The Competitive Repositioning of Automotive Firms in Turin: Innovation, Internationalisation and the Role of ICT

Following the increasing competitive pressure and the emergence of new industrial poles within the auto industry, Italian firms have been the protagonists of an intense reorganisation, which is still ongoing. This case-study involves 13 supplier firms, operating in the automotive industry, localised in Turin, that have adopted a series of strategies aimed at improving their international competitiveness. The empirical findings show that there is a particularly strong innovative drive for the interviewed firms to position themselves in activities with greater added value and to undertake internationalisation strategies, from the “lighter” to the more “complex” forms, coupled with a use of information and communication technologies.