Ohhlala Tata

Never trust the east with your most advanced intellectual property.

Take display technology as an example.

They eventually catch up in manufacturing screens. Then, before long, the underlying technology and production know-how begin appearing everywhere. Whether through technology transfer, supply-chain leakage, or talent migration, your advantage gradually erodes.

You could argue that it doesn’t matter—and to some extent, you’re right.

If competition is reduced to a supply-chain game, then innovation naturally slows. Mature companies optimize production rather than pushing the technological frontier.

But that’s precisely the point.