Shift-share analysis is a well-known and widely used tool for spatial data
analysis, though it presents some weaknesses and limitations. In this paper we aim to
extend this technique by introducing a spatial structure in the particular case of Italian
industrial districts. This extension is possible due to the use of enterprise legal status,
together with activity information, available on the Italian Register of Businesses at
the Chambers of Commerce. As far as spatial analysis is concerned, in this work we
give a more precise territorial meaning to the theoretical concept of neighbourhood.
