A Systemic Advantage: Should Taiwan Keep Strengthening Semiconductors or Diversify Its Risks?

A genuinely powerful advantage requires “talent plus years of sustained deliberate practice.” Once that advantage forms, a person has already pulled far ahead of ordinary people in that area. If someone repeatedly demonstrates outstanding ability in a particular kind of work, have no doubt: they have built a substantial systemic advantage. #ChangqiYouNaixin ---- Robin: “As an aside, Taiwan already has a substantial systemic advantage in semiconductor wafers and has pulled considerably ahead of other countries. At this point, should we keep investing resources to strengthen that advantage, or decide that the concentration is too high and diversify? “My personal view is that the greatest and most important resource on this island of 23 million people remains high-quality talent. But with only 130,000 babies born each year now, even sending all of them into semiconductors and electronics in twenty years might not be enough. Will there be enough high-quality talent left for other industries? I have long had my doubts. “Overconcentration in one industry also carries considerable risk. Still, we must identify Taiwan’s core advantages and strengths and develop them, rather than scatter our efforts and try to have everything.”