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Abstract:
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The main objective of the paper is to provide an analytical framework based on
evolutionary arguments, explaining the role and rationale of technology policies based
on inter-organisation cooperations. We try to combine different arguments developped
in the literature in order to define a coherent approach of technology policies :
organisational, failure and paradigmatic approaches. We will argue that the role of
technological policies and their design are contingent on whether knowledge creation
emerges in an existing technological paradigm or will be at the origin of a new one.
In the first part of the paper, we will define two broad kinds of cooperative policy :
one (pre-paradigmatic) devoted to create radically new knowledge by exploring new
avenues in order to initiate a new technological paradigm and the other (paradigmatic)
devoted to create new knowledge by using exploitation mechanisms in order to
maintain technological options and variety, inducing innovation and reducing
negative lock-in effects. We specify also for each situation the kind of intervention
(coordination, institutional structure) compatible with the objective of the policy.
In the second part of the paper, we will illustrate our theoretical arguments by
focusing on two types of cooperative programme : one devoted to create a new
knowledge base in a pre-paradigmatic phase (the development of a digital switching
system in France) and the other more devoted to foster knowledge in existing
paradigms (the case of Brite-Euram). |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
