Technology Policy and A-Synchronic Technologies : The Case of German High-Speed Trains
Résumé
Public support for research and development (R&D) can be oriented towards various objectives : at early stages of the innovation process, exploration of technological opportunities is sought. Indeed, short run, profit oriented research strategies might lead to too early a focus and to lock-in to an inferior solution (Cowan 1991). At later stages, public support often seeks to foster the adoption of the new technology. There are situations where private incentives lead to under-adoption of the new technology (Farrell and Saloner 1986). Even though these objectives may be distinct, they can overlap, for instance when several technologies are supported simultaneously. The purpose of this chapter is to shed some light on the difficulties that could be encountered in such situations.
