The dynamics of inter-firm relationships: an empirically oriented view of collective learning in local production systems

The paper works out a methodology to study collective learning in industrial districts (ID) from an empirical viewpoint. Differently from other empirical analysis of collective learning, we base the concept of learning in the so-called competence- or capabilities-based approach (CBA) to the firm. We try to fill the gap between the CBA and the literature on ID by modelling learning as a process of competence change plus a change of structure of relations among actors. In local production systems such as industrial districts change of competences residing in the firm are often complemented with (sometimes even replaced by) external connections. We posit that for the overall performance of the system change within the firm is less relevant than the capacity of the system to move ahead in a coordinated way. This occurs when a change at the firm level calls for a change in the existing division of labour. Some data gathered in the Italian eyewear district in Belluno, Veneto, are presented to support this line of reasoning.