ABSTRACT
High technology sectors can be identified by means of the two indicators previously used, i.e. the degree of technical skill in production labour and the size of research and development, the latter indicator being based on data concerning the number of persons employed or the spending involved. The spread of the high technology industry to Brittany thus went along with the transfer of technically skilled labour but the technical disparity with the Paris region was still very high in 1975 when decentralisation was coming to an end. Aeronautics is a high technology industry where France is a world leader. It is a downside sector involving many new technological activities such as electronic components, computer-aided design and manufacture as well as new materials. The aeronautics industry is made up of some 150 firms, 25 working in air-frames and engines and 125 small and average-sized firms working in fittings.
