The local systems development in the Middle-Adriatic: the results of a research - The article, using data from a survey on 5 industrial districts in Marche and Abruzzo Region, aims at describing the deep transformations which in the last years have involved these local communities from a socio-economical and cultural point of view. As what concerns the industrial structure, two relevant aspects emerge: first of all, the rise of few medium-large enterprises which determine de facto the changing nature of the traditional specialized local districts, leading to the birth of the post-districts; secondly, the process of productive delocalization of the SMEs to new emerging countries, which determines an increase of unemployment among the local working population and the consequent deterioration of the social cohesion. At last, the present study supports the need for a new and modern institutional role in communities development, both through a real increase of governance strategies and through an innovation process nurtured by local cognitive, human and technological resources, which may steer the local district SMEs to global competitiveness.
Keywords: Industrial districts; crisis, socio-economic transformations, governance, social innovation, technological innovation