Technology Transfer and Competition
The Mobile Handset Industry in Post-WTO China
Contenu
Is technology transfer by foreign investors merely acquiescence to Chinese ambitions in exchange for short term market access? Will helping potential Chinese rivals hasten the transferor's own demise? Will foreign investors cease transferring technology to Chinese firms once they are relieved of these obligations by China's implementing TRIPs (Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property) and TRIMs (Agreement on Trade Related Investment Measures) in the post-WTO era?
Carmencita Cheung examines these questions by introducing an integrative analytical framework built on the economics of multinational firms, industry analysis and state-firm relationships. The results of the author's interviews with the senior management of some of the world's top handset producers show that, in addition to changes brought about by China's WTO accession, the concurrence of industry evolution and generational migration plays a key role in shaping technology transfer decisions. The findings also shed light on China's technology policy and its concerted efforts to set technical standards in the global information and communication technology industry.
Carmencita Cheung examines these questions by introducing an integrative analytical framework built on the economics of multinational firms, industry analysis and state-firm relationships. The results of the author's interviews with the senior management of some of the world's top handset producers show that, in addition to changes brought about by China's WTO accession, the concurrence of industry evolution and generational migration plays a key role in shaping technology transfer decisions. The findings also shed light on China's technology policy and its concerted efforts to set technical standards in the global information and communication technology industry.