“Evoluzione e Politiche di Comunicazione dei Distretti Orafi Italiani”

This work aims to examine the characteristics of the Italian Goldsmith industry, focusing in particular on the “system areas” and/or “industrial districts” variously located in the numerous provinces of this country. Indeed, the scenario of Italian gold crafting extends, with different characteristics, across Vicenza, Arezzo, Valenza Po, Milan, Naples and Caserta (Tarì). This study examines the points of similarity and difference among the various production realities, i.e., an analysis of the different behaviour patterns and communication policies adopted. From this emerge two macro-orientations. In the north of Italy there are formalized and shared communication policies due to greater openness and collaboration between the actors (districts). In the South, however, there is little shared communication within and outside the area (system area), which is the result of a business culture two centred on individualism. These differences, symptomatic of different visions of company growth and development – strategic collaboration in the north, opportunistic co-operation in the south, are reflected in a different praxis in the use of technology and integrated means of communication, tending towards synergy in the north and opportunism in the south.