Developing Mechanisms to Boost Competitiveness (Example of France)

Introduction. The article discusses the logic, dynamics, and interim outcomes of a major science reforming initiative in France, which is establishing competitiveness poles from 2004 to the present. The re­search goal is to assess the efficiency of competitiveness poles in en­hancing the competitiveness of France and to identify the key factors influencing their success. The research objectives include gathering, organising, and analysing data regarding the specifics of the competitiveness poles, their economic logic, legal aspects, evolution, and key outcomes. The research problem involves an objective assessment of how competitiveness poles enhance the French economy's com­petitiveness. The innovation of the author's approach also lies in con­sistent examination of the key phases in the competitiveness poles' evolution in the context of the changing priorities of the science and technology, innovation, industrial, and regional policies. The article analyses the primary goals and objectives of setting up competitive­ness poles in the context of the science and technology, innovation, industrial, and regional policies. The key organisational and economic mechanisms for fostering efficient collaboration between the public science sector, commercial enterprises, and local authorities are ex­plored. Methods. This article is based on the authors' extensive experi­ence in monitoring and analysing the science reform in France in terms of setting up competitiveness poles, including gathering, organising, and analysing information from various sources, such as regulatory documents, press releases and other materials from the French Min­istry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, and academic publications and analytical reports by French authors. The sources and their content have been analysed using predominantly non-formalised (traditional, qualitative) methods. Results and Discus­sion. The article identifies five stages of the science reform related to setting up and developing competitiveness poles, analysing the evolu­tion of the goals, objectives, and specific implementation mechanisms of the reform while maintaining overall continuity in the approaches. Conclusion. The study concludes that competitiveness poles are high­ly efficient as a comprehensive tool for aligning the goals and objec­tives of the science and technology, innovation, industrial, and region­al policies. The authors point out several characteristics of this tool that contribute to its high efficiency: harmonizing the interests of the state, regions, and the poles through tripartite agreements; blending complementary direct and indirect state support measures, including subsidies and tax incentives; maintaining flexibility in details while pre­serving continuity.