Big firms, small firms, network firms -- Reassessing the idea that small firms are the economic development drivers -- The myth of small firms as job generators -- Are small firms the technology leaders? -- The evolution (and devolution?) of the Italian industrial districts -- Is Silicon Valley an industrial district? -- The emerging system of globally networked production -- "Flexibility" and the emergence of large firm-led production networks -- Large firm-centered networked production systems in Japan and Europe -- Interfirm production networks in the United States -- The dark side of flexible production -- Rethinking economic development policy -- Economic development policy in a world of lean and mean production.