Abstract

A remarkable semiconductor industry has been created in Singapore, through highly focused public policy directed towards attracting multinational corporations and leveraging skills and technology from them to spark local industry development. This article assesses the effectiveness of this strategy-examining the viability and sustainability of the industry it created-as well as its replicability. If other countries such as China are to emulate Singapore's approach, they will have to develop an institutional framework with the capability to direct the processes of technology leverage and diffusion.