This study aims to explore the perception types of stakeholders regarding the development of the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex using Q methodology. Korea’s semiconductor industry serves as the core driving ...
This study aims to explore the perception types of stakeholders regarding the development of the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex using Q methodology. Korea’s semiconductor industry serves as the core driving force of the national economy and a source of global competitiveness, particularly maintaining world-class competitiveness in the memory semiconductor sector. However, as competition intensifies in non-memory sectors such as system semiconductors and the US-China technological hegemony competition accelerates, the development of the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex has emerged as a strategic choice for the sustainable development of Korea’s semiconductor industry. In this context, this study sought to systematically analyze the subjective perceptions of various stakeholders regarding the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex development and explore potential success factors for policy implementation by perception type.
Q methodogy, suitable for subjectivity research, was employed as the research method. To collect Q statements regarding the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex development, interviews with key stakeholers, literature reviews, newspaper articles, and press releases were comprehensively examined, ultimately constructing 34 Q statements. For the P sample, 30 diverse stakeholders were selected, including central government, local government, project implementer (LH), Samsung Electronics, related institutions, design consulting firms, and residensts of the project area, to conduct Q sorting and factor analysis of the survey results.
The analysis revealed that stakeholders’ perceptions of the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex development were classified into five types. Type 1, the “National Competitiveness Perspective,” focuses on enhancing national competitiveness and economic growth rather than equity issues. Type 2, the “Policy Persuasion and Communication Perspective,” emphasizes the importance of policy officials’ expertise and communication with the public for policy success. Type 3, the “Regional Balanced Develoment Perspective,” raises concerns about metropolitan concentration and highlights the necessity of balanced development between regions. Type 4, the “Local Resident Conflict Perspective,” focuses on the residents conflicts and practical constraints arising during project implenmentation. Type 5, the “Sustainable Environment Perspective,” emphasizes environmental sustainability and the importance of renewable energy utilization.
The comprehensive research results indicates that for the successful implementation of the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex development, it is necessary to establish integrated policy governance encompassing diverse perception types, develop phased and flexible policy implemetation strategies, enhance public awareness of the strategic importance of the semiconductor industry, and strengthen policymaker capabilities while providing incentives. Particularly, an approach that maintains the macroscopic goal of enhancing national competitiveness while balanced consideration of various values such as policy communication, regional balanced development, residents conflict management, and environmental sustainability is required.
However, due to the characteristics of Q methodology, there are limitations in identifying the general distribution and proportion of each perception type. Therefore, follow-up research is needed to longitudinally track changes in stakeholder perceptions and reflect them in the policy feedback process.
Keywords: semiconductor, cluster, national industrial
complex, Q methodology, perception types
Student number: 2024-22436