The article is based on qualitative and ethnographic research and on interventions of consultation and training in various medium-sized districts in two Italian regions (Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy). The analysis makes use both of categories relating to welfare dynamics and references typical of organizational studies. After introducing matters concerning the application of law 328/2000 and describing the main scenarios concerning two regional architectures, it considers the ongoing dynamics in some local welfare systems, bringing out some of their strongly ambivalent aspects.only subscribers can see the full article