Rebirth Tokyo 1986

Chapter 122 Path Dependency
"Clap clap clap!"

Masato Takeshita's passionate speech won him a lot of applause.

Especially the group of students who joined the company today had their eyes shining, thinking that what their president said made so much sense.

Different from the enthusiasm of the newcomers, veterans in the chip industry such as Fujio Masuoka had very perfunctory expressions. They did not believe that wafer foundry could succeed at all.

"Alas, it's really hard to convince others with just words."

Humans are creatures with very serious path dependence. Once fixed cognition is formed in their minds, it is difficult to change it.

Not to mention Masato Takeshita, a newcomer in the semiconductor industry, even Zhang Zhongmou, who has worked in the semiconductor industry for decades and held the highest position as vice president of Texas Instruments and president of General Instruments.

Also, because of its desire to engage in wafer foundry business, it was ridiculed by peers around the world.

Intel and Texas Instruments in the United States, NEC and Toshiba in Japan, and almost all large semiconductor companies are not optimistic about TSMC's wafer foundry model.

However, Zhang Zhongmou's connections luckily helped him find a ticket in the end.

Philips, also unable to withstand the impact of Japan's internal chips, decided to place about 35% of the company's production tasks in Asia where costs are lower.

Philips originally planned to build the factory on its own, but this involves certain risks.

Now TSMC has taken the initiative to step forward, allowing Philips to use other people's money to do its own business.

So Philips readily agreed to TSMC's request and acquired shares in TSMC in the form of technology and capital.

At the same time, in order to better control TSMC, Philips stipulated in the contract.

As long as Philips is willing, it can acquire more than half of TSMC's shares at any time.

This is what Philips planned.

If TSMC goes bankrupt, it can own a wafer fab at a very small cost.

Even if TSMC survives, it can always take control of the company.

However, even with such a humiliating contract, companies like Intel were unwilling to sign it. We can only say that everything is God's will.

As for TSMC’s second luck, it was because of Japan.

The Japanese semiconductor industry is too strong and the United States alone cannot beat it, so it tries its best to support other younger brothers.

Whether it is South Korea or Taiwan, the United States can provide any technology they want.

As for whether South Korea and Taiwan will become the next Japan?
The United States has never worried about this.

Due to their limited populations, South Korea and Taiwan are destined to occupy only a small part of the semiconductor market and are unable to develop the entire industry chain like Japan.

Masato Takeshita does not have the luck of TSMC, but Star Ocean Semiconductor also has its own advantages.

He knew that in the future, he could attract customers through many means.

He has more funds and can develop new technologies earlier.

The same is true for talent.

Masato Takeshita can rely on higher funding and a better scientific research environment to attract a large number of semiconductor industry-related talents from the United States and China.

In addition, Japan now occupies more than 50% of the world's semiconductor market. As long as Xinghai Semiconductor's price is low enough, it can obtain countless orders and support itself.

All kinds of thoughts flashed through Masato Takeshita's mind quickly, but none of them affected his speech.

After the applause died down for a while, he immediately began to instill a new round of chicken soup.

"The foundry business has a bright future, as does our company's other product line, the flash memory chip business."

"Many people may not understand this technology, so I will briefly explain it here."

"Memory chips and flash memory chips are both storage media, but their properties are completely opposite."

"Memory chips have fast access speeds, but they can only save data while the power is on. The data disappears when the power is off."

"Flash memory chips have a slow read speed, but they can store data for a long time even when the power is off." "The memory chip market is worth billions of dollars now. Flash memory is a chip of the same type but with the opposite properties."

"Everyone, do you think the prospects are great?"

Although flash memory chips have only just appeared, there is already enough room for imagination. It is only because Toshiba's leaders are selfish that they try so hard to belittle this technology.

If it were an American company, Fujio Masuoka would have been promoted long ago.

Make tons of money and enjoy the best quality of life.

The United States really attaches great importance to talent.

"big!"

Inspired by Masato Takeshita, the whole audience shouted in unison.

Especially Fujio Masuoka and others, they shouted at a very loud decibel, as if they were venting all the resentment in their hearts.

There is no place to stay here.

Sooner or later I will develop a new format that will help the company make tons of money and make Toshiba regret it.

Masato Takeshita naturally had no idea what Fujio Masuoka was thinking. He continued to promote the prospects of flash memory chips, thus leaving his own mark in the minds of newcomers.

College graduates are like a blank piece of paper. The people who first influence them can leave enough marks on the paper.

So whether it is wafer foundry or flash memory chips, Masato Takeshita mainly talks about it to newly employed university graduates.

They are the foundation of the company's future and can execute Masato Takeshita's instructions most perfectly.

This is also the biggest benefit of the university graduate group and the biggest reason why large companies like to recruit graduates.

Newcomers leave fewer traces and are more able to understand the company's development intentions.

"As for the disaster emergency radio and computer peripherals division, there is nothing much to say. As long as they develop step by step, they will be able to occupy a place in the market."

"If you want stability, these two departments are very suitable."

After briefly introducing the company's basic business, Masato Takeshita began to pour the final chicken soup.

"A single spark can start a prairie fire."

"Whether it's wafer foundry, flash memory chips, or disaster emergency radios that sell incredibly well."

“Even small computer accessories such as mice and keyboards will have infinite possibilities in the future.”

"Especially the foundry business and flash memory chip business, the future is bright."

"As the semiconductor industry continues to grow, specialization will inevitably replace the extensive full industry chain, and the flash memory chip business will inevitably be comparable to the memory chip business."

"This is the law of historical development, and it cannot be changed by human will."

After talking about the grand and empty development plan for the semiconductor business, Masato Takeshita began to turn his attention to the employees.

“And all of this will be created by everyone present here.”

Just when the new employees were getting excited, Masato Takeshita stepped up his efforts again.

“Finally, please remember this.”

“We are moving forward unstoppably!”

"Our technology is changing the world!"

"Our journey is to the stars and the sea!"

“Let us ride on our dreams, create a grand scene in life, and write the future of the whole world together.”

(End of this chapter)