The emergence of cooperation and the case of the Italian industrial district as a socio-economic habitat

The aim of this paper is to offer an integrated analysis of the phenomenon of the industrial district, and the Italian one in particular. Certain competitive advantages exhibited by the industrial districts are identified in the structural coupling between economic dynamics and social dynamics. The emphasis is placed on the role of cooperation between agents. Several fundamental works on game theory have illustrated how a cooperative behavior can stem from a potentially conflictual situation. Game theory also suggests the factors that induce the players to adopt cooperative behavioral standards: these factors are very much in evidence in the industrial districts. Moreover, the role of the public operator is emphasized in the industrial districts, since his behavior reinforces the tendency to establish of cooperative patterns.