Agri-Food Clusters, Wine Tourism and Foreign Markets. The Role of Local Networks for SMEs Internationalization

The paper aims to examine the role of network relationships in the internationalization of Italian wine producers. Based on a case study analysis, it shows that networks are a key factror for intrnationalization. Firms mostly relied on their relationships with friends, tourists visiting the farm, and also local firms and agencies in the toruism industry. However, local networks among wine producers did not result as relevant for foreign market development.