台灣中小型獨立軟體開發商成長策略之個案研究

Abstract

台灣資訊硬體產業在全球市場中扮演舉足輕重的角色，也培養出許多具有國際競爭力的廠商。然而，台灣的資訊軟體產業的發展一直不如預期，除了少數幾家軟體業者有能力走出國際市場外，絕大多數軟體公司仍處於規模與產值過小，不僅面臨成長的瓶頸，更遑論走出台灣，進入國際市場。中小型獨立軟體開發商(Independent Software Vendor; ISV)究竟在發展上遇到那些困難，應該如何建立有效且可持續的成長策略，才能得以突破現況，進而開創國際市場，這引發本論文的興趣。本研究試圖透過產業分析架構，有系統地針對產業現狀、國際趨勢進行分析，並選取一家具代表性的ISV作為個案，進行深度的個案分析，期能提出適合國內台灣中小型ISV的成長模式。 本研究首先就資服暨軟體產業現狀與趨勢進行探討，比較全球與台灣市場差異。接著，根據企業成長策略的3S架構、變革管理的C-SOP架構、動態競爭鑽石模型與國際化策略的3A架構，解析個案公司的成功關鍵，並據以提出台灣中小型ISV未來發展的可行模式。 本研究認為，面對台灣內需市場過小、資訊軟體人才不足以及經濟成長遲緩的現況，台灣中小型ISV應掌握全球雲端運算蓬勃的發展契機，從人力密集的委外專案開發、套裝軟體銷售一次性獲利模式，積極轉向雲端服務訂閱式的商業模式，藉由雲端服務產業價值鏈開拓國際市場，以建立可持續成長的營運模式。

Taiwan’s electronic hardware industry has played a significant role in the global market, and is widely known for its cost competitiveness and operational efficiency. On the contrary, the development of software industry in Taiwan falls apparently behind. Most of the software companies in Taiwan are small in size; grow slowly and far from being globally competitive. Nevertheless, while the existing OEM model undertaken by hardware industry for long has encountered tough challenges during recent years, government may consider to aggressively invest in information service and software industries to support future economic growth. Hence, it is critical to unravel the winning formula of software business in general, independent software vendor (ISV) in particular. Based on both industry-level analyses firm-level case-based exploration, our study discusses the status and trend of information service and software industry, pointing out the distinctiveness between global and domestic market. Next, we summarize the key success factors for the study case based on the 3S structure for business development strategy, C-SOP framework for change management, diamond framework for competitive dynamics and 3A structure for internationalization strategy and finally propose a feasible growth strategy for ISVs in Taiwan. We therefore suggests that the small-and-medium ISV in Taiwan should take advantage of the flourishing of cloud computing trend, change the business model from project-based/product-based to cloud subscription based. Furthermore, they should proactively leverage the cloud industry value chain to expand the international market and establish a sustainable business model.