Taking right steps to climb the technology ladder

Something inevitable has happened to the relationship between hardware and software - the two have now largely merged into one.

And managing that successful marriage has become one of the cornerstones of sustained economic growth around the globe and a yardstick for fruitful partnerships between national policymakers and industry.

China seems to be very much on the right track, with its own version of this modern union, the "Made in China 2025" program, recently unveiled.