Externalization of research and development in Europe

This paper has two objectives. First, it records the reality of interaction with public sector research science for firms in two manufacturing industries, the flow measuring and electronic component industries, in three countries, the UK, France and Belgium. Secondly, by analyzing the patterns of interaction, a conceptualization of one dimension of the spatial process of technological change is approached. This paper develops the notion that the links created by externalization between universities and national laboratories and industry are elements in a filière which integrate fundamental and applied research. The concept of filière is used to analyze patterns of interaction in the case study industries and countries.