From ‘Evolutionary Turn’ to ‘Territorial Resources’: The New Trajectories of Innovation in Provence, France

Abstract

This article provides a comparative insight of two theoretical frameworks: the ‘Evolutionary Turn’ of Evolutionary Economic Geography (EEG) developed notably by Ron Boschma, Ron Martin and Peter Sunley, and the new works of the GREMI¹ group, developed notably by Roberto Camagni, Denis Maillat and Andrée Matteaccioli. EEG assets that the economic landscape is influenced by ‘path dependence’ and witnesses a strong capacity of evolution and adaptation. The GREMI, on the other hand, has recently been focusing on natural and cultural resources that are able to generate new forms of local development in the long term. These ‘territorial resources’ are exploited by an innovative ‘milieu’ that plays a key role in coordinating this process. By studying the competitive cluster of perfumes, aromas, flavors and fragrances in Provence (France) that develops a relatively new industry built on historical and territorial specificities of place and landscape, we will argue that these two approaches are complementary. After highlighting the main contributions of both theories, we will then present the historical framework of old industries like soap of Marseilles. Next, we will focus on the ideological turn that occurred in the 1970s with the emergent notion of authenticity and the capacity of the local milieu to convert latent resources into active resources. The concluding section will emphasize the role played by regional actors in setting these new trajectories in motion, without underestimating the persistent or new deadlocks, and it will also draw lessons and perspectives from this research.