Industrial Policy Governance in Semiconductor Incentive Programs

Abstract

Background: Debate around semiconductors often emphasizes formal rules; less attention is given to the organizational conditions that determine whether those rules operate consistently.

Objective: We examined implementation relating to semiconductors and its relationship with procedural clarity, coordination, institutional capacity, and industrial policy.

Methods: A mixed-method observational study was conducted across 14 jurisdictions and 8 institutions. Documentary and administrative evidence was coded with a standardized framework and, where applicable, supplemented with stakeholder or practitioner data. Descriptive and multivariable analyses compared implementation patterns and institutional correlates.

Results: Implementation of semiconductors differed meaningfully across settings. About 31% of institutions met the predefined standard for procedural consistency, and stronger coordination corresponded to a 20% improvement in the principal performance measure. Capacity constraints and unclear responsibility were the barriers observed most often.

Conclusion: The observed pattern shows that effective governance of semiconductors depends on implementation quality, not simply the existence of regulation. This means that implementation quality depends on how clearly institutions assign responsibility, coordinate action, and support review and accountability.

Study design: program governance study.

Publication history: Originally published in print on 15 June 2025, Volume 5, Article 6. Online abstract record added on 16 September 2026. Full-text PDF will be added when the digital galley is ready.