Social construction of industrial advantage

Abstract

This study presents a socially constructed account of industrial advantage as applied empirically to Taiwan's personal computer platform, rigid disk drive and packaged software industries. Our argument is divided into three parts. First, stressing the differentiation and conflict of a society suggests that national institutional structures are not necessarily co-extensive or convergent. Second, at the national level, institutional structures are not supportive in every industry. Third, countries tend to succeed in industries where their economic actors can optimally apply their national institutions to the global industry.