IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/millen/v6y2015i2p147-175.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Limited Catch-up in China’s Semiconductor Industry: A Sectoral Innovation System Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Sungho Rho
  • Keun Lee
  • Seong Hee Kim

Abstract

This article analyzes China’s semiconductor industry from the SSI perspective to find that in terms of catch-up in market shares and technology, China is showing only a limited success. The article explains the reasons for limited catch-up first in terms of the characteristics of the technology/knowledge regime of the industry where innovations are frequent and technologies are highly cumulative, which put a latecomer in a disadvantageous position. Furthermore, market for standard integrated circuit chips are not segmented but highly integrated, which implies no (low-end market) room for the latecomers. Therefore, it is more difficult for the latecomer firms to seize the market opportunity through marketing. The situation is getting worse with a continued increase of the required investment and shortened life cycles. Furthermore, the existing practice of Western countries restricting transfer of core technologies to communist countries like China has been aggravating the difficulties for China. In contrast to memory chips, the nature of ASIC chips are somewhat different, with relative longer cycle of technologies, and more divisions within markets specific to the needs of client firms. For this reason, some mainland Chinese firms, like SMIC and Huahong-NEC, are shown to gradually reduce the share of memory business and have been shifting towards the more ASIC-oriented foundry business. Although China’s semiconductor industry has faced many obstacles in their search for catch-up, some promising signs are emerging. First, continuing explosion of China market and its increasing importance after the global crisis will be acting as a factor to push for loosening restrictions of technology transfers to China. Second, China can expect an increasing flow of human capital equipped with up-to-date technology in this field by working with foreign firms and by educating and training its human capital in foreign countries. As these factors are combined with consolidation of domestic innovation system, such as, R&D capabilities of domestic firms, research organization and universities, China’s position is expected to rise and technology catch-up will become visible.

Suggested Citation

  • Sungho Rho & Keun Lee & Seong Hee Kim, 2015. "Limited Catch-up in China’s Semiconductor Industry: A Sectoral Innovation System Perspective," Millennial Asia, , vol. 6(2), pages 147-175, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:millen:v:6:y:2015:i:2:p:147-175
    DOI: 10.1177/0976399615590514
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0976399615590514
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0976399615590514?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Malerba, Franco, 2002. "Sectoral systems of innovation and production," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 247-264, February.
    2. Lee, Keun & Lim, Chaisung, 2001. "Technological regimes, catching-up and leapfrogging: findings from the Korean industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 459-483, March.
    3. Kyoo-Ho Park & Keun Lee, 2006. "Linking the technological regime to the technological catch-up: analyzing Korea and Taiwan using the US patent data," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 15(4), pages 715-753, August.
    4. Lin, Justin Yifu, 2003. "Development Strategy, Viability, and Economic Convergence," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(2), pages 276-308, January.
    5. Lall, Sanjaya, 1992. "Technological capabilities and industrialization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 165-186, February.
    6. Shulin Gu & Bengt-Åke Lundvall, 2006. "China's Innovation System and the Move Toward Harmonious Growth and Endogenous Innovation," DRUID Working Papers 06-07, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies.
    7. Lee,Keun, 2013. "Schumpeterian Analysis of Economic Catch-up," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107042681, January.
    8. Mu, Qing & Lee, Keun, 2005. "Knowledge diffusion, market segmentation and technological catch-up: The case of the telecommunication industry in China," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 759-783, August.
    9. Giovanni Dosi & Christopher Freeman & Richard Nelson & Gerarld Silverberg & Luc Soete (ed.), 1988. "Technical Change and Economic Theory," LEM Book Series, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy, number dosietal-1988, November.
    10. Chang-Wook Kim & Keun Lee, 2003. "Innovation, technological regimes and organizational selection in industry evolution: a 'history friendly model' of the DRAM industry," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 12(6), pages 1195-1221, December.
    11. Dong-Sung Cho & Dong-Jae Kim & Dong Kee Rhee, 1998. "Latecomer Strategies: Evidence from the Semiconductor Industry in Japan and Korea," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(4), pages 489-505, August.
    12. Furong Jin & Keun Lee & Yee‐Kyoung Kim, 2008. "Changing Engines of Growth in China: From Exports, FDI and Marketization to Innovation and Exports," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 16(2), pages 31-49, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Grimes, Seamus & Du, Debin, 2022. "China's emerging role in the global semiconductor value chain," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2).
    2. Zhongji Yang & Liangqun Qi & Xin Li & Tianxi Wang, 2022. "How Does Successful Catch-Up Occur in Complex Products and Systems from the Innovation Ecosystem Perspective? A Case of China’s High-Speed Railway," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.
    3. Mohammad Esmailzadeh & Siamak Noori & Alireza Aliahmadi & Hamidreza Nouralizadeh & Marcel Bogers, 2020. "A Functional Analysis of Technological Innovation Systems in Developing Countries: An Evaluation of Iran’s Photovoltaic Innovation System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Minaee, Mohammadreza & Elahi, Shaban & Majidpour, Mehdi & Manteghi, Manoochehr, 2021. "Lessons learned from an unsuccessful “catching-up” in the automobile industry of Iran," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Li, Daitian & Capone, Gianluca & Malerba, Franco, 2019. "The long march to catch-up: A history-friendly model of China’s mobile communications industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 649-664.
    2. Petralia, Sergio & Balland, Pierre-Alexandre & Morrison, Andrea, 2017. "Climbing the ladder of technological development," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5), pages 956-969.
    3. Yuzhe Miao & Jaeyong Song & Keun Lee & Chuyue Jin, 2018. "Technological catch-up by east Asian firms: Trends, issues, and future research agenda," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 639-669, September.
    4. Lei Guo & Marina Yue Zhang & Mark Dodgson & David Gann & Hong Cai, 2019. "Seizing windows of opportunity by using technology-building and market-seeking strategies in tandem: Huawei’s sustained catch-up in the global market," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 849-879, September.
    5. Lee, Keun & Malerba, Franco, 2017. "Catch-up cycles and changes in industrial leadership:Windows of opportunity and responses of firms and countries in the evolution of sectoral systems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 338-351.
    6. Giorgio Prodi & Francesco Nicolli & Federico Frattini, 2020. "Embeddedness and local patterns of innovation: evidence from Chinese prefectural cities," Economic Complexity and Evolution, in: Andreas Pyka & Keun Lee (ed.), Innovation, Catch-up and Sustainable Development, pages 283-307, Springer.
    7. Joo, SH & Oh, C & Lee, Keun, 2016. "Catch-up Strategy of an Emerging Firm in an Emerging Country: Analyzing the Case of Huawei vs. Ericsson with Patent Data," MPRA Paper 109958, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Ajay Thutupalli & Michiko Iizuka, 2016. "Catching-up in agricultural innovation: the case of Bacillus thuringiensis cotton in India," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 25(6), pages 923-940.
    9. Souzanchi Kashani, Ebrahim & Roshani, Saeed, 2019. "Evolution of innovation system literature: Intellectual bases and emerging trends," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 68-80.
    10. Ramani, Shyama V. & Urias, Eduardo, 2018. "When access to drugs meets catch-up: Insights from the use of CL threats to improve access to ARV drugs in Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1538-1552.
    11. Muscio, Alessandro & Nardone, Gianluca & Stasi, Antonio, 2012. "Perceived Technological Regimes: An Empirical Analysis of the Apulian Wine Industry," 2012 International European Forum, February 13-17, 2012, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 144969, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    12. Keun Lee and John Mathews, 2013. "Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development," CDP Background Papers 016, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    13. Prud’homme, Dan, 2016. "Dynamics of China’s provincial-level specialization in strategic emerging industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(8), pages 1586-1603.
    14. Lim, Chaisung & Kim, Y & Lee, Keun, 2015. "Changes in Industrial Leadership and Catch-Up by Latecomers in Shipbuilding Industry," MPRA Paper 109957, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Chen, Shin-Horng & Wen, Pei-Chang, 2016. "Post Catch-up with Market Cultivation and Product Servicizing: Case of Taiwan's Transportation Equipment Industries," AGI Working Paper Series 2016-16, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    16. Giachetti, Claudio & Marchi, Gianluca, 2017. "Successive changes in leadership in the worldwide mobile phone industry: The role of windows of opportunity and firms’ competitive action," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 352-364.
    17. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Cohen, Marcela, 2019. "Explaining early entry into path-creation technological catch-up in the forestry and pulp industry: Evidence from Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(7), pages 1694-1713.
    18. Carlsson , Bo, 2016. "Industrial Dynamics: A Review of the Literature 1990-2009," Papers in Innovation Studies 2016/3, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    19. Lu Xu & Jie Xiong & Jie Yan & Richard Soparnot & Zhe Yuan, 2023. "Technological Uncertainty and Catch-Up Patterns: Insights of Four Chinese Manufacturing Sectors," Post-Print hal-04011634, HAL.
    20. Vertesy, D., 2014. "Successive leadership changes in the regional jet industry," MERIT Working Papers 2014-046, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:millen:v:6:y:2015:i:2:p:147-175. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.