技術追趕與智財權制度之研究-以台灣IC產業為例

Abstract

本研究探討智慧財產權制度演進對技術追趕之影響，藉由台灣半導體產業中積體電路製造、動態隨機存取記憶體製造與積體電路設計等個案技術追趕過程，呈現智慧財產權制度於各時期演進對促進技術進步發展之貢獻。 針對智慧財產權制度促進技術進步之作用的論述，通常論定其造成如非正向作用即為負向作用的推論結果，本研究不同於非正即負只能二擇一的觀點，提出有別於既有文獻之新觀點，即智慧財產權制度促進技術進步的作用並非以單一和過度簡化的結論可以論定。 本研究由台灣半導體產業中三個產業個案研究應證，當產業技術仍落後先進者技術發展前緣距離甚遠時，寬鬆的智財權保護環境將可促使以跟隨先進者發展路徑的方式進行技術追趕，促進技術發展進步；然而當產業技術發展至接近先進者技術發展前緣或已經位於技術前緣時，必須調整智財環境趨向嚴謹並與國際智財環境趨於整合，以利技術發展進步。

This thesis concerns with the institutional influences of IPR regime on technological catching up, and attempts to examine the catch-up process of IC foundry, DRAM and IC design sectors of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry so as to highlight the contribution of IPR regime over time to technological development in each specific sector. The debate on the role of IPR regime is often cast as a choice between its positive and negative social consequences. Rather than taking an “either-or” view in the debate, the thesis proposes that there is no unique and simplistic solution to this argument. Three industry cases in Taiwan are used to show that, when an industry is far from the technological frontier, weak IPR protection can foster technological development by inducing the path-following catching up. But as an industry approaches or already stands at the technological frontier, the changes of IPR regime toward strictness and international harmonization become necessary.