Benchmarking national semiconductor strategies: advancing innovation systems and policy learning for global competitiveness

Purpose This study aims to benchmark national semiconductor strategies through a theory-grounded lens that explains how different policy mixes build (or fail to build) design, manufacturing, equipment, packaging and talent capabilities. Design/methodology/approach We integrate national innovation systems and dynamic-capabilities theory into a comparative framework, operationalize it via a rubric and apply it across major producer nations using triangulated documentary evidence and secondary indicators; we then propose testable propositions on governance, collaboration and capability trajectories. Findings Countries follow distinct capability pathways shaped by governance choices (state–industry coordination, mission programs and talent pipelines) and bottlenecks (tools, advanced packaging and workforce). The rubric highlights where strategies are coherent, where gaps persist and which mechanisms most plausibly drive capability upgrading. Research limitations/implications Comparative, document-based evidence limits causal identification; the proposed rubric and propositions invite future empirical testing (panel data, expert surveys and case interviews). Practical implications Policymakers can use the rubric to target bottlenecks and align incentives; firms and universities can align investment and talent strategies with national capability goals. Originality/value We offer a new, theory-driven benchmarking framework (NIS × dynamic capabilities) with an operational rubric that converts policy inventories into testable propositions and a replicable assessment template, clarifying how national choices translate into semiconductor capabilities.