台灣工業電腦的創新機制 以研華科技為例

Abstract

台灣的工業電腦產業發展至今約三十年，一般的看法是以產業龍頭研華科技成立的1980年代為起點。近十年來，工業電腦的應用不再侷限於工業生產及自動化單一領域，已經迅速擴及各個不同的垂直產業，應用範圍也越來越廣。尤其在2008年IBM提出「智慧地球」口號後的五年內，由於資訊科技的進步，網路連線和無線科技的發展，造就了「物與物」聯網的廣泛應用，使得工業電腦產業迎向了一個全新的「物聯網」時代。在這樣物聯網的時代裡，產生了許多新商業機會，創新應用，以及科技發展方向。在此產業變遷之際，原先的工業電腦廠商若持續依循著過去的成功方程式與商業模式，只專注少量多樣的工業產品和客戶，將會為市場所淘汰。 本論文以工業電腦的產業特性，以及市場大趨勢轉變作為分析的基礎，深入研究研華科技由2009年以來一連串的策略改革與創新機制對研華所造成的變革，進一步探討台灣的工業電腦廠商如何面對典範移轉的潮流，找出潛在的商業機會，以創新的作法規劃未來的策略與成長。 研華科技由2009到2014年這五年來的迅速成長，主要是因為能夠掌握到科技產業典範轉移的趨勢。研華能夠與時俱進，隨時掌握典範移轉的趨勢，適時且適度地調整企業方向，在組織，策略，人才，產品與市場上及時創新變革。而這些變革要能夠有紀律地瞭解產業變動，找出商業機會，就必須藉由嚴謹的創新機制，才能提出創新的因應策略。 本論文是以學理的方式分析研華在轉型過程中所發展出來的創新機制架構及相關的各項活動，從策略面的改變，組織面的成形，到實際執行面的活動，尤其特別著重在創新機制的探討。並藉以提供給其他面對相同市場環境變動的廠商做為借鏡。

The history of Industrial computer industry (IPC) in Taiwan started from 30 years ago when Advantech was established in early 1980’s. With 30 years of development and expansion, IPC industry is not only limited to industrial manufacturing and automation, but rapidly expanding to different vertical markets with various applications. IBM announced its vision of “Intelligent Planet” in 2008, which encourages more and more companies to invest in a whole new IOT (Internet of Things) arena. With the progress of IT industry and the booming of wireless internet connection, the applications of “all things connected” create tremendous potential business opportunities for traditional IPC companies. Under such circumstance, if Taiwan’s IPC companies stay on their existing business model and follow previous success formula, they will always focus on limited industrial products and customers, and ignore new business opportunities, innovative applications and technology trend. By analyzing the characteristic of IPC industry and the change of market trend, this thesis tries to investigate a series of strategic reforms and development process of innovation mechanism that Advantech created during past 5 years. It also provides further study about how Taiwan’s IPC companies should react when facing the trend of paradigm shift, searching for emerging business opportunities, and creating the innovative strategy toward future growth. This thesis concludes the reason why Advantech can grow rapidly during past 5 years was because Advantech can seize important trend of paradigm shift in IT industry and adjusted its corporate direction, along with prompt reforms on organization, strategy, talent incubation, and product and market strategy. It was a process of innovation and revolution which requires disciplined actions under solid mechanism to understand market change, figure out emerging business opportunities, and decide proper innovative strategy. This thesis also analyzes Advantech’s innovation mechanism and related activities started from the background study of strategy reform and organization change to the innovation events on searching for innovative ideas and potential opportunities in order to create real businesses. With disclosure of Advantech’s real practice, this thesis can be a good reference for IPC related companies which operating in the same market environment to practice innovation reform on their corporations.