利基型IC 設計公司成長策略之個案研究

Abstract

永續經營是企業追求的終極目標，而保持不斷地成長便是達成永續經營的基石。然而，身處在競爭的商業環境，如何持續成長，卻是企業經營者每天最常面對與最需克服的挑戰。本論文試圖透過一個深度個案的研究，探討企業在快速變動環境中，如何能夠掌握能耐發展的軌跡，達成事業成長的目的，同時，觀察解析影響能耐發展軌跡的管理因素。 本研究選擇IC設計公司為研究系絡，主要著眼於IC設計公司的成長常有「一代拳王」的現象，亦即IC設計公司的經營績效，常常在明星產品生命週期結束、銷售下滑後，便無以為繼，甚至落入經營困難的窘境。透過個案公司詳細的事業成長軌跡的探索，本研究可以對於上述現象提出深入的解析。 本研究發現，中小型IC設計公司由於資源有限，因此採用利基市場策略，並選擇性的投入創新與產品開發。利基型IC設計公司發展的初期，針對單一利基市場投入創新與產品開發，當順利站穩市場之後，則在該市場中繼續尋找新的產品機會，擴大其產品版圖，同時也開始建構技術平台，著手延伸不同的產品線，並重複既有發展策略。利基型IC設計公司，運用以電腦基礎與設計基礎的快速連接的技術，快速延伸既有能耐，迎合市場需求。同時，採用多元機會追尋的產品發展策略，結合對既有能耐與組織剩餘之良好管理，在組織制度的配合下，持續產品的開發，來啟發創新，建構能耐。面對多元的機會，在能耐基礎競爭的運作架構下，持續建構與延伸能耐，掌握利基市場，形成利基型IC設計公司的多元利基策略。多元利基作為IC設計公司的成長策略，從個案研究中，發現多元利基策略為企業所帶來的成長速度，雖然緩慢，但是相對穩健，當利基市場有機會順利發展成為主流市場，利基型IC設計公司便順勢成長。

Pursuing long term growth is a central goal for every business. However, to sustain growth firms have to face and conquer all sorts of challenge from both internal and external environment. Based on an in-depth case study, the present research attempts to explore the issue of how an entrepreneurial company manages its trajectory of competence development along the growth path so that successful business expansion can be achieved. In addition, through such research exploration, we intend to untangle critical managerial factors affecting the trajectory of competence development. This case-base research chooses the growth processes of a medium size IC design company located in Taiwan as empirical context. The growth of IC design companies has been criticized as being frequently encountered a short life expectancy, so called “short life of boxer champion” phenomenon. In short, the sustainability of product innovation of an IC design firm is hard to maintain in a competitive environment. Based on a longitudinal observation on the growth of case firm, our study could provide insights to the growth sustainability issue. Our study found that small and medium size IC design companies adopt niche market strategy and conduct innovation and product development selectively. In the early stage of a niche-type IC design company, it focused on a single niche market by product development and innovation. After entering the supply chain successfully, the company continues to look for another new product opportunity in the same product field and try to enlarge the product mix in this product field. Meanwhile, the company starts to build up multiple product lines and tries to create technical platforms to leverage the existing competence. The niche-type IC design company adopts computer-based and design-based, quick-connect technology to leverage the existing competence and meet the market needs. With the organization system and proper management of the existing competence and organizational slack, the company adopts market diversification strategy to guide the new product development activities, initiate innovation, and build up new competence. Facing market opportunities, the company follows competence-based competition model with continuously building and leveraging competences, and catches the niche market by using diversified niche strategy. For an IC design firm, diversified niche strategy could be a viable growth strategy although it might expand slowly as the niche market turns into volume market. Implications to the existing theory and suggestions for companies struggling for growth are discussed. Keywords：IC Design Company, Growth Strategy, Competence-Based Competition, Organization Slack, Diversified-Niche Strategy