Apprentissage inter-organisationnel au sein des réseaux interindividuels : le cas de la conversion de viticulteurs à l'agriculture biologique

This PhD dissertation combines the approaches of economic sociology and sociology of knowledge in order to analyze the social mechanisms underlying the conversion into organic farming. Based on an empirical study and analysis of a complete social network describing the interdependencies among over 60 wine producers certified in organic farming or in the process of getting the official certification in French Côte de Beaune, this research analyzes the collective learning process on which this transition relies. The thesis proves the existence of two types of learning process, which are defined by the social borders of reference groups (or social niches); it analyzes the key role of pioneers of the social milieu in both learning processes and studies the regularities structuring social exchanges. These regularities allow us to confirm that wine producers take into account in their reasoning both the identity aspect related to their conversion to organic farming and their economic position, in a trend towards “coopetition”.