Date
2011
Dewey
Economie industrielle
Sujet
Defence; Institutional change; National innovation system; co-evolution; Government agency; Knowledge; Capabilities; Technological systems
JEL code
O33; O32; O31
Journal issue
Industry and Innovation
Volume
18
Number
5
Publication date
2011
Article pages
509-530
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Author
Lazaric, Nathalie
Mérindol, Valérie
Rochhia, Sylvie
Type
Article accepté pour publication ou publié
Abstract (EN)
Defence innovation systems are structured around two main groups of players that interact in the development of complex programmes: the state (the client and the government agency) and the systems integrators. Technological and institutional changes since the 1990s have affected the division of labour and knowledge in the industry. In this paper, we show the origins of these changes based on information derived from 45 qualitative interviews conducted between 2000 and 2008, which demonstrate the new capabilities that have been created within the national innovation system (NIS). We explain how the role and the capabilities of the French Government Agency for Defence (Direction Générale de l'Armement—DGA) have developed from “project architect” to “project manager”. These new capabilities create new interactions in the French defence innovation system and new roles for the DGA.