Abstract
The paper explores how SMEs located in industrial districts explore e-business as a means to face the challenges posed by globalisation. By resorting to case studies conducted in the textile district of Prato, the research evidences the positive attitude of the interviewed entrepreneurs towards e-business. However, the characteristics of the considered products (textiles) and the district structure strongly affect the path followed to explore the scenarios opened by e-business. The collected evidence suggests that only few firms in the district are actively pursuing the full range of opportunities provided by e-business, and that isolated actions are not enough to foster collective learning and growth processes involving the whole district.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acs, Z. J., R. Morck, J. M. Shaver and B. Yeung, 1997, 'The Internationalization of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: A Policy Perspective', Small Business Economics 9, 7-20.
Audretsch, D. B., 1995, Foreign Direct Investment, International Competitiveness and Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Berlin: Wissenschatszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung.
Becattini, G., 1998, Distretti industriali e Made in Italy. Le basi socio-culturali del nostro sviluppo economico, Torino: Bollati Boringhieri.
Becattini, G., 2000, Il bruco e la farfalla. Prato nel mondo che cambia (1954-1993), Firenze: Le Monnier.
Bonaccorsi, A. and C. Rossi, 2001, The Adoption of Business to Business E-Commerce: Network Externalities Effects and Firms' Structural Heterogeneity, mimeo, Pisa: LEM, Laboratory of Economics and Management, Sant'Anna school of Advanced Studies.
Brusco, S. and S. Paba, 1997, 'Per una storia dei distretti industriali italiani dal secondo dopoguerra agli anni Novanta', in Barca F. (ed.), Storia del capitalismo italiano dal dopoguerra ad oggi, Roma: Donzelli.
Brynjolfsson, E. and M. Smith, 1999, Frictionless Commerce? A Comparison of Internet and Conventional Retailers, Working Paper, MIT Sloan School.
Camagni, R., 1991, 'Introduction: From the Local 'Milieu' to Innovation through Cooperation Networks', in R. Camagni (ed.), Innovation Networks. Spatial Perspectives, London: GREMI-Belhaven.
Chappell, C. and S. Feindt, 1999, Analysis of E-commerce Practices in SMEs, ESPRIT-KITE, http://kite.tsa.de.
Coviello, N. E. and A. McAuley, 1999, 'Internationalisation Ant the Smaller Firms: A Review of Contemporary Empirical Research', Management International Review 39, 223-256.
Dunning, J. H., 1981, International Production and the Multinational Enterprise, London: Allen and Unwin.
EITO, 2000, European Information Technology Observatory 1999, Frankfurt.
Enright, M. J., 1998, 'Regional distretto industriales and Firm Strategy', in A. D. Chandler (ed.), The Dynamic Firm: The Role of Technology, Strategy, Organization and Regions, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Enright, M. J. and I. Ffowcs-Williams, 2000, Local Partnership, Clusters and SME Globalisation, background report prepared for the OECD Conference for Ministers responsible for SMEs and Industry Ministers 'Enhancing the Competitiveness of SMEs in the Global Economy: Strategies and Policies', Bologna, 14-15 June.
Hamill, J., 1997, 'Internet Marketing in the Internationalisation of the U.K. Companies', Journal of Marketing Management 13, 9-28.
Kotha, S., V. P. Rindova and F. T. Rothaermel, 2002, 'Assets and Actions: Firm-Specific Factors in the Internationalization of U.S. Internet Firms', Journal of International Business Studies 32(4), 769-791.
Kula, V. and E. Tatoglu, 2002, 'An Exploratory Study of Internet Adoption by SMEs in an Emerging Market Economy', Mimeo.
Leamer, E. E. and M. Storper, 2002, 'The Economic Geography in the Internet Age', Journal of International Business Studies 32(4), 641-665.
Lu, J. W. and P. W. Beamish, 2001, 'The Internationalization and Performance of SMEs', Strategic Management Journal 22, 565-586.
Mariotti, S. and M. Mutinelli, 2001, 'La formazione di gruppi multinazionali nei distretti: interpretazioni generali ed evidenze empiriche per il caso della meccanica italiana', in F. Brioschi and G. Cainelli (eds.), Diffusione e caratteristiche dei gruppi di piccole e medie imprese nelle aree distrettuali. Dove va il distretto industriale?, Milano: Giuffré.
Micelli, S. and E. Di Maria, 2000, Distretti industriali e tecnologie di rete: progettare la convergenza, Milano: Franco Angeli.
OECD, 1998, SMEs and Electronic Commerce, DSTI/IND/PME(98)18/FINAL, Paris, 16 November.
OECD, 2000, Realising the Potential of Electronic Commerce for SMEs in the Global Economy, background report prepared for the OECD Conference for Ministers responsible for SMEs and Industry Ministers 'Enhancing the Competitiveness of SMEs in the Global Economy: Strategies and Policies', Bologna, 14-15 June.
Oxley, J. E. and B. Yeung, 2002, 'E-Commerce Readiness: Institutional Environment and International Competitiveness', Journal of International Business Studies 32(4), 705-723.
Petersen, B., L. Welch and P. Liesch, 2000, E-business and the Internationalisation Process of Firms, Maastricht: EIBA, December 10-12.
Piscitello, L. and F. Sgobbi, 2002, 'SMEs in the New Economy: Preliminary Evidence from Selected Italian Districts', Mimeo.
Porter, M. E., 1998, 'Cluster and the New Economy of Competition', Harward Business Review, November-December.
Rullani, E., G. Gottardi and F. Belussi, 2000, 'Il futuro dei distretti', Piccola Impresa/Small Business 2.
RUR-Censis, 2001, I distretti produttivi digitali, Milan: Rapporto Federcomin, Federcomin, March.
Sadowski, B. M., C. Maitland and J. van Dongen, 2002, 'Strategic Use of the Internet by Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Exploratory Study', Information Economics and Policy 14, 75-93.
SES Canada Research Inc., 1999, The SES Web Entrepreneurship Survey, Spring.
Storper, M., 1997, The Regional World, New York: Guildford Press.
Tiessen, J. H., R. W. Wright and I. Turner, 2001, 'A Model of E-commerce Use by Internationalising SMEs', Journal of International Management 7, 211-233.
Tocco, R., P. Boscolo, F. Margiotta, P. Matteini, A. Cerreti, S. Salvetti, R. Baldini, D. Berardi, P. P. Dettori and G. Caligo, 1998, Cablaggio e sviluppo telematico nell'area pratese, Comune di Prato, Provincia di Prato, Camera di Commercio di Prato, CONSIAG, PIN Centro Studi Ingegneria, Macrolotto 1, Macrolotto 2, Unione Industriale Pratese, Interporto, Prato, 23 November.
UNCTAD, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 1993, Small and Medium-sized Transnational Corporations, Programme on Transnational Corporations 1993, New York: United Nations.
Venkatraman, N. and J. C. Henderson, 1998, 'Real Strategies for Virtual Organizing', Sloan Management Review 40, 33-48.
Zaheer, S. and S. Marakhan, 2002, 'Concentration and Dispersion in Global Industries: Remote Electronic Access and the Location of Economic Activities', Journal of International Business Studies 32(4), 667-686.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Piscitello, L., Sgobbi, F. Globalisation, E-Business and SMEs: Evidence from the Italian District of Prato. Small Business Economics 22, 333–347 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SBEJ.0000022208.34741.55
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SBEJ.0000022208.34741.55