This paper aims at analysing the role of institutional factors in fostering the agglomeration of SMEs in Italian industrial districts. The main findings are: the availability of strong family institutions and a social environment reducing individual opportunism have played a significant role in...

We compare the magnitude of local productivity advantages associated with two different spatial concentration patterns in Italy – urban areas and industrial districts. The former have high population density and host a wide range of economic activities, while the latter are marked by a high...