Competitive strategies of Asian high-tech firms: The challenge of late-industrialisation

The strategic behaviour and performance of Asian high-tech firms are discussed. The East Asian Newly Industrialized Economies (NIE) can develop distinctive global competitive advantages by pursuing a competitive strategy that focuses on developing their low-cost manufacturing process capabilities. The extent of external collaborations, the choice of partners, and the form of relationships all have significant bearing on ability of the firms to compete, as well as to acquire technological capability through learning from the external partners. It is expected that the firms from latecomer economies can innovate new business model as a means to compete better with the incumbent leaders from advanced economies.