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  • July 2008 (Revised April 2009)
  • Background Note
  • HBS Case Collection

Horizontal Specialization and Modularity in the Semiconductor Industry

By: Willy C. Shih, Chintay Shih and Chen-Fu Chien
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:9
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Abstract

Well-codified interfaces have enabled horizontal specialization in the global semiconductor industry. This Technical Note describes the modern integrated circuit value chain, and the motivation for the reuse of blocks of intellectual property in modern IC designs. It briefly examines ARM Limited as an example of an IP specialist supplier, and looks at the evolution to complete Systems-on-Chip and Systems-in-Packages so that students may examine the evolution of industry structure in the accompanying case System-on-a-Chip 2008: Global Unichip Corporation.

Keywords

Customer Value and Value Chain; Intellectual Property; Industry Structures; Horizontal Integration; Semiconductor Industry

Citation

Shih, Willy C., Chintay Shih, and Chen-Fu Chien. "Horizontal Specialization and Modularity in the Semiconductor Industry." Harvard Business School Background Note 609-001, July 2008. (Revised April 2009.)
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About The Author

Willy C. Shih

Technology and Operations Management
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Related Work

    • July 2008 (Revised April 2009)
    • Faculty Research

    Horizontal Specialization and Modularity in the Semiconductor Industry

    By: Willy C. Shih, Chintay Shih and Chen-Fu Chien
Related Work
  • Horizontal Specialization and Modularity in the Semiconductor Industry By: Willy C. Shih, Chintay Shih and Chen-Fu Chien
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