Struttura economica, identità territoriale e crescita nei sistemi locali del Mezzogiorno

The territorial dimension of Italian economic development has been traditionally viewed in terms of the North-South dichotomy. However, even within the same macro-region, the trajectories of Italian local systems appear strongly heterogeneous. This paper analyses the determinants of local development trajectories of Southern Italian local systems by exploring the relationship between the structural characteristics of the systems and their performances in terms of population growth rates between 1991 and 2008. From a theoretical point of view, this work combines standard urban economics and growth theory with some innovative elements of local development economics. In fact, besides considering the role of traditional factors of growth, this paper analyses the role of territorial identity, where the latter is conceptualised within the framework of territorial capital. From the empirical analysis it emerges that smaller local systems with a diversified sectorial structure, a small unemployment rate grew at higher rates. As far as territorial identity is concerned, a small administrative fragmentation and the presence of governance mechanisms at the system level are correlated with higher growth rates.