Interactions between the Digital Sector and Territorial Dynamics : A Spatio-Temporal Analysis Conducted in France Over the Period 1989–2019

The digital sector, or the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, is a very important area of the contemporary economy. As a high-tech sector, it is the basis for the development of many economic activities and is central to the sovereignty of a territory. It streamlines the production of goods and services, supporting the creation, transformation, and transmission of information in digital form. The objective of this study is to present an inventory of the digital sector in metropolitan France at the department level over the period 1989–2019. Multidimensional data analysis methods are used to propose temporal and spatial typologies. We study the evolution of this sector and the development of its technologies from the 1990s to today, addressing two important crises for the sector. We also analyze how activities are distributed across the territory and how they interact with the ICT sector’s main characteristics. We will then formulate concrete recommendations to orient industrial policies at European or national level, as well as the behavior of entrepreneurs and consumers