A stage approach for industrial technology development and implementation—the case of Taiwan’s computer industry

The objective of this paper is to study how government-supported R&D institutes cooperate with the industrial sector to assist industrial technology development in developing countries. By investigating the case of the computer industry in Taiwan, the authors suggest a stage approach for industrial technology development. This approach emphasizes the implementation of technology, that is, R&D institutes should help industry to truly absorb and apply technology to improve their products or services to upgrade their overall industrial competitiveness. For developing countries, the key problems of industrial technology development are not only gaining technology but also implementing that technology in their own industrial context. This paper suggests that R&D institutes should closely coordinate with industry during the R&D procedures to make different technology implementation strategies at different developmental stages. The approach is based on three stages which respectively represent industrial technology capabilities at weak, medium or strong levels. Five strategies are discussed. To link the implementation strategies and the R&D procedures there are three critical factors to consider: commercialization capability; market timing; and industrial technology requirements. This approach shows how R&D institutes can effectively help industrial technology to develop step-by-step, thus upgrading technological capability and fostering overall industrial growth.  1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.