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Implementing Sustainability Strategies in Networks and Clusters pp 3–23Cite as

The Territory and Business Competitiveness

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Abstract

This chapter examines the various theoretical approaches on the existent and mutually interdependent relationship between the territory and its businesses. More specifically, it analyses the contribution of classical economy, the theory of business clusters, international marketing and territorial marketing researches in order to assess the value of the territory for business competitiveness. Ultimately, by placing emphasis on the increasing belief that the territory is one of the key factors for strengthening the business competitive advantage, studies on this topic seek to establish that there are different ways for a territory to be competitive and various alternatives to create competitiveness. The chapter also investigates the valuable contributions of economic actors to the welfare of the community and explains how economic competitiveness/social compatibility and social wellbeing/economic wealth are inseparable pairs. By focusing on small-sized enterprises, of great importance is the mutually interdependent relationship between economy and society that becomes even more relevant when the economic system embraces the world of small businesses.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Krugman asserts that the real comparison amongst geographic areas lies in the level of internal productivity. A country’s major objective is to improve citizens’ standards of living, based on its level of productivity, labour management and capital used. Productivity depends, in turn, on the quality of products/services offered in the country and the efficiency of the production in place.

  2. 2.

    The competitiveness of a geographical area lies in its ability to ensure market competition amongst all its actors. In order to foster that potential, the territorial system implements lifelong learning strategies to contribute towards enhancing its heritage with material and immaterial resources and facilitate their use with all players involved (Caroli 2006).

  3. 3.

    For an in-depth analysis, reference should be made to the work of De Nisco (2006).

  4. 4.

    For a detailed analysis, reference should be made to Bertoli et al. (2005).

  5. 5.

    Plenty of references can be found in the industrial cluster theory and in the studies on SMEs’ international development processes (Cavusgil 1980; Czinkota and Tesar 1982).

  6. 6.

    References for analysis are to be found in the work of Pollitt (2002).

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  1. Department of Human and Social Sciences, “L’Orientale” University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Alessandra De Chiara

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De Chiara, A. (2017). The Territory and Business Competitiveness. In: Implementing Sustainability Strategies in Networks and Clusters. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40201-7_1

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