Economic changes in the district of Prato in the 1980s: Towards a more conscious and organized industrial district

Abstract

In previous years the Prato industrial district has attracted much interest from both researchers and policy makers because of its remarkable economic success. But during the 1980s the Prato woollen district underwent a period of difficulties and restructuring. This paper focuses on recent changes, showing how the Prato district was able to diversify promptly and upgrade its products and to introduce organizational solutions capable of ensuring a closer coordination between firms, while maintaining flexibility of production.