Revisiting sematech: Profiling public- and private-sector cooperation

Abstract

This article utilizes documentary and primary-source research to examine the change in the role of SEMATECH (SEmiconductor MAnufacturing TECHnology) in supporting the competitiveness of the U.S. semiconductor industry between the late 1980s and late 1990s. This change has broad implications for future relations between SEMATECH and the semiconductor industry as a whole and the government and university research systems. Some of these implications are explored by detailing recent strategic developments at SEMATECH and the emergence of other semiconductor research efforts involving government, university, and industry collaboration. An analysis is conducted to link the requirements for sustaining the current global competitive position of the U.S. semiconductor industry, the new strategic role of SEMATECH within the industry, and the expectations for existing and future government-university-industry partnerships focused on semiconductor technology research and development. This analysis is then extended to explore the implications for government-university-industry partnerships in supporting U.S. global competitiveness in other high-technology industries that share particular salient characteristics with the semiconductor industry. © Taylor & Francis.