La théorie évolutionniste du changement économique de Nelson et Winter. Une analyse économique réprospective

The aim of this article is to underline the development of the Evolutionary Theory starting from the original book of Nelson and Winter [1982]. This book is inspired by the Shumpeterian and Simonian traditions even if these authors are abandoning some of their core hypothesises. Nelson and Winter provide a criticism of orthodox foundations notably via the conceptualisation of productive activity with the production set. They suggest a new research agenda inspired from biology called « organizational genetics ». This latter has launched a huge of sympathy and critics because the philogenetic and ontogenetic levels of selection of routines and technologies are both confused and contradictory, notably concerning the emergence and the creation of knowledge. The role of routines is also discussed here at a conceptual and qualitative level in order to reach a better understanding of key concepts such as skills, capabilities. Finally, this research agenda offers an important originality even if some problems remain with the endogenous process of selection and mutation. Classification JEL : D20, D21, D23, D24, D57, E23, L23, N00, O30, O14.