In 1973, the legendary head of National Semiconductor, Charlie Sporck RIP, told analysts in Los Angeles that the Japanese were "coming down the pike". He was not wrong. In the nine years from 1975 to 1984, Japan doubled their share of the integrated circuit industry from 19% to 38%. Famously, by 1986, just three of eleven American DRAM memory makers were left still in business. But more than just numbers, Japan's rise struck fear in the very heart of American capitalism. It led the country to deeply reflect on how they conducted their own way of business. Looking back at it now, the hysteria is hard to believe. Were the Japanese really that good at semiconductors? No, but I can see why people thought so. In this video, we explore the question: Why was Japan so "good" at semiconductors?
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