The Search for Advantage: Great Powers' Strategies for Technological Competition

Abstract: This research aims to investigate the dynamics of technological competition among great powers, addressing the question of why states adopt different competitive strategies. The study develops a novel conceptual framework that conceptualises technological competition and capability across four layers: innovation, production, utilisation, and normative, while proposing a typology of Dominance, Acceleration, and Inhibition strategies for technological competition. Employing a comparative case study methodology, the research examines US-China competition in semiconductors and electric vehicles, alongside US-Soviet nuclear technology rivalry. Through qualitative content analysis, process tracing, and cross-case comparison, the study aims to elucidate the causal mechanisms underlying great power technological competition strategies. This research seeks to contribute to International Relations scholarship by providing a more comprehensive theoretical understanding of technological rivalry as a critical dimension of contemporary great power relations. The findings are expected to inform both academic debates and policy formulation regarding the management of technological competition in the evolving global order. 

Bio: Kevin Yiwei Huang is a PhD Scholar at the Crawford School of Public Policy, researching the technological competition between great powers. His professional experience spans human-robot interaction research, where he investigated performance and trust in autonomous systems at the University of Michigan's Interaction and Collaboration Research Lab. He has also contributed to research on the application of AI in Command and Control at the Australian Army Research Centre. Prior to his doctoral studies, he served as a Business Analyst at Westfarmers Health, managing digital transformation initiatives and optimising business intelligence systems. Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Master of Strategic Studies (Advanced) from the Australian National University.