TIC, diffusion spatiale des connaissances et agglomération

Abstract

The decrease in information costs induced by the development of ICT would make innovative activities free of spatial constraint. However, based on both the recent theoretical approaches and the first empirical observations, this paper rejects the idea of the end of distance. The economic geography models, as well as the analyses of ICT impact on interpersonal relations, consider opposite forces that may generate either a spatial dispersion of economic activities or conversely a reinforcement of agglomerations. The empirical studies likely to evaluate these forces now essentially highlight the complementarity between ICT and face to face contacts, predicting the somewhat persistence of distance.