Sophie Boutillier

The entrepreneur's ‘resource potential’ and the organic square of entrepreneurship: definition and application to the French case

The aim of this conceptual paper is to study the origin of the entrepreneurs function. We examine the construction of the entrepreneurs ‘resource potential’ (the set of knowledge, relations and financial resources gathered together by the entrepreneur) and the role of the socio-economic background in this matter. The ‘organic square of entrepreneurship’ (resource potential, market, economic organization and public policy) links the individual characteristics of the entrepreneur and the environmental factors to explain entrepreneurship. It is also a tool to study entrepreneurship in different social, economic and political context. We illustrate this role through the analysis of the French case, which reveals the assets and limits of the entrepreneurial context. We particularly show the importance of taking account of the structural characteristics of the productive system in the design of future entrepreneurship policies.JEL codesL26, L1, L53

L’innovation verte

Alors que dans le monde entier l’utilisation des ressources naturelles ne cesse de croitre et l’environnement de se degrader, les economistes,les managers et les politiques s’inquietent avant tout de la perte de competitivite de leurs entreprises et de leurs economies. Ils focalisent aussi leur attention sur les performances financieres des systemes economiques au detriment d’une reflexion approfondie sur les changements necessaires et urgents des modes de production, de consommation et d’echange dans lesquels la « contrainte environnementale » pourrait se transformer en innombrables opportunites d’innovations et conduire a l’emergence d’une nouvelle economie. L’innovation verte designe l’innovation ayant une finalite de developpement durable qui se traduit par l’introduction dans l’economie d’un ensemble de produits, services, procedes, methodes, etc. permettant de reduire l’impact de l’activite generale ou particuliere sur l’environnement. Ce livre est consacre aux modeles theoriques de l’economie verte et a l’analyse de differentes experiences d’eco-innovation (leur naissance, leur diffusion, leurs impacts) ainsi qu’a la maniere dont elles s’inscrivent dans un nouveau paradigme sociotechnique en construction.

Innovating for elderly people: the development of geront’innovations in the French silver economy

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to study the supply side of the silver market, which is usually neglected by research on this topic. Adopting a systemic approach to innovation, our main goals are to identify the nature of the innovations developed, the way innovations are created, and the issues related to their emergence and diffusion. Our research is based on an empirical study of the French silver economy, which consists in an enquiry carried out in Silver Valley. The results of our study lead us to suggest a new term ‘geront’innovation’ to qualify the various forms of innovations developed to cater for the needs of elderly people. We also put forward the importance of networking and open innovation strategies. Finally, the identified barriers to emergence and diffusion as perceived by the supply side of the market lead us to suggest recommendations to support the diffusion of geront’innovations.

L'entrepreneur scientifique ou la dévalorisation du travail de chercheur

The researcher has an obligation of result, not scientifically but economically. The result of his researches must quickly find an economic outcome. The researcher is becoming a scientific entrepreneur. This situation is the result of a slow evolution where political, religious, economic and scientific interests take place. At any time, political and religious powers have been interested in the work of scientists and built institutions in order to canalize their knowledge. Its with capitalism that this transformation is the most immediate and the better encouraged and accepted by society.

Réponse due. Economie sociale: résurgence ou défaillance de la solidarité ?

Social economy springs from the industrial society. The development of salaried class and of big corporation have suplied a... new poverty. The salaried class has destroyed the social relations based on family, agricultural exploitation and craft works. The great increase of unemployment since the 60s has favorised the development of poverty in the industrial countries. The objective of this article is to demonstrate the usefulness of provety for the reproduction of capitalism.