ABSTRACT
In the context of non-equity aggregations, the Italian economic fabric has long been fertile ground for the application and dissemination of two types of aggregation that mainly involve medium or small-sized companies: Temporary Associations of Enterprises and districts. The effectiveness of aggregation as a tool for overcoming the constituent limitations of SMEs is amply demonstrated, not only on a conceptual but also on an empirical basis. Aggregation processes represent an option that small and medium-sized enterprises can activate in order to overcome the constituent limitations that characterize them and to undertake business development paths both in quantitative and qualitative terms. The bodies, tools and procedures for governing the aggregation on the basis of the signing of network contract are a second aspect worthy of attention. The regime of external consortia is more similar to the network contract since for obligations assumed by the consortium through the persons who represent it, third parties can only stake claims against the consortium fund.
