Italian Comparative Advantages, Persistence and Change in Overall Specialization

This book, a collaborative effort by researchers from Japan, Italy and the USA, seeks to explore the reasons for industrial clustering in certain regions of Asia, Europe and North America. The studies presented illustrate real examples of industrial clusters, adding anecdotal evidence to the emerging theory of economic geography by exemplifying the centripetal and centrifugal forces that regulate the clustering process. The authors examine clusters in a diverse set of countries including China, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the USA and Vietnam. Significantly, the book provides an interesting split between studies of IT and software-related industries, and more traditional sectors, such as steel and vehicle manufacturing.