Electronics and Industrial Policy - Jacobsson, Staffan

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Résumé :
There is a rapidly expanding literature on the economics of the so? called 'new technologies' - especially on those using microelectronic systems. Dr. Jacobsson's book deals with microelectronics-based innovation in machine tools: with the production and use of computer numerically controlled machine tools in the world economy and especially in the Third World. Jacobsson is mainly interested in the implications which CNC machine tools may be expected to have for users and producers in the Newly Industrialising Countries. He approaches this as a problem in applied economics and the book will have a primary interest for those economists whose concern is with the problems of industrialisation in developing countries. It will be parti? cularly valuable to those who are preoccupied with the role of local capital goods manufacture and with the technological preconditions for this kind of production. Jacobsson is able to give detailed and specific arguments on these matters as far as CNC machine tools are concerned. In my view, the book has a considerably wider interest and relevance than its specification may at first sight suggest. Jacobsson's achieve? ment is not just that he has provided valuable and convincing quantita? tive arguments about policy in setting up production of CNC machine tools. In addition, he has set a new and much needed methodological standard for analysis of the impacts of 'new technologies' on the international economy.

Sommaire:
1 Introduction.- 2 The Technology and its Diffusion.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 CNC lathe technology.- 2.3 Choice of technique in turning.- 2.4 The factor-saving bias of CNC lathes.- 2.5 Conclusions.- 3 Growth and Market Structure in the International CNC Lathe Industry.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 A theoretical framework for analysing the industry.- 3.3 The Japanese expansion in the CNC lathe industry.- 3.4 The European response.- 3.5 A note on the US producers.- 3.6 Concluding remarks on the strategies pursued by firms based in the OECD.- Notes.- 4 Barriers to entry into the Overall Cost Leadership Strategy.- 4.1 Research and Development.- 4.2 Procurement of components.- 4.3 Manufacturing.- 4.4 Marketing and after-sales services.- 4.5 An attempt to specify the minimum efficient scale of production.- Notes.- 5 The position of the NICs within the CNC Lathe Industry.- 5.1 The position of eight NIC-based firms within the low-performance strategy.- Notes.- 6 The Case of Argentina.- 6.1 Growth and structure of the engineering industry.- 6.2 The Argentinian machine tool industry.- 6.3 Government policy.- 6.4 The diffusion of CNC lathes in Argentina.- 6.5 The firm producing CNC lathes.- 6.6 Summary and conclusions.- Notes.- 7 The Case of Taiwan.- 7.1 Growth and structure of the engineering industry.- 7.2 The Taiwanese machine tool industry.- 7.3 Government policy.- 7.4 The diffusion of CNC lathes in Taiwan.- 7.5 The firms producing CNC lathes.- 7.6 Government policy in the machine tool field.- 7.7 Evaluating the explicit governmental policy.- 7.8 Summary and conclusions.- Note.- 8 The Case of Korea.- 8.1 Growth and structure of the engineering industry.- 8.2 The Korean machine tool industry.- 8.3 Government policy.- 8.4 The Korean market for CNC lathes.- 8.5 The firms producing CNClathes.- 8.6 Evaluating governmental policy.- 8.7 Summary and conclusions.- Notes.- 9 Government Policy.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Survey of the main arguments.- 9.3 Government policy and industry performance in Argentina, Korea and Taiwan.- 9.4 Industry performance and implications for government policy in small developed countries.- 9.5 Conclusions.- Notes.- 10 Summary.- 10.1 The diffusion of CNC lathes.- 10.2 The international CNC lathe producing industry.- 10.3 The NIC experience.- 10.4 Government policies.- References.