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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare supply network strategies of district firms (from now on ID) and non‐district (non‐ID) firms with the aim of outlining emerging strategies as well as identifying similarities and differences between business models.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is based on a quantitative approach: the TeDIS survey focuses on 45 leading Italian districts and SMEs located outside districts (Made in Italy sectors). Results refer to 630 Italian firms.FindingsThere are more similarities than differences between the approach of ID and non‐ID companies to supply networks. ID firms rely more on local systems in terms of supply networks, while non‐ID firms have also invested at national level (subcontracting networks). The global geographical extension of supply networks stresses the ID companies' search for efficiency in addition to value‐added competences. Non‐ID firms have a more hierarchical approach to internationalization than ID firms, but differences decrease as the size of the companies increases.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is still preliminary. Future research should explore the relationships between the strategic approach to supply networks of district firms and non‐ID firms in terms of characteristics of the relationship management and aims of relationships, also with a focus on the size of these firms.Originality/valueWithin the existing literature, the original contribution of the paper lies in its comparison of supply network strategies in ID and non‐ID firms based on a significant quantitative analysis.

Purpose
– This paper aims to examine how three firms set up distribution networks in China and India. The authors highlight the criticalities in this process and the modifications necessary to adapt the firms' distribution networks to the local conditions of both markets. Firms entering emerging markets (EMs) must deal with specific business and environmental conditions that can jeopardise their ability to succeed. The establishment of a proper distribution network is among the most pressing priorities for entering firms.


Design/methodology/approach
– The case study approach was used to analyse three European firms in the furniture sector.


Findings
– The results show that several adaptations of already-tested solutions were necessary to cope with the specificities of both markets. Such adaptations differently involved the three layers that form the firms' distribution network: actors, activities and resources. Theoretical and managerial implications are derived from the results.


Research limitations/implications
– This paper considers only three firms, which belong to the same sector and target a similar market segment (the high-end market). Therefore, the conclusions can be generalised only under certain conditions.


Originality/value
– This paper contributes to the development of international marketing literature by specifically studying distribution networks in EM contexts.

Industry 4.0, a concept comprising a range of promising innovations enabled by the recent advancements in digital technologies, has become a priority of industrial policy in many European countries and regions. In this paper we present actions undertaken by regional organisations (including the so called Digital Innovation Hubs), fostering adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in manufacturing companies. Using examples from Germany, Italy and Poland, we show actions that both allow to create general conditions for such implementations, but also help individual companies to create individual strategy for adopting Industry 4.0 innovations.