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Hub Firms and the Dynamics of Territorial Innovation: Case Studies of Thales and Liebherr in Toulouse

Author

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  • Jean Pierre Gilly
  • Damien Talbot

    (CleRMa - Clermont Recherche Management - ESC Clermont-Ferrand - École Supérieure de Commerce (ESC) - Clermont-Ferrand - UCA [2017-2020] - Université Clermont Auvergne [2017-2020])

  • Jean-Marc Zuliani

    (LISST - Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Solidarités, Sociétés, Territoires - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - UT2J - Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès - UT - Université de Toulouse - ENSFEA - École Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole de Toulouse-Auzeville - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INP - PURPAN - Ecole d'Ingénieurs de Purpan - Toulouse INP - Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) - UT - Université de Toulouse)

Abstract

The principal objective of this article is to offer an approach to the notion of hub firms using concepts from the Economy of Proximity. It shows that the specificity of the hub firm lies in its ability to combine technical and relational skills, allowing early involvement with, for example, an aircraft manufacturer in order to take part in the definition and the production of systems or sub-assemblies. A particular characteristic of the hub firm is the way it develops linked organisational and geographical proximities which this article analyses in detail. In particular, such firms demonstrate the capacity to establish different types of organisational proximity according to whether they are coordinating with the architect-integrator or with subcontractors , proximities sometimes reinforced by a temporary geographical proximity. When hub firms coordinate with industrial or scientific partners which help them conceive and master particular sets of skills, they often forge links based on geographical proximity in order to develop the innovations necessary for the acquisition and master of these in-house skills. These theoretical arguments are then tested in the cases of the hub firms Thales Aerospace and Liebherr Aerospace in the Toulouse aeronautical complex.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean Pierre Gilly & Damien Talbot & Jean-Marc Zuliani, 2011. "Hub Firms and the Dynamics of Territorial Innovation: Case Studies of Thales and Liebherr in Toulouse," Post-Print hal-02353385, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02353385
    DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2011.632904
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-02353385
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    1. Gilly, Jean-Pierre & Kechidi, Med & Talbot, Damien, 2014. "Resilience of organisations and territories: The role of pivot firms," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 596-602.
    2. Med Kechidi, 2019. "From A300 to A350: technical and organisational innovation trajectory of Airbus," Post-Print hal-02025656, HAL.
    3. Ouellet, F. & Mundler, P. & Dupras, J. & Ruiz, J., 2020. "“Community developed and farmer delivered.” An analysis of the spatial and relational proximities of the Alternative Land Use Services program in Ontario," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    4. Lucena-Piquero, D. & Vicente, Jérôme, 2019. "The visible hand of cluster policy makers: An analysis of Aerospace Valley (2006-2015) using a place-based network methodology," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 830-842.
    5. Rachel Levy & Damien Talbot, 2015. "Control by proximity: Evidence from the 'Aerospace Valley' Competitiveness Cluster," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(6), pages 955-972, June.
    6. Mathieu Bécue & Jean Belin & Damien Talbot, 2014. "Relational rent and underperformance of hub firms in the aeronautics value chain," Post-Print halshs-02337588, HAL.
    7. André Torre & Frederic Wallet Wallet, 2013. "The role of proximity relations in regional and territorial development processes," ERSA conference papers ersa13p792, European Regional Science Association.

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