Title: Hollowing-out or international division of labour? Perspective from the consumer electronics industry and Singapore

Authors: H.K. Tang

Addresses: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore

Abstract: A study was conducted to ascertain whether technology transfer from more developed to less developed countries by multinational companies necessarily constitutes the hollowing-out of technological capability in the home countries. The consumer electronics industry as seen from the perspective of Singapore is reviewed, and ten projects of new product development from seven multinational companies with subsidiaries located in Singapore are analyzed for their job content and division of labour. The study shows that Singapore is now a hub for technology transfer activities in Asia. It also shows that there is a division of labour amongst an increasing number of countries rather than a hollowing-out of technological capability in Singapore or the home countries of the multinational companies.

Keywords: multinational management; technological capabilities; technology transfer; international product development; manufacturing strategy; consumer electronics industry; Singapore; South-East Asia; technology management; multinational corporations; MNCs; new product development; NPD.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1996.025492

International Journal of Technology Management, 1996 Vol.12 No.2, pp.231 - 241

Published online: 22 May 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article