1 Territorial Dimension and competition: the Made in Italy challenges Elvira Martini University of Sannio, Italy elvira.martini@unisannio.it Matteo Rossi University of Sannio, Italy matteo.rossi@unisannio.it Abstract An increased number of enterprises deciding to operate on foreign markets are faced with a complex competitive and institutional environment, based on a large net of commercial, financial and communicational relationships. In this net, known as globalization, the international development is becoming a competitive demand (Rossi, 2008) and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) feel the need to extend their activities beyond local markets. This paper analyzes the territorial dimension as a distinctive factor for the Made in Italy. Italian SMEs have to preserve own specificity but they also in need to start collaborations with other territories. In doing so, they will have to outsource activities with smaller added value, and to preserve history, style and talents that account for Italian products of quality (glocalist approach) (Bauman, 2005). However, some enterprises remain tied up to such competitive strategies unable to open up to internationalization. Although the practice of developing without autonomy (Trigilia, 1992) pursued by SMEs seems to have stopped over the last years, there are still too many strong limits to economic growth that create an opposite reaction where the local policies could be exaggeratedly followed to the point that autonomy would be earned without real development. Keywords: Made in Italy, Social Capital, Internationalization Copyright of the paper resides with the authors. Submission of a paper grants permission to the 7 th Triple Helix International Scientific and Organising Committees to include it in the conference material and to place it on relevant websites. The Scientific Committee may invite papers accepted for the conference to be considered for publication in Special Issues of selected journals.