Path-Dependence and Change in an Old Industrial Area. The Case of Taranto, Italy.

The article aims to contribute to the debate on path-dependence by providing qualitative evidence on the case of the steel area of Taranto (Italy), which is still host to the largest steel plant in Europe. The article seeks to make two related contributions. First, it seeks to identify and discuss the possible causes of Taranto’s path-dependence by highlighting their specific features. Second, it gives evidence to a dynamic social process affecting Taranto’s long-term institutional set-up, which is likely to have an impact on the area’s economic evolution