Technological innovation in the semiconductor industry: A case study of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS)

Abstract

This paper summarizes a dissertation that explores the Semiconductor Industry Association's (SIA) Technology Roadmap, now referred to as the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS). It is a study of its origin, evolution, and future role in influencing industry strategies and public policies. The overall thesis is that the Roadmap is one important element of a broader industrial arrangement that has evolved from the convergence of technological, economic, institutional, and cultural factors, all hinged on the goal of sustaining historical industrial productivity-also referred to as "Moore's Law".