6 • La prossimità geografica come fattore di competitività Tra i distretti e i contratti di rete

This chapter focuses on the analysis of the geographical dimension of network contracts, delving into the concept of geographical proximity. The literature highlights how proximity is essential for knowledge sharing and collaborative innovation. The present chapter explores the dimension of geographical proximity in business networks in Italy, capturing the evolution of this dimension from 2016 to 2022. The results show that, despite the network contract being conceived as a collaboration tool independent of the geographical proximity of businesses, there is a growth in the territorial concentration of networks over time, suggesting that territorial proximity is a facilitating factor for collaboration.