France, like other countries, seeks to promote its scientific excellence and to increase the competitiveness of its small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by taking full advantage of innovation to sustain economic growth and employment. In France as in other countries, there is no specific policy to support innovation in SMEs but both science and industrial research policies, especially for small businesses, and innovation policies, in which can be identified specific measures to promote technological development and innovation in SMEs. This study focuses on "how", in France, such public policies are defined and organized through different periods and it questions the effectiveness and impact of public interventions aimed at developing French SMEs’ innovation capacity. The study is divided in three parts, following a historical chronology corresponding to major stages of political evolution from the years 1960-1970 till now. These three analytical parts are enriched by a case analysis of the French National Agency for Valorisation of the Research (Anvar). At the end of this study, we suggest that France is now entering a critical phase in which structural reforms have to be undertaken in order to ensure French SMEs’ innovation and competitiveness.
