世界台灣商會組織與功能之研究

Abstract

全球各地台灣商會的成立與台灣80年代後期之僑務政策、南向政策以及經濟發展走向有密切關係，因此商會本身不僅能反映台商對外投資的經濟實力，且具備聯誼、服務、急難處理、同業聯繫網絡、建立台商在投資區域的社會形象等多項政治及經濟功能，在台灣外交情況特殊的前提下，商會更成為我國與非邦交國家間交流的重要橋樑。事實上，台灣商會本身所具備的功能，除了具有經濟面向以及政治面向的功能外，其在政府部門以及企業間扮演的中介角色，如促進海外贊助與救援及辦理各項聯誼活動，進一步增進海外台商對台灣的向心力及認同感等皆有舉足輕重的功能。而台灣社會一直存在著與兩岸關係密切連動的國家認同問題，這樣的議題不僅僅影響了國內的選舉及政經情勢，亦常常牽動了台灣的發展競爭能力，而台灣商會在這樣的時代背景下，由於其具有的經濟影響力已足以影響國家政策，亦常常成為左右台灣社會的重要力量，舉凡從政黨、商業、法制、社會經濟的層面來看，台商對於台灣的前景、認同感，都會影響著台灣社會經濟的發展以及將來國家的走向。 因此，在認同台灣的前提下，旅外的台灣商人在全球各地成立獨立的台灣商會，透過聚沙成塔的效應下，逐漸形成了洲際以及各分支商會，最後更在1994年成立了世界台灣商會聯合總會，統合所有分會的力量並凝聚共識，因此世界台灣商會聯合總會的結構與功能，便成為具有代表性的研究課題。一般時候商會僅僅單純提供一個平台讓台商能夠互通資訊、聯絡感情，但有時候卻因其具有經濟實力之本質，取代國與國間正式的外交手段與管道，擔負起類似第二軌道外交的工作，包含協調、交涉等替代功能，服務商會會員、所屬投資企業、我國僑民、甚至是台灣的特定政黨，成為彼等之喉舌，具有其特殊的存在價值以及意義，由於台灣商會對台灣的政經情勢有直接的影響，對協助政府拓展國際空間以及確保台灣政治經濟利益，扮演積極發展台灣經貿的角色，是引發筆者研究動機之所在。 為了能更有系統對台灣商會的組織與功能進行瞭解，本論文運用了社會功能學派學者帕森思所提出的結構功能論，他認為任何一個社會系統若要生存發展，皆必須有四種基本而必備的功能。一是環境適應(Adaptation)，指社會系統必須對外界之壓力及需求有所適應。二是目標達成(Goal-Attainment)，指社會系統在認定目標之後，動員內在資源以達成目標。三是內部整合(Integration)，指社會系統需將系統內部之各單位統合協調為一整體。四是型態維持(Latent Pattern- Maintenance)，亦即潛在功能問題，亦指維持社會系統之文化模式，以上四個問題，便是結構功能學上所著稱的「AGIL」系統。而這樣的理論正好可以幫助我們理解包括組織在內的社會現象，因此除了可以進一步解釋台灣商會的組織與功能，更可對影響商會的客觀環境進行分析。 台灣商會成立當時有其特殊的兩岸及國內因素，由於台灣的政權在2008年重新輪替，將來為因應環境之變遷以及兩岸關係的良性發展，商會所展現的功能及政府應該輔導的方向必須有所調整，如果未能達到存續、發展之預期目標，組織必定會被環境淘汰，甚至影響到台灣經濟以及國家安全。因此商會功能引導除了以效率為導向外，必須顧及國家安全及經濟安全、力求合理化而非弱化其各項功能、體現台灣價值與經貿實力。

The establishment of the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce across the world is highly intertwined with the policies of the R.O.C. government, cross-strait relationship, and the international situations. Therefore, the economic power of these chambers not only makes them the perfect platform for communicating and sharing commercial information with each other, they also have the function of lobbying, problem-solving, and cohering national identity in foreign countries. In fact, given the unique status of Taiwan in the world, these chambers have become a vital communication channel with countries with which Taiwan does not have formal diplomatic ties. Furthermore, the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce are also the direct products of the complicated cross-strait relationship, as there is always the problem of national identity in Taiwan. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to further understand the organization and function of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce and how they influence the society of Taiwan. With the premises of recognizing Taiwan, overseas Taiwanese businessmen voluntarily started to form independent chambers of commerce, and eventually, chambers of commerce at the regional and continental level are established to unify their branches. Finally, with the guidance and financial support of the R.O.C. government, the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce was established in 1994 to oversee all its branches. In order to decipher how and why the chambers exist and work, the theory of structural functionalism, brought up by renowned scholar, T. Parsons, is applied to this thesis. Parsons believes that if any social system wants to survive and progress, four basic functions are needed. The first is “Adaptation,” which means that a social system has to adjust and adapt to the external pressures and need. The second is “Goal-attainment,” which means that after the goal is recognized by a social system, the necessary resources are mobilized to attain that goal. The third is “Integration,” which means that a social system has to unify and organize all its units. The last is “Latent Pattern- Maintenance,” which is the recessive function of a social system. The above four functions make up the famous system of “AGIL,” this theory is applied to understand the organization and function of the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce. Finally, since the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce was established by many unique factors, it’s worthy to note whether the benign interaction between the Taiwan Strait might affect the future of these chambers. And the government of the R.O.C. should concisely and comprehensively modify its policy when guiding these chambers for the good of the nation. In the end, hopefully the power of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce can be put into good use, and eventually manifest the true value and economic strength of Taiwan.