The analysis of competitiveness should not focus exclusively on the efficiency of a single company, but on the effectiveness of the whole system. The capability of firms to compete in markets is increasingly linked to the development of relationships among firms operating at the different stages of the chain. The value created by an integrated production system arises from both the efficiency of the single firms and the development of co-operatives relationships. In the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese production chain this kind of relationship is quite strong. For these reason, the analysis of competitiveness of the different players is crucial in order to define possible line of strategic action
