Structure of the Supply Chains and the Diffusion of ICT in Industrial Districts

ICT do not follow the same diffusion patterns in all industrial districts. There are a number of differences in the way these technologies are used. Industrial specialisation, location, average firm size can help in explaining these differences, above all when considering specific technologies, but they are not exhaustive. This paper takes advantage of a wide data-base collected in all industrial districts located in Piedmont, to explore the hypothesis that the type of inter-firm organisation of the industrial system influences the demand for more advanced communication tools.