Since the spectacular successes of the productive micro-territories of the Third Italy were revealed 30 years ago, localised production systems have been discovered on every continent, basing their development on endogenous dynamics in which territorial anchoring, company concentration and cooperation between players play an essential role. This book analyses the structures, functioning and trajectories of numerous European industrial districts over the long period of industrialisation, and examines the nature of the phenomenon: a structural alternative to the large company, a solution to the crisis of Fordism or a short episode in the history of capitalism? It also sheds light on its future, as districts face globalisation, which threatens to loosen the links between companies and their local area.