(R)4SMEs. Resilience essentials for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Abstract

Economic recessions have created challenges for SMEs and contributed to disruptions requiring them to be resilient. The present study started with a mapping of SMEs (in fashion and design sectors) in Tuscany and then extended the research to the national context in order to strengthen the link between industry and academia. Tuscany is a land of excellence, knowledge and ancient craft that are passed on from generation to generation: processing of Casentino wool or Tavarnelle lace are just some concrete examples of this. Actually there are a lot of products that contributed over the centuries to make of Tuscany a symbol of tradition and the, so called, Made in Italy has became an intangible but of unquestionable importance value. General aim of this project is to demonstrate that an increasingly strong "net" of skills from different sectors orients innovative design processes even within fashion design and, at the same time, strengthen the local identities and protect cultural diversity, in order to transmit to future generations the tangible and intangible patrimony tied to our traditions. The research therefore intends to create contact areas among the traditional knowledge, artisan competence and research activities conducted in universities in order to enhance the tradition of excellence and read them in a contemporary way. Almost all agree on the point, that globalization cannot be turned back but the “new media of globalization” can be used to preserve our tradition.