Spatial organisation and company performance: a comparison between two models in the motor vehicle industry

This paper compares two completely different regional production systems - Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna - both characterised by marked specialisation in the motor vehicle industry. The former traditionally focuses on the automotive sector, while the latter is broadly differentiated into the manufacture of buses, trucks, motor cycles and agricultural equipment. The comparison is based on financial statements and is viewed from different perspectives: growth, productivity and profitability.