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A Resilient Industry? Business Strategies in the Footwear Industry of Southern Europe, 1970–2007

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 September 2020

Abstract

The footwear industry in southern Europe has faced several periods of strong crisis since the 1970s. This paper analyzes these crises and the resilience strategy developed by the sector in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, the major producing countries. Although many common features are observed in the three countries, both in the chronology and the nature of the crises and in the measures to overcome the difficulties, significant differences in the characteristics of the industry and the behavior of the companies are also appreciated. These differences have determined the degree of resilience of the sector in each country.

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Article
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© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Business History Conference. All rights reserved

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Footnotes

This work was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of the Government of Spain and the European Regional Development Fund under Grant PGC2018-093896-B-I00.

References

Bibliography of Works Cited

Da Silva, José. A economia portuguesa desde 1960. Lisboa, Port.: Gradiva, 1998.Google Scholar
Fontana, Giovanni L. 100 anni di industria calzaturiera nella Riviera del Brenta. Venecia, It.: ACRIB, 1998.Google Scholar
Frigeni, Renato, and Tousijn, Willem. L’industria delle calzature in Italia. Bologna, It.: Il Mulino, 1976.Google Scholar
Lança, Isabel S. A indústria portuguesa. Especialização, internacionalização e competitividade. Oeiras, Port.: Celta, 2000.Google Scholar
Manera, Carles. Las islas del calzado. Historia económica del sector en Baleares (1200–2000) . Palma de Mallorca, Sp.: LLeonard Muntaner, 2002.Google Scholar
Sousa, Isabel. Construção não-formal. Contribuição para uma análise quantitativa a nível regional. Lisboa, Port.: IACEP-NEUR, 1986.Google Scholar
Ybarra, Josep A., Miguel, Begoña San, Hurtado, Jorge, and Santa María, María J.. El calzado en el Vinalopó, entre la continuidad y la ruptura. Estudio sobre economía y trabajo en el sector. Alicante, Sp.: Universidad de Alicante, 2004.Google Scholar
Amighini, Alessia, and Rabellotti, Roberta. “How Do Italian Footwear Industrial Districts Face Globalization?European Planning Studies 14, no. 4 (2006): 485502.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aniello, Valeria. “The Competitive Mezzogiorno (Southern Italy): Some Evidence from the Clothing and Textile Industry in San Giuseppe Vesuviano.” International Journal of Regional Research 25, no. 3 (2001): 517536.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Belfanti, Carlo M.History as an Intangible Asset for the Italian Fashion Business (1950–1954).” Journal of Historical Research in Marketing 7, no.1 (2015): 7490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bravo, Giangiacomo, and Merlo, Elisabetta. “Sviluppo e crisi del distretto di Vigevano.” In Le istituzioni dello sviluppo. I distretti industriali tra storia, sociología ed economía, edited by Provasi, Giancarlo, 4398. Roma: Donzelli, 2002.Google Scholar
Catalan, Jordi. “The Stagflation Crisis and the European Automotive Industry, 1973–85.” Business History 59, no. 1 (2017): 434.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Catalan, Jordi, and Sánchez, Alex. “Cinco cisnes negros. Grandes depresiones en la industrialización moderna y contemporánea, 1500–2012.” In Crisis económicas en España 1300–2012. Lecciones de la historia, edited by Comín, Francisco and Hernández, Mauro, 83112. Madrid: Alianza Editorial, 2013.Google Scholar
Crestanello, Paolo, and Tattara, Giuseppe. “Industrial Clusters and the Governance of the Global Value Chain: The Romania-Veneto Network in Footwear and Clothing.” Regional Studies 45, no. 2 (2011): 187203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cutrini, Eleanora, Micucci, Giacinto, and Montanaro, Pasquale. “I distretti tradizionali di fronte alla globalizzazione: il caso dell'industria calzaturiera marchigiana.” L’Industria 34, no. 1 (2013): 123158.Google Scholar
Dolan, Michael B.European Restructuring and Import Policies for a Textile Industry in Crisis.” International Organization 37, no. 4 (1983): 583615.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evenhuis, Emil. “New Directions in Researching Regional Economic Resilience and Adaptation.” Geography Compass 11, no. 11 (2017): 115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fernández-de-Sevilla, Tomàs. “Growth Amid a Storm: Renault in Spain during the Stagflation Crisis, 1974–1985.” Business History 59, no. 1 (2017): 121140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fromhold-Eisebith, Martina. “Sectoral Resilience: Conceptualizing Industry-Specific Spatial Patterns of Interactive Crisis Adjustment.” European Planning Studies 23, no. 9 (2015): 16751694.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jordà, Òscar. “Estimation and Inference of Impulse Responses by Local Projections.” American Economic Review 95, no. 1 (2005): 161182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jordà, Òscar. “Simultaneous Confidence Regions for Impulse Responses.” The Review of Economics and Statistics 91, no. 3 (2009): 629647.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koselleck, Reinhart. “Crisis.” Journal of the History of Ideas 67, no. 2 (2006): 357400.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin, Ron. “Regional Economic Resilience, Hysteresis and Recessionary Shocks.” Journal of Economic Geography 12, no. 1 (2012): 132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin, Ron, Sunley, Peter, Gardiner, Ben, and Tyler, Peter. “How Regions React to Recessions: Resilience and the Role of Economic Structure.” Regional Studies 50, no. 4 (2016): 561585.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miranda, José A.La internacionalización de la industria española del calzado: del auge exportador a la deslocalización, 1960–2013.” Revista de la Historia de la Economía y de la Empresa 8 (2014): 251283.Google Scholar
Ofileanu, Dimi. “Romanian Footwear Industry—Evolution and Characteristics.” Annals of the “Constantin Brâncuşi” University of Târgu Jiu, Economy Series 6 (2014): 190194.Google Scholar
Pickles, John, and Smith, Adrian. “Delocalization and Persistence in the European Clothing Industry: The Reconfiguration of Trade and Production Networks.” Regional Studies 45, no. 2 (2011): 167185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pinchera, Valeria, and Rinallo, Diego. “The Emergence of Italy as a Fashion Country: Nation Branding and Collective Meaning Creation at Florence’s Fashion Shows (1951–1965).” Business History 62, no. 1 (2020): 151178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ramón, Remedios. “Crisis económica, globalización y FOGASA: la estrategia de la industria del calzado para sobrevivir. El caso de Alicante: 1980–1991.” Economía Industrial 385 (2012): 137148.Google Scholar
Sabbatucci, Patrizia. “Les districts de production de chaussures en Italie, 1880–1980.” In Les territoires de l’industrie en Europe 1750–2000, edited by Daumas, Jean-Claude, Lamard, Pierre, and Tissot, Laurent, 361382. Besançon, Fr.: Presses Universitaires de Franche-Conté, 2007.Google Scholar
Schneider, Friedrich. “Shadow Economies around the World: What Do We Really Know?European Journal of Political Economy 21, no. 3 (2005): 598642.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Segreto, Luciano. “L’industria calzaturiera in Italia. La lunga rincorsa marchigiana, 1914–1960.” In L’industria calzaturiera marchigiana. Dalla manifattura alla fabbrica, edited by Anselmi, Sergio, 247324. Fermo, It.: Unione Industriali del Fermano, 1989.Google Scholar
Starn, Randolph. “Historians and ‘Crisis’”. Past & Present 52, no. 1 (1971): 322.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valdaliso, Jesús M. “Accounting for the Resilience of the Machine-Tool Industry in Spain (c. 1960–2015).” Business History (forthcoming). doi: 10.1080/00076791.2018.1473380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Viesti, Gianfranco. “Sommerso ed emersione nell’industria dell’abbigliamento e delle calzature nel Mezzogiorno.” Meridiana 33 (1998): 3781.Google Scholar
Viruela, Rafael, and Domingo, Concepción. “La informalización en la industria del calzado, un trabajo de mujeres.” Cuadernos de Geografía 67–68 (2000): 381401.Google Scholar
Ybarra, Josep A.La informalización industrial en la economía valenciana: un modelo para el subdesarrollo.” Revista de Treball 2 (1986): 85103.Google Scholar
Ybarra, Josep A. “La informalización como estrategia productiva. Un análisis del calzado valenciano.” Revista de Estudios Regionales 57 (2000): 199217.Google Scholar
APPICAPS. The Portuguese Footwear Industry. 1977–1996 . 20 Years of Continuous Growth. Porto, Port.: APPICAPS, 1997.Google Scholar
APPICAPS. 2017 Statistical Report. Portugal. Footwear, Components and Leather Goods. Porto, Port.: APPICAPS, 2018.Google Scholar
Banco de Portugal. Análise setorial da indústria do calçado. Lisboa, Port.: Banco de Portugal, 2012.Google Scholar
Brenton, Paul, Pinna, Anna M., and Vancauteren, Mark. Adjustment to Globalisation: A Study of the Footwear Industry in Europe. No. 151. Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies Working Document, 2000.Google Scholar
Costa, Da, Carlos, S. O sucesso da indústria portuguesa do calçado–case study . Dissertação de Mestrado. Lisboa, Port.: Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa. Faculdade de Ciências da Economia e da Empresa, 2015. Accessed June 12, 2019. http://repositorio.ulusiada.pt/bitstream/11067/1606/1/me_carlos_pereira_dissertacao.pdf.Google Scholar
Risk & Policy Analysts Limited. In-Depth Assessment of the Situation of the European Footwear Sector and Prospects for its Future Development. Final Report. Brussels: DG Enterprise & Industry, European Commission, 2012. Accessed September 14, 2018. http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/footwear/files/footwear_survey4_en.pdf.Google Scholar
European Commission. The EU Footwear Industry. Accessed June 4, 2018. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/fashion/footwear/eu-industry_es.Google Scholar
FAO. World Statistical Compendium for Raw Hides and Skins, Leather and Leather Footwear. Roma: FAO, several years (1980-2005).Google Scholar
ISTAT. La misura dell’economia sommersa secondo le statistiche ufficiali. Anni 2000–2008. ISTAT, 2010. Accessed April 20, 2018. http://www3.istat.it/salastampa/comunicati/non_calendario/20100713_00/testointegrale20100713.pdf.Google Scholar
Lage, Susana I. A industria de calçado em S. João da Madeira (1881–1953): Estudo e Mediação. Dissertação de Mestrado. Porto: Universidade do Porto. Faculdade de Letras, 2012. Accessed September 12, 2019. http://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/handle/10216/66461.Google Scholar
Moreira, Isabel M.Estratégias de crescimento e inovação. Indústria do calçado em Portugal. Análise documental 1974–2014.” Dissertação de mestrado, Lisboa, Port.: Universidade Europeia, 2016. Accessed october 4, 2017. https://comum.rcaap.pt/handle/10400.26/15330.Google Scholar
Novello, Giorgio. “Innovative Conservatism in a Mature Industrial District: An Economic History of the Brenta Footwear Industry.” MPhil thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science, Economic History Department, 2005.Google Scholar
Schneider, Friedrich. “Size and Development of the Shadow Economy of 31 European and 5 other OECD Countries from 2003 to 2015: Different Developments.” January 20, 2015. Accessed February 8, 2020. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/088a/96973734cb625d524b93bd014cc3eecb4165.pdf.Google Scholar
Sena-Dias, Pedro, Pina, Miguel, and Rego, Arménio. Back to the Footure: The Changing Portuguese Footwear Industry. Case study NSBE-15-14005. Lisboa, Port.: Nova School of Business and Economics, 2015. Accessed November 12, 2019. https://gestores.pt/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/caso_estudo_fae_2015_backtothefooture.pdf.Google Scholar
Da Silva, José. A economia portuguesa desde 1960. Lisboa, Port.: Gradiva, 1998.Google Scholar
Fontana, Giovanni L. 100 anni di industria calzaturiera nella Riviera del Brenta. Venecia, It.: ACRIB, 1998.Google Scholar
Frigeni, Renato, and Tousijn, Willem. L’industria delle calzature in Italia. Bologna, It.: Il Mulino, 1976.Google Scholar
Lança, Isabel S. A indústria portuguesa. Especialização, internacionalização e competitividade. Oeiras, Port.: Celta, 2000.Google Scholar
Manera, Carles. Las islas del calzado. Historia económica del sector en Baleares (1200–2000) . Palma de Mallorca, Sp.: LLeonard Muntaner, 2002.Google Scholar
Sousa, Isabel. Construção não-formal. Contribuição para uma análise quantitativa a nível regional. Lisboa, Port.: IACEP-NEUR, 1986.Google Scholar
Ybarra, Josep A., Miguel, Begoña San, Hurtado, Jorge, and Santa María, María J.. El calzado en el Vinalopó, entre la continuidad y la ruptura. Estudio sobre economía y trabajo en el sector. Alicante, Sp.: Universidad de Alicante, 2004.Google Scholar
Amighini, Alessia, and Rabellotti, Roberta. “How Do Italian Footwear Industrial Districts Face Globalization?European Planning Studies 14, no. 4 (2006): 485502.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aniello, Valeria. “The Competitive Mezzogiorno (Southern Italy): Some Evidence from the Clothing and Textile Industry in San Giuseppe Vesuviano.” International Journal of Regional Research 25, no. 3 (2001): 517536.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Belfanti, Carlo M.History as an Intangible Asset for the Italian Fashion Business (1950–1954).” Journal of Historical Research in Marketing 7, no.1 (2015): 7490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bravo, Giangiacomo, and Merlo, Elisabetta. “Sviluppo e crisi del distretto di Vigevano.” In Le istituzioni dello sviluppo. I distretti industriali tra storia, sociología ed economía, edited by Provasi, Giancarlo, 4398. Roma: Donzelli, 2002.Google Scholar
Catalan, Jordi. “The Stagflation Crisis and the European Automotive Industry, 1973–85.” Business History 59, no. 1 (2017): 434.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Catalan, Jordi, and Sánchez, Alex. “Cinco cisnes negros. Grandes depresiones en la industrialización moderna y contemporánea, 1500–2012.” In Crisis económicas en España 1300–2012. Lecciones de la historia, edited by Comín, Francisco and Hernández, Mauro, 83112. Madrid: Alianza Editorial, 2013.Google Scholar
Crestanello, Paolo, and Tattara, Giuseppe. “Industrial Clusters and the Governance of the Global Value Chain: The Romania-Veneto Network in Footwear and Clothing.” Regional Studies 45, no. 2 (2011): 187203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cutrini, Eleanora, Micucci, Giacinto, and Montanaro, Pasquale. “I distretti tradizionali di fronte alla globalizzazione: il caso dell'industria calzaturiera marchigiana.” L’Industria 34, no. 1 (2013): 123158.Google Scholar
Dolan, Michael B.European Restructuring and Import Policies for a Textile Industry in Crisis.” International Organization 37, no. 4 (1983): 583615.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evenhuis, Emil. “New Directions in Researching Regional Economic Resilience and Adaptation.” Geography Compass 11, no. 11 (2017): 115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fernández-de-Sevilla, Tomàs. “Growth Amid a Storm: Renault in Spain during the Stagflation Crisis, 1974–1985.” Business History 59, no. 1 (2017): 121140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fromhold-Eisebith, Martina. “Sectoral Resilience: Conceptualizing Industry-Specific Spatial Patterns of Interactive Crisis Adjustment.” European Planning Studies 23, no. 9 (2015): 16751694.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jordà, Òscar. “Estimation and Inference of Impulse Responses by Local Projections.” American Economic Review 95, no. 1 (2005): 161182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jordà, Òscar. “Simultaneous Confidence Regions for Impulse Responses.” The Review of Economics and Statistics 91, no. 3 (2009): 629647.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koselleck, Reinhart. “Crisis.” Journal of the History of Ideas 67, no. 2 (2006): 357400.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin, Ron. “Regional Economic Resilience, Hysteresis and Recessionary Shocks.” Journal of Economic Geography 12, no. 1 (2012): 132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin, Ron, Sunley, Peter, Gardiner, Ben, and Tyler, Peter. “How Regions React to Recessions: Resilience and the Role of Economic Structure.” Regional Studies 50, no. 4 (2016): 561585.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miranda, José A.La internacionalización de la industria española del calzado: del auge exportador a la deslocalización, 1960–2013.” Revista de la Historia de la Economía y de la Empresa 8 (2014): 251283.Google Scholar
Ofileanu, Dimi. “Romanian Footwear Industry—Evolution and Characteristics.” Annals of the “Constantin Brâncuşi” University of Târgu Jiu, Economy Series 6 (2014): 190194.Google Scholar
Pickles, John, and Smith, Adrian. “Delocalization and Persistence in the European Clothing Industry: The Reconfiguration of Trade and Production Networks.” Regional Studies 45, no. 2 (2011): 167185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pinchera, Valeria, and Rinallo, Diego. “The Emergence of Italy as a Fashion Country: Nation Branding and Collective Meaning Creation at Florence’s Fashion Shows (1951–1965).” Business History 62, no. 1 (2020): 151178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ramón, Remedios. “Crisis económica, globalización y FOGASA: la estrategia de la industria del calzado para sobrevivir. El caso de Alicante: 1980–1991.” Economía Industrial 385 (2012): 137148.Google Scholar
Sabbatucci, Patrizia. “Les districts de production de chaussures en Italie, 1880–1980.” In Les territoires de l’industrie en Europe 1750–2000, edited by Daumas, Jean-Claude, Lamard, Pierre, and Tissot, Laurent, 361382. Besançon, Fr.: Presses Universitaires de Franche-Conté, 2007.Google Scholar
Schneider, Friedrich. “Shadow Economies around the World: What Do We Really Know?European Journal of Political Economy 21, no. 3 (2005): 598642.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Segreto, Luciano. “L’industria calzaturiera in Italia. La lunga rincorsa marchigiana, 1914–1960.” In L’industria calzaturiera marchigiana. Dalla manifattura alla fabbrica, edited by Anselmi, Sergio, 247324. Fermo, It.: Unione Industriali del Fermano, 1989.Google Scholar
Starn, Randolph. “Historians and ‘Crisis’”. Past & Present 52, no. 1 (1971): 322.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valdaliso, Jesús M. “Accounting for the Resilience of the Machine-Tool Industry in Spain (c. 1960–2015).” Business History (forthcoming). doi: 10.1080/00076791.2018.1473380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Viesti, Gianfranco. “Sommerso ed emersione nell’industria dell’abbigliamento e delle calzature nel Mezzogiorno.” Meridiana 33 (1998): 3781.Google Scholar
Viruela, Rafael, and Domingo, Concepción. “La informalización en la industria del calzado, un trabajo de mujeres.” Cuadernos de Geografía 67–68 (2000): 381401.Google Scholar
Ybarra, Josep A.La informalización industrial en la economía valenciana: un modelo para el subdesarrollo.” Revista de Treball 2 (1986): 85103.Google Scholar
Ybarra, Josep A. “La informalización como estrategia productiva. Un análisis del calzado valenciano.” Revista de Estudios Regionales 57 (2000): 199217.Google Scholar
APPICAPS. The Portuguese Footwear Industry. 1977–1996 . 20 Years of Continuous Growth. Porto, Port.: APPICAPS, 1997.Google Scholar
APPICAPS. 2017 Statistical Report. Portugal. Footwear, Components and Leather Goods. Porto, Port.: APPICAPS, 2018.Google Scholar
Banco de Portugal. Análise setorial da indústria do calçado. Lisboa, Port.: Banco de Portugal, 2012.Google Scholar
Brenton, Paul, Pinna, Anna M., and Vancauteren, Mark. Adjustment to Globalisation: A Study of the Footwear Industry in Europe. No. 151. Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies Working Document, 2000.Google Scholar
Costa, Da, Carlos, S. O sucesso da indústria portuguesa do calçado–case study . Dissertação de Mestrado. Lisboa, Port.: Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa. Faculdade de Ciências da Economia e da Empresa, 2015. Accessed June 12, 2019. http://repositorio.ulusiada.pt/bitstream/11067/1606/1/me_carlos_pereira_dissertacao.pdf.Google Scholar
Risk & Policy Analysts Limited. In-Depth Assessment of the Situation of the European Footwear Sector and Prospects for its Future Development. Final Report. Brussels: DG Enterprise & Industry, European Commission, 2012. Accessed September 14, 2018. http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/footwear/files/footwear_survey4_en.pdf.Google Scholar
European Commission. The EU Footwear Industry. Accessed June 4, 2018. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/fashion/footwear/eu-industry_es.Google Scholar
FAO. World Statistical Compendium for Raw Hides and Skins, Leather and Leather Footwear. Roma: FAO, several years (1980-2005).Google Scholar
ISTAT. La misura dell’economia sommersa secondo le statistiche ufficiali. Anni 2000–2008. ISTAT, 2010. Accessed April 20, 2018. http://www3.istat.it/salastampa/comunicati/non_calendario/20100713_00/testointegrale20100713.pdf.Google Scholar
Lage, Susana I. A industria de calçado em S. João da Madeira (1881–1953): Estudo e Mediação. Dissertação de Mestrado. Porto: Universidade do Porto. Faculdade de Letras, 2012. Accessed September 12, 2019. http://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/handle/10216/66461.Google Scholar
Moreira, Isabel M.Estratégias de crescimento e inovação. Indústria do calçado em Portugal. Análise documental 1974–2014.” Dissertação de mestrado, Lisboa, Port.: Universidade Europeia, 2016. Accessed october 4, 2017. https://comum.rcaap.pt/handle/10400.26/15330.Google Scholar
Novello, Giorgio. “Innovative Conservatism in a Mature Industrial District: An Economic History of the Brenta Footwear Industry.” MPhil thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science, Economic History Department, 2005.Google Scholar
Schneider, Friedrich. “Size and Development of the Shadow Economy of 31 European and 5 other OECD Countries from 2003 to 2015: Different Developments.” January 20, 2015. Accessed February 8, 2020. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/088a/96973734cb625d524b93bd014cc3eecb4165.pdf.Google Scholar
Sena-Dias, Pedro, Pina, Miguel, and Rego, Arménio. Back to the Footure: The Changing Portuguese Footwear Industry. Case study NSBE-15-14005. Lisboa, Port.: Nova School of Business and Economics, 2015. Accessed November 12, 2019. https://gestores.pt/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/caso_estudo_fae_2015_backtothefooture.pdf.Google Scholar