THE DYNAMICS OF DESIGN-MANUFACTURING LAPTOPS:
HOW TAIWANESE CONTRACT MANUFACTURERS MATTER IN THE
HISTORY OF LAPTOP PRODUCTION.
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This dissertation aims to open up the production of “black box” information on a portable computer
contract manufacturers in Taiwan and their factories in China from 1988 to 2012
exploring their engineering methods, showing complexity and flexibility
dynamics of design-manufacturing laptops during different periods, which is not the only one
denies the idea of direct progress from manufacturing to designing a Taiwanese industry,
but also challenges the idea that production does not have new strategies and values. I show
how productive and creative power are equally important and they argue over and over again
the deep connection between design and production, internally and externally, that
news. I develop the concept, knowledge of the forum, to explain this interactive collaboration
multi-site exchanges and organizational exchanges between actors from
different domains.
My research, based on extensive discussions, reveals a nontechnical process
the production of portable computers that include the international flow of people, ideas, and building materials.
In the first chapter, I show how Taiwanese manufacturers designed their first laptops in the late 1980's
based primarily on the strength of design engineers and how they learn to do their job specially
development process in collaboration with firms with brand names. In the second chapter, I
explore the complexity of the product development process, analyse what the relationship is like
between design and production combined. The third chapter discusses the issue of
margins are constantly declining for producers and creating field knowledge that has enabled them
create useful information by regularly working with internal and external partners to
reducing costs. In Chapter Four, I analyse how these producers, as mediators in
the world of production, contained and illustrated by powerful partners. In Chapter
Fifth, I am examining how the relocation of a large factory from Taiwan to China after 2001 has been affected
the habits and lives of the workers involved in the middle struggle
roots and movement. I also show how their production capacity has been developing,
and growing design expertise.
All in all, this dissertation is a problem in the production process and it shows
the flexibility of portable computer design within social and historical contexts
context, arguing that it is your ability to both design and produce, as well
effective integration between them that expands and maintains laptop integration.
Acknowledgement
This project would not have been possible without the strong support of my committee:
Trevor Pinch, Ronald Kline, Michael Lynch, and Suman Seth. A few years ago,
they spend most of their precious time talking to me about the framework,
arguments, and details of my research. My great appreciation for it goes to
see.
I am fortunate to have a historian, Ron Kline, and a sociologist, Trevor
Squeeze, like my partners. Trevor has been a great mentor since I started my Cornell
he teaches me and has always supported me with his important ideas. Ron handed it to me
Amazing help and complete suggestions for almost every phase of this project. I
they have benefited greatly from his patience, approachability, and precision. I refer to
Mike Lynch as the co-chair of my project. Many important ideas for
The dissertation appeared in extensive discussions with him. Suman Seth provided
important suggestions for my project. In particular, his intellectual challenges to me
fundamental arguments always encouraged me to think differently. Special thanks
courtesy of Fa-Ti Fan, an external student of my oral defense, who has shown a few
important things I can improve on.
Thank you for the great financial support of the following:
Cornell University Sage Fellowship and TAship, Department of Education at
Taiwan International Scholarship, National Science Foundation for
Government Medical Development Grant (ID: 1026247), East Asian Program for
Lee Teng-hui Fellowship in World Affairs at Cornell, the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation
to obtain a Dissertation Fellowship for International ROC students, as well as the China Times
Cultural Foundation's Young Scholar Fellowship - Mr Chi Chung Yu Award. I
Graduate School and Einaudi Center in Cornell and NSF also provided a tour
resources for my research and conference presentations.
This dissertation project is based on the assistance of many interviewees. I would like to
first thanks to the project consultant, and Acer Group's chief founder, Stan
Shih, by appealing to a few senior executives in Quanta and Wistron to accept mine
discussions of this study. Many thanks to Johnson Fong of Quanta
vi
presented a few important conversations to me. I owe Stan Shih,
"Yao," "Harrison," "Christopher," "Bruce," "Charlie," "Eli," "Richard," Steve Kung, Peter
Wang, and Roger Huang for accepting multiple interviews. Thanks to many strangers
interviewed by providing internal news for their company and industry. I want to
and thank the few college students in Taiwan, especially Elsa Zhung, for helping me
to record a large number of interview recordings.
I have spent several happy years in Cornell surrounded by a very loving person
a society that allowed my work and my life to flourish. In addition to my specialty
committee, Professor Peter Dear, Steve Hilgartner, Rachel Prentice, Judith Reppy,
and colleagues Darla Thompson, Emma Zuroski, Ben Wang, Hansen Hsu, Anto
Mohsin, Angie Boyce, and Ilil Naveh-Benjamin all offered warm support and
helpful suggestions for my research. Department of Science staff as well
The technology, especially Stacey Stone and Deb Van Galder were outstanding
assistance with their administrative assistance.
The project also benefited from discussions with a large audience
conference presentations, and especially thanks to Atsushi Akera and my paper
commentators, Ross Basset, James Cortada, Sungook Hong for their helpful feedback
of my research chapters.
Writing a dissertation is a long journey. Over the past few years, I have done it
got writing and editing help from a lot of people, especially Sally Yates,
Keith Hjortshoj, Mallory SoRelle, Jessica Sands, Carolina Iribarren, and Brad Zukovic.
Registration camp and Cornell re-camping camps, organized by Jan Allen once
Accompanied by many colleagues, it also helped greatly in my writing
intensity improved.
Finally, I would like to thank my family in Taiwan and the U.S. My husband
Li-Chung has supported me in all aspects of my life over the years. I'm deep
I owe him. Yuka, my son, was born in the second month of my Ph.D.
The program, literally grew through my research project. It has always been
great comfort and a loved one in my busy life! My mother-in-law, Hsueh,
was very helpful when he came to Ithaca to take care of Yuka at a young age.
Finally, thank you very much for the warm support from my mother, Ming-Yu.