台灣新創醫療器材公司及其經營管理策略之個案研究

Abstract

近年政府為提升未來經濟優勢，逐漸重視生技醫材產業的發展，積極將醫療器材產業定位為台灣下一波重點發展產業。在「產官學」(「產」指產業界、「官」指政府、「學」指學術界) 合作的架構下，由政府主導並擬定產業政策，成立相關部門與執行單位，期望透過產官學三方合作的架構妥善整合及強化資源，並開始著重長期人才育成，以前瞻技術和商業化加速推動生技醫療產業升級，激發創新動能，強化醫材產值，期望營造出多贏局面。國內醫療器材廠商的能力及產業環境皆因政策而受惠。國內製造的醫療器材產品，也慢慢從單純製造市場上「相同產品」(me-too product)的角色，衍生到能開發出比市場上競爭對手「更好的產品」(me-better product) 以及能夠「獨佔市場的產品」(me-only product) 的高階新創醫療器材商品。 而本研究目的為探討台灣新創醫療器材公司之營運管理策略，採用個案研究法（Case Study Method）為主要之研究方式，挑選一間自有品牌並已上市櫃之新創醫材製造商，產品已經量產、並取得國內或國外之販售許可、營運主管也曾經受過產官學單位育成種子人才作為研究對象。除此之外，本研究也併用質式(如訪談、觀察及文件分析)及量化 (如問卷及資料庫數據) 資料收集方法，來取得本研究所需之內外部初級及次級資料；再透過「價值主張圖」(Value Proposition Canvas) 、「商業模式九宮格」(Business Model Canvas)及「技術採用生命週期」（Technology Adoption Life Cycle）等商業理論架構探索其醫材產業概況，分析此公司於產業競爭之營運策略及態勢。最後運用淨推薦值(Net Promoter Score, NPS) 這個指標，以反映出個案S公司品牌經營之表現，期望將該產業之行銷管理相關問題提供後繼者參考。 透過本研究分析後發現所得結論如下：個案S公司雖擁有技術上之創新優勢，滿足目前市場尚未被滿足的需求，但其自有品牌之商業模式無法與主要競爭對手產生差異化，導致產品已於國內外上市多年，仍面臨叫好不叫座的窘況，公司無法突破獲利模式的困境，這也是目前國內許多自有品牌之新創醫材公司所面臨的發展瓶頸。故此研究建議業者未來策略方向之重點在於 ：(1)透過聚焦來重新定位商業模式，善用現有差異化之競爭優勢，並持續增強創新核心技術來保持其競爭優勢，建立起獲利模式；(2)目標客群對個案S公司品牌陌生，其品牌無法創造出品牌該有之效益，因此個案S公司需再次評估其品牌經營策略；(3)透過水平整合或策略聯盟，朝營運模式多角化延伸來強化個案S公司之睡眠相關生態圈，建立起遠距智慧平台服務及訂閱商機，並透過加值服務來開拓其他收入來源。

Due to the unique nature of the medical device industry, as well as the technical capability, the early-staged medical device manufactures in Taiwan were mostly positioned their roles in OEM business, produced so-called “me-too product” that was identical in functionality as others on the market. From local medical device manufactures perspectives, its business model in terms of main profit sources were cost reduction as well as making OEM-related charges. The government of Taiwan has been focused the development of overall medical healthcare industry in recent years, and aggressively positions the medical device segment as next wave of key development. Under the implementation of government-industry-university-institute alliance, the government targets to expedite the medical industry upgrading by strengthening and consolidating needed resources, focus on long-term talent cultivation, advanced technology development as well as product commercialization. Taiwan domestic medical device manufactures and overall industry environment are both being benefited from these factors, startups are able to elevate their business model from producing “me-too products” to more advanced “me-better products” or “me-only products”. The objective of this research aims to study the business approach of Taiwan medical device startup company, via the mean of case study a company, by applying the method of case study as main methodology. The following criteria are considered for selecting the company for case study: a Taiwan medical device startup that holds specialized technical know-how and undertake its business model through own-brand; a company trades in a stock exchange; product is already commercialized and approved to market by recognized medical authority. The S company is then selected after considering the fact that not only it has met all the criteria, but also with the addition factor of the company funder who had also undertaken the government-supported talent cultivation program, that makes this S company the most suitable candidate for this case study. In addition, this study also adopts the Document Analysis Method as well as semi-structed interview, for the goals of collecting and conducting both primary and secondary data of the S company, then the analysis frameworks of Value Proposition Canvas, Business Model Canvas and Technology Adoption Life Cycle are applied to further explore its business strategy as well as its operation status. Furthermore, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) is used as an indicator to measure the customer loyalty level toward the product and brand of the case company. Although the S company develops award-winning product that seems to be able to revolutionize the OSA industry, through this study finds the S company still suffers from achieving a profitable business, as the case company is not able to establish a winning business model that differentiates itself from existing CPAP manufactures, which is one of common issues that can be found on small-scale startups. In conclusion, suggestions to the case company are as the following: 1.Re-evaluate the existing business model, utilize core competences to strengthen product differentiation and its competing advantages to achieve a profitable business model. 2.Rejuvenate the brand image as this study has shown the customers are mostly unfamiliar with company brand name, reflects the brand management of case company is at the stage of poor brand equity and low customer loyalty. The case company should build-up with new brand position in order to revitalized its brand equity. 3.Expand product and service, such as the addition of subscription services or online platform, through either vertical integrations or strategic alliance to enlarge OSA-related eco-system, achieving the results of additional and sustainable source of revenues.