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Poly-Monde Mission 2008

Why the Three Dragons ?

Up until the late 90’, when one was elaborating about the business success in the asian world, there was several examples to be aware of, especially the impressive revelation of the four big “Asian dragons”, namely South Korea, and the islands of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. Under the banner of public enterprise/government partnership, each of those regions had the opportunity of developing huge industrial parks and a flourishing industry, well-known throughout the world for it’s frenetic activity.

Hong-Kong, with his extremely frenetic port activity, is one of the greatest commercial center in the known world in which logistics and organization is part of the daily life of millions of workers that lives there.

As for Taiwan, this metropolitan island has itself become on of the great centers in the development
of microelectronics, as much for mass-consuming class products than for leading-edge technology. Hence,
since the 1980’, we have seen the American and European consuming-product market being completely
flooded by “Made In Taiwan” products. This tendency has since slowed down a little bit to leave more room
for the production of technological products.

Singapore also has a place of its own in the development and production of leading-edge technology,
as it is well known in the biomedical technologies. This situation has been originally a governmental effort, but
is now also fueled by hundreds of foreign investments.

The Poly-World 2008 mission aims to visit the companies that made those reputations real and
wants to understand the dynamism and perseverance that characterizes those markets and still makes them
expand.

 

An overview of Poly-Monde

We live in a world that is strongly influenced by the emergence of new markets, driven more and more by international cooperation and the globalization of technologies. Today’s engineers therefore need to be aware of the industrial sectors developing internationally. Likewise, an enterprise wishing to expand its operations requires a detailed knowledge of the latest developments in the international markets.

Sharing this view, a group of students from École Polytechnique de Montréal decided to create a mission allowing them to participate in industrial tours in Quebec and beyond. Thus Poly-Monde was born. Now in its 19th year, this project unites scores of students wishing to enrich their knowledge about international technology and industry. So far, Poly-Monde has visited Japan, Germany, Scandinavia, Italy, United-Kingdom, France, the American West Coast, Benelux, South Korea, Spain, Brazil, Switzerland, China, Poland and the Czech Republic et India. Participation in one of these missions means discovering the main sectors of activity in the chosen region and gaining experience in the dynamics of a global market. This year, Poly-World has elected Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore as its studied regions.

To be fully prepared for their mission, the Poly-World members follow two courses: «Technology and international competition I and II». The course outlines include theme studies and discussions on the selected country and its important sectors of activity. Mission members also learn how to analyze the major commercial agreements impacting the industries concerned.

The Poly-World members accept total responsibility for their mission. They must find the required funding, organize the industrial tours in Quebec and abroad, and plan all other logistics for the trip.

Once they are back in Canada, mission members will prepare a comprehensive report detailing the specific characteristics of each studied sector. A copy of the report will be given to each partner of the mission.

This report is a precious tool for enterprises doing business in a specific market or wishing to enter that market.

Itinerary

To follow the tradition established by the first Poly-Monde mission in 1990, only a limited number of industrial sectors will be considered.

This year, Poly-Monde 2008 will concentrate on the following fields:

1. Semiconductors, integrated circuits and electronics
2. Infrastructures and logistics
3. Biotechnologies
4. Financial services

1. Taipei and Hsinchu City
   
   Taipei is the temporary capital of the Taiwan state whose official name is Republic of China – not to be confused with the People’s Republic of China or Continental China (communist). Its economy is based on high-technology industries such as electronics. Hsinchu City has acquired an international reputation with the construction of its scientific park – located north-west of the city – and is prosperous since then. This park represents the most important site of Taiwan’s electronics industry, where 115,000 people work.
   
   
2. Hong Kong
   
   Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842 until its retrocession back to China in 1997. It is governed
   as a special administrative region under the Basic Law of Hong Kong. According to the terms of
   the sino-british joint declaration, China has promised that Hong Kong would retain a certain degree
   of autonomy until 2047, that is to say 50 years after the sovereignty transfer. Hong Kong hence
   preserves its legal and political system, its money, its sports teams and its immigrations laws.
   
   
3. Singapour
   
   Singapore is world-wide known and often praised as an example for its extraordinary economic
   success. After declaring independence in 1965, Singapore was able – with limited natural resources
   availability and important socio-economic problems such as riots, unemployment and housing
   problems – to become one of the most developed countries of the world. This sovereign city is a
   real Chinese wedge in a Malaysian world. This ethnic confrontation was partly the source of the
   troubles that accelerated the withdrawal of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965. It is incontestably the
   business hub for every transaction between Europe and the Pacific zone. Singapore owes its rise
   to its exceptional maritime situation: it is the business city at the far edge of the East. Its population
   benefits from a very high standard of living.