The Silicon Dragon

Book excerpt: The Silicon Dragon is a systematic study of the growth of high-tech giants in the Greater China Region, depicting the success story of the microelectronics industry in Taiwan. Literature and studies on Taiwan s success are surprisingly limited, and this book aims to fill this gap, addressing questions such as: How has Taiwan achieved such an outstanding performance in the information industry? How did Taiwan obtain and maintain its competitive advantage? What was the secret of success? What role did the government and manufacturers play during the development process? What insights can newcomers gain from these achievements? The book examines the government policies that acted as catalysts to the growth of high-tech industries in Taiwan, along with the roles of high-tech incubators and government-administered science parks. The authors provide case studies of high profile companies including Acer, Philips Semiconductors and Macronix International, and interviews with key decision makers to highlight the corporate strategies adopted in response to government policies and global commercial demand. Finally, insightful narratives on the birth and growth of a government-fostered strategic industry are provided, as is a synopsis of the Asian contribution to the evolution of the global microelectronics development. This book will strongly appeal to academics, researchers and students with an interest in engineering, technology and business management. Business managers and government officials will also find much to interest them in this book.