-being composite index) as opposed to traditional ones (value added), in order to assess the possible industrial district (ID) effect on growth performance. The analysis shows that the ID effect is absent when considering (per capita) value added growth, which confirms recent empirical evidence, while it is significant when considering well-being. Furthermore, “highly ID provinces” show a relatively better performance in terms of population growth rates, which, combined with their better socio-economic conditions, sheds new light on the explanation of the persistence of Italian disparities and gives interesting insights for the design of sounder local policy measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudio Berardino & Giuseppe Mauro & Davide Quaglione & Alessandro Sarra, 2016. "Industrial Districts and Socio-economic Well-Being: An Investigation on the Italian Provinces Disparities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(1), pages 337-363, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:129:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-015-1105-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-015-1105-4
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    3. Vito Imbrenda & Rosa Coluzzi & Valerio Di Stefano & Gianluca Egidi & Luca Salvati & Caterina Samela & Tiziana Simoniello & Maria Lanfredi, 2022. "Modeling Spatio-Temporal Divergence in Land Vulnerability to Desertification with Local Regressions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-20, August.
    4. Sandra De Iaco & Sabrina Maggio & Donato Posa, 2019. "A Multilevel Multinomial Model for the Dynamics of Graduates Employment in Italy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 146(1), pages 149-168, November.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Well-being; Industrial district effect; Regional disparities; Italian provinces;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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