La flexibilité technologique un survol de la littérature

This paper surveys the most important economic contributions on technological flexibility. It focus mainly on two dimensions of flexibility: the possibility for flexible firms to adapt their production rate to demand fluctuations and the capacity to change the product design quickly. In the first type of flexibility, the firms faces a tradeoff between the possibilities of adaptation of flexible technologies and the strategic commitment of inflexible technologies. The flexibility of design allows the firms to expand their product lines. This expansion increases the competition between firms. But it increases also the possibilities for firms to deter entry of rivals and increases the concentration of firms.