The link between environmental and economic performance: evidence from some eco-innovative industrial clusters

摘要

The research aims to investigate the presence of a correlation between eco-innovation and competitiveness within districts. The case analysed in this article is based on a study concerning a sample of 54 Italian industrial clusters entitled 'Eco-Districts' that has compiled a list of the most eco-efficient districts at the national level. After selecting eight districts, this study assesses the economic performance of the last three years through the analysis of trends of four indicators: number of enterprises, employment, production and export. The results show that only in some cases there is a connection between eco innovation and economic performance.