Les déterminants des stratégies réactives des sous-traitants de la défense

This paper analyzes the reactive strategies set up by the sub-contracting SMEs of defense in three European regions during the 1990's. The first part of the paper explains why these subcontractors had to take the way of a reactive strategy and clarifies the characteristics of the four strategies they developed. These strategies are spread from a radical exit of defense to a voluntary commitment, via two intermediate types : the compensation and the dualisation. The second part of the paper explains the reasons of these choices. Three variables and two levels held attention. The three variables are: the SMEs managers' representations about the markets trend, the internal competencies of SMEs and the constraints of financing. The two levels relate to the intrafirm and the external relations. We argue that the subcontractors have a certain degree of freedom concerning the internal interpretation of the three variables, but the external context contributes to inflect the decision-making process of SMEs, and thus contributes to forge the strategic choice carried out.