The dominant role of the user in semiconductor and electronic subassembly process innovation

In an earlier study of scientific instrument innovations, it was found that instrument users rather than instrument manufacturers dominated the innovation work in approximately 80 percent of the innovation cases studied. In the present paper, this work is extended by examining 55 process innovations used in the manufacture of semiconductors and electronic subassemblies. In 67 percent of the process innovations studied in this field which involved novel process machinery, it is found that it is the process machinery user rather than the manufacturer who `dominates' the innovation process by: recognizing the need; inventing a solution; building a prototype; and using the prototype in commercial production prior to any involvement of a manufacturer of process machinery in the innovation work.