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Abstract:
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It is by now an established fact, that the so-called high technology industries have experienced growth rates
way above average through most years. High technology industries share of the world manufacturers export
has risen from 12 per cent in 1970 to 25 per cent in 1995. More than one-third of Japan's manufacturing
export and more than 40 per cent of America's manufacturing export are products from high technology
industries, and this development has increasingly led to an international obsession with high technology
industries. In a number of countries R&D indicators have by now become the object of intense discussions.
Great efforts are devoted to improve a bad relative standing.
The aim of this paper is to questioned whether a national specialisation towards high technology industries
is the only way by which the mature, developed countries can hope to sustain and augment their economic
position. I claim that in contrast to much of the assumptions in contemporary politics and in the majority
of the contemporary academic literature on the subject the countries without a specialisation in high
technology industries are not left in the backwaters of economic development. Quite the contrary seems
to be the case as many advanced, high-cost countries experience an above average economic performance
even when specialising in the bottom end of the low-tech industries.
The argument is illustrated with empirical material from the wooden furniture industry in general - and the
rather successful Danish wooden furniture industry in particular. The possible reasons behind this apparent
paradox are discussed. |
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