Two important monitoring projects or observatories dealing with high-tech and industrial districts are linked to MAIN Laboratory:

Observatory of Tuscan high-tech firms
The observatory of Tuscan High-Tech Firms (Osservatorio sulle Imprese High-Tech della Toscana) was created in 2001. Initially funded by the Provincial Municipality of Pisa, it started its monitoring activities by focusing on high-tech firms located in the Pisa area. The geographical scope of the analysis has increased progressively over time by including the provinces of Livorno, Lucca and Grosseto. Moreover, a census is being carried out in the remaining Tuscan provinces in order to detect and identify all the high-tech firms located in the region.
The Observatory's activities largely consist of identifying and analysing the characteristics of the Tuscan high-tech division. Moreover, the Observatory is involved in the following activities:

• the deepening of the characterisation of the different high-tech industries as well as of the various types of firms, each one associated with a specific process of creation;
• the monitoring of growth processes, in terms of both annual turnover and firm size (number of employees);
• the cross-province evaluation of firms' competitiveness;
• the exploitation of the significant number of high-tech firms in the regional area by emphasising their relevance for local competitiveness and for the further development of the region.

For more information about the observatory please check the website www.osservatorio.sssup.it/
or contact directly:
Alessandra Patrono
+39 050 883 836
info.osservatorio@sssup.it
Amedeo Primiceri
+39 050 883 812
a.primiceri@sssup.it

National Observatory of Technological Districts
The concept of technological district has not yet been consolidated in economic literature, just as there does not exist unanimity with regard to which areas should fall under the definition. Theoretically the term technological district embraces different conceptual models, whereas with regard to the areas themselves, or rather the institutions installed to look after their development and interests, tend to adopt the term technological district, however, without certification. The observatory of technological districts aims at filling some of these gaps and concentrates research on three levels:
Theoretical level: The constant updating of the literature allows for the consolidation of the various approaches dealing with technological districts, as well as the other approaches focusing on the innovative aspects of areas. The aim is to generate a definition of technological districts which takes into account the factors identified as essential for high-tech production systems and which takes note of the fact that the definition also needs to be used for practical purposes in particular to deal with policy issues.
Empirical level: On the one hand the mapping of the Italian regional systems, using a grid consisting of a variety of indicators allowing for the identification of existing, emerging and potential technological districts, is a preliminary and essential step to take. On the other hand it is necessary to thoroughly analyse the functioning of the technological districts.
Normative level: It will be necessary to formulate policy proposals for technological districts. These will take advantage of the identification grid which has been developed at the theoretical level. It will be necessary to understand which interventions are indispensable to support the development of the existing technological districts and to sustain the evolution of potential or emerging districts towards more mature forms.

For more information about the National Observatory of Technological Districts please visit the website www.distretti-tecnologici.it