IPR and Catch-Up: The Case of Taiwan's IC Industry
Journal
Intellectual Property Rights, Development, and Catch-Up: An International Comparative Study
Date Issued
2010
Author(s)
Abstract
Abstract This chapter illustrates how the changing roles of intellectual property right regime affected the technological catch‐up of Taiwan, analyzing the case of three semiconductor‐related sectors: IC foundry, DRAM, and IC Design. The study shows that Taiwanese semiconductor firms operated within a framework of institutions, comprised of government agencies including research institutions, inter‐firm linkages, and institutional infrastructure including the IPR regime. Based on a case study of the semiconductor industry, it is argued that, when an industry is far from the technological frontier, weak IPR protection fosters technological development by inducing the path‐following catch‐up, whereas when the industry approaches or already has reached the technological frontier, technological development depends more on spillovers facilitated by global networks of firms rather than on coordination of investment. Consequently, the IPR regime needs to be strengthened and international harmonization becomes necessary.
SDGs
Type
book part