The U.S. semiconductor industry is one of the foundations of the technological revolution. The Competitive Semiconductor Manufacturing Program produces state-of-the-art research by drawing upon collaborations with departments at UC Berkeley, including work with the College of Engineering, the Haas School of Business, the Institute of Industrial Relations, and the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy.

   The Competitive Semiconductor Manufacturing Surveys are a key aspect of the Center’s program and are highly regarded throughout the industry. The Surveys’ comparative benchmarking of semiconductor chip factories (fabs) has led to the establishment of the "Berkeley Metrics" system, the industry standard for comparative analysis of best global practices in the industry. The U.S. consortium SEMATECH promotes the use of Berkeley Metrics by its member companies.

   As part of its manufacturing surveys, the Center has completed full quantitative evaluations of more than 30 fabs in the United States, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Europe. The Center conducts on-site visits, examining fab practices in operations, management, training, maintenance, and continuous improvement; it issues reports illuminating the factors resulting in world-class fab productivity and performance.

   The Center engages in in-depth focus studies, demonstrations, and implementation of critical performance and efficiency practices in fabs and companies across the industry. SEMATECH member companies, such as Conexant, Texas Instruments, and Intel, along with an array of Center partners, benefit from the analysis and follow-on projects undertaken by the Center. In addition to its benchmarking studies, the Center has published the report, Reversal of Fortune? The Recovery of the U.S. Semiconductor Industry, by Jeffrey T. Macher, David C. Mowery, and David A. Hodges. Research reports and working papers from the Center, including its Human Resource Project led by Professor Clair Brown, can be obtained via the Internet. Graduates hold senior positions at companies such as Intel Corporation and Boston Consulting Group.