La dynamique entrepreneuriale du (des) territoire(s) français : entre firmes entrepreneuriales et entrepreneuriat lié à l'économie résidentielle

The entrepreneurship dynamics of the French territory (ies): between entrepreneurial firms and entrepreneurship linked to the residential economy The decision to become an entrepreneur is mainly a decision of allocation of one's human capital considering the comparison between an entrepreneurship opportunity cost with a reward (financial, symbolic – social status – or indeed psychological) prospect. Taking into account the microeconomic decision to become an entrepreneur makes it possible to approach entrepreneurship in terms of occupational choice. From a labour market perspective. the decision to set up a new firm can be viewed as a self-employment choice, i.e. an alternative to a salaried or an unemployed position. GEM1 The decision to start up or to take over an enterprise is also induced by an environment which is more or less favourable to entrepreneurship. At a regional level, the development of touristic regions induces entrepreneurship: the southern regions of France, attractive now for 30 years display a strong entrepreneurial propensity. New firm formation is also linked with a high level of education. New products associated with creativity are mostly found in urban areas and technologically developed regions (Île-de-France, Rhône-Alpes). studies distinguish between the "necessity motive" and the "opportunity motive" which is a priori more favourable. In the French case, opportunity motives are partly at a disadvantage. The intraregional development in the case of the Basse-Normandie region shows that the coastal touristic territories follow a specific development where entrepreneurship is important. The specific historical territorial organizations of the industrial districts' type do not display a strong influence and a process of ‘desertification' affects the rural areas the furthest away from the major urban centres (south of the Manche Department and west of the Orne Department). In those territories, entrepreneurship is very low.