The government’s role in industrial development and technological innovation: france’s national policy towards nuclear energy development

Abstract

This short article attempts to answer the question, what would be the best perimeter tolaunch a sustainable and successful innovation policy? Policy towards nuclear energy in France is theprinciple focus to provide a partial answer to the question. The example of the French nuclear industry,whose creation and management pertaining to a state initiative at the end of World War Two, providesa typical example of a sector-based development on innovation resulting from a long term tradition ofstate interventionism and public initiatives, which can be described as a high tech Colbertisme. Consideringthose difficulties faced by such a prominent national champion in an economic milieu, it isquestionable whether or not the adoption of the Lisbon Agenda in support of innovation and of its widediffusion was realistic. French nuclear operators within their national boundary have been characterisedas quasi-monopoly for such a long period of time. However, it is questionable whether it was worthwhilefor sustainable innovation, or to the contrary, it constituted mere a cumbersome obstacle constrainingfurther marketable value creation. Pitelis’ comprehensive strategic model, – recognising governmentas an important actor as one of the determinants to sustainable value creation affecting both meso-andmacro-environment at different time periods -, to some extent fills the theoretical gap in this area.Key words: French industrial policy, energy, nuclear, Colbertisme, state regulation.