The impact of the 2008 economic crisis on the furniture sector in Poland and Italy and factors of firms’ adaptation to the market situation.

Abstract

Ab s t r a c t . The 2008 economic crisis had a mild and temporary negative impact on the production and turnovers in the furniture sector in Poland, much more significant, negative effects were observed in Italy. Surveys among furniture firms in Kępno and Livenza furniture clusters allowed to state that relatively easier adaptation of Polish firms to the market situation during and after the crisis was connected with the fact that most domestic manufacturers take advantage of the price factor, while Italian firms did not resign from the offer customisation and exclusive design -which made their products too expensive for consumers under downturn.