A prognosis of the intercontinental LSI battle

This report, based to some extent on a major semiconductor study on behalf of a number of European governments, will cover the historical development of the IC industries in the US, Japan and Europe, citing the strategic, economic, technological and demographic factors which have given rise to the different pace and direction in these areas. Emphasis will be on the reasons for the current domination of the US IC producers in the world markets, the recent resurgence of a significant Japanese semiconductor capability, and the continuing relative weakness of most of the European manufacturers of leading-edge ICs.