The purpose of this paper is to set out a conceptual framework for policies to promote the diffusion of microelectronics in the context of developing countries. The author bases her discussion on the experience of Venezuela, a medium-sized Latin American economy which is currently trying to overcome an extreme dependence on oil export revenues and eliminate the over-protection of its industry in an effort to upgrade its international competitiveness. Current industrialisation policies are centred on three priority sectors: the modernisation of the existing petro-chemical complex; an expansion and upgrading of the mining and metallurgical sector (steel and aluminium); and, finally, aggressive export strategies for a select group of agro-industries, based on tropical agriculture and fisheries. Targeting the requirements of these three priority sectors should guide the formulation and implementation of a useroriented microelectronics strategy.

The electronics industry needs to be ...