Eco-innovation and competitiveness in industrial clusters

Abstract

The article aims to investigate the presence of a correlation between eco-innovation and competitiveness within districts. The case analysed in this article is based on a study concerning a sample of 54 Italian industrial clusters entitled ‘eco-districts’ that has compiled a list of the most eco-efficient districts at the national level. After selecting two districts operating in the same productive field, this study assesses the economic performance of the last three years through the analysis of trends in four indicators: number of enterprises, employment, production and export. The results show that only in some cases there is a connection between eco innovation and competitiveness.