MODULE 4

🌐 Global Supply Chains: Dependencies & Power

Map the intricate web of global technology supply chains that power the digital economy. From rare earth minerals to EUV lithography machines, understand the geopolitical dependencies, chokepoints, and power dynamics that shape our technological future.

📝4 Topics
⏱️~2 hours
🗺️Global Analysis
⚖️Geopolitics

🎯 Learning Objectives

  • Map the global technology value chain from raw materials to finished products
  • Identify critical dependencies and single points of failure in supply chains
  • Understand geopolitical dimensions of semiconductor manufacturing
  • Analyze the strategic importance of Taiwan, South Korea, and China
  • Recognize chokepoints in equipment manufacturing (ASML EUV monopoly)
  • Evaluate trade policies, export controls, and technology sovereignty
4.1
⛏️

Raw Materials & Refining

Explore the foundations of control in technology supply chains. Understand rare earth elements, silicon production, chemical materials, and the concentration of refining capabilities.

Subtopics

  • Rare Earth Elements & Critical Minerals
  • Silicon Wafer Production (Japan's Dominance)
  • Chemical Materials & Photoresists
  • China's Control of Refining Capacity
⏱️ 30 minMaterialsGeography
4.2
🔧

Equipment Manufacturing Chokepoints

Analyze the critical bottlenecks in semiconductor equipment manufacturing. Learn why ASML's EUV monopoly matters and how equipment concentration creates geopolitical leverage.

Subtopics

  • ASML's EUV Lithography Monopoly
  • Applied Materials, Lam Research, Tokyo Electron
  • Equipment Export Controls & Sanctions
  • China's Equipment Self-Sufficiency Efforts
⏱️ 30 minEquipmentGeopolitics
4.3
🏭

The Taiwan Question: TSMC & Foundry Concentration

Understand why Taiwan's semiconductor dominance is called "the most important place on Earth." Explore TSMC's manufacturing leadership and its geopolitical implications.

Subtopics

  • TSMC's 60%+ Market Share in Advanced Chips
  • Geographic Concentration Risk
  • US-China Competition & Taiwan Strait Tensions
  • Fab Diversification Efforts (US, Europe, Japan)
⏱️ 35 minManufacturingStrategic
4.4
⚖️

Technology Sovereignty & Strategic Competition

Examine how nations compete for technological independence. Analyze export controls, industrial policies, and the race for self-sufficiency in critical technologies.

Subtopics

  • US CHIPS Act & Export Controls
  • China's "Made in China 2025" & Semiconductor Fund
  • EU Digital Sovereignty Initiatives
  • Supply Chain Resilience vs. Efficiency Trade-offs
⏱️ 30 minPolicyGlobal