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Abstract:

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare supply network strategies of district firms (from now on ID) and non-district (non-ID) firms with the aim of outlining emerging strategies as well as identifying similarities and differences between business models.

Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is based on a quantitative approach: the TeDIS survey focuses on 45 leading Italian districts and SMEs located outside districts (Made in Italy sectors). Results refer to 630 Italian firms.

Findings – There are more similarities than differences between the approach of ID and non-ID companies to supply networks. ID firms rely more on local systems in terms of supply networks, while non-ID firms have also invested at national level (subcontracting networks). The global geographical extension of supply networks stresses the ID companies' search for efficiency in addition to value-added competences. Non-ID firms have a more hierarchical approach to internationalization than ID firms, but differences decrease as the size of the companies increases.

Research limitations/implications – The study is still preliminary. Future research should explore the relationships between the strategic approach to supply networks of district firms and non-ID firms in terms of characteristics of the relationship management and aims of relationships, also with a focus on the size of these firms.

Originality/value – Within the existing literature, the original contribution of the paper lies in its comparison of supply network strategies in ID and non-ID firms based on a significant quantitative analysis.

Keywords:

Corporate strategy, Globalization, Italy, Supply chain management

Article Type:

Research paper

Article URL:

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/01443570911000186

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