L'économie métropolitaine au-delà de la spécialisation sectorielle. Essai d'identification des économies d'agglomération de la région Ile-de-France à partir de l'étude de la structure urbaine

This paper puts forward a general methodology to analyze the metropolitan economy. It is inspired by A.J. SCOTT?s works. It is based on the description of the inner urban structures of metropoles. Thus, the inner urban structure analysis is a means of describing the metropolitan economy. From AJ. SCOTT?s point of view, the economic dynamics of the late 80?s (increasing social division of labour within industry) must have produced a kind of inner urban structure which is like a mosaic, whose elementary parts are specialized in a specific industry. This methodology is used to study the Ile-de-France economy. Lack of differenciation and industrial diversity are the main trends, rather than industrial specialization. This can be interpreted in two different ways. The first concludes that the current industry nomenclature is not able to catch the industrial groups animating the Ile-de-France economy. A second interpretation postulates that the avantage of the metropole is based on industrial diversity. Classification JEL : L00, R10, R14, R30, C42.