Creating Regional Wealth in the Innovation Economy: Models, Perspectives, and Best Practices

Chapter 14. Taiwan's Financial Capitalization: The Chinese Networking Culture Extends to China and Beyond

Taiwan's Miracle

With a land area one-tenth of that of California, Taiwan manufactures:

• 80% of the world's PC motherboards

• 80% of the world's graphics chips

• 70% of the world's notebooks

• 65% of the world's microchips

• 91% of the world's scanners

Not too bad for an island with a population of mere 22 million. Yet, if asked to name any brands originating from Taiwan, most people would not be able to name too many. This is because most of the Taiwanese companies are OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). These companies most likely manufacture notebook computers from IC (integrated circuit), PCB (printed circuit board), or power supplies and casings, ...