Identity and Identification in Industrial Districts

The aim of this article is to extend theconcept of identity and identification to thestudy of industrial districts. The theoreticalmodel presented explains how identity andidentification occur within localizedproduction networks and examines how theprocess of identification affects theindustrial districts' performance andcompetitiveness. The study adopts a multi-disciplinary approachwhich integrates the traditional frameworkrooted in the fields of regional studies,governance structures, and management theorywith some theoretical contributions developedin the field of social psychology.The concept of district identity is proposed asthe missing link between the traditionalmacro-perspective based on shared culture,history, and values and a micro-foundedapproach to the study of industrial districts.It is stated that, through the process ofidentification, district identity explains atthe actor level the adoption of distinctivebehaviors, such as commitment, trust, andcooperation, which represent the ultimatesource of competitive advantage of thedistrict model.