This paper aims to contribute for the understanding of the new dynamics of knowledge and innovation in local production systems from the strengthening of the international rivalry in the ceramic tile industry, by studying two local systems in the Brazilian ceramic tile industry, one located in Santa Gertrudes/SP and the other in Criciuma/SC. The research shows that the current international competitive scenario is being characterized by the China's expansion in the world market; the Spanish expansion embedded in the interaction among their glaze suppliers; and the Italian decreasing market share, despite the strong presence of machinery goods industry. In spite of this global rivalry scenario the Brazilian ceramic tile industry had a expansion period with an increase domestic and exports markets. This increasing can be seem in the huge growth of the domestic industry, not only in the expansion of the supply of ceramic tiles but also in important changes in the techno-productive parameters of the firms, motivated by some benefits that came from the clustering of firms.
Local production systems; knowledge; innovation; ceramic tile industry
