半導體智慧財產權廠商經營發展策略之研究 —以 Arm 為例

Abstract

半導體行業正處於一個過渡階段，我們看到某些細分市場趨於成熟，一些新的細分市場具有巨大的潛在成長。智能手機行業在過去十年推動了半導體行業的增長，但其增長正在趨於平緩。其他產業像5G基礎設施，數據中心，自動駕駛汽車，機器學習和物聯網則正經歷快速成長。在此背景下，本文探討Arm作為半導體行業領先的知識產權（IP）提供商如何從市場中獲取價值，所處的競爭環境以及採用何種成長策略來實現超越市場平均增長目標。 本研究著眼於半導體行業的根本變化，包括從垂直整合模式向國際專業分工的供應鏈模式轉變，以及最近的行業整合浪潮及其對競爭格局的影響。使用數個學術模型以Arm作為案例研究，包括Porter的行業5力分析，公司的資源和能力模型，BCG的業務組混合分析以及Porter的通用競爭戰略模型。使用這些模型來分析Arm，揭示了Arm在智能手機市場上成功的原因，並探討Arm必須達成哪些目標以駕馭下一波成長機會。本文還借鑒了其他模型，如Prahalad和Hamel的核心競爭力模型，Michael Treacy和Fred Wiersema的價值信條，以及一些Arm的內部模型（業務轉型模型，增長模型），以便更好地了解Arm的關鍵焦點和業務拓展方向。 本文也是透過在Arm工作超過15年而獲得的深刻見解和反思而撰寫的。為了應對科技行業的快速變化及抓住成長商機，Arm在製定戰略和方向，改變組織結構，併購新公司和退出某些市場等方面已經歷許多巨大的改變。很明顯，在這個增長過程中承擔風險並允許失敗是不可避免的，但是Arm必須確保大的方向和策略是正確的，策略的執行是紮實有效率的，並且如果結果不如預期，它必須盡快地修正策略。本文最後提供了一些建議對於Arm如何能夠在其成長目標上取得更好的成功。它必須採用不同的方法來運營其現有成熟事業與新興事業，利用SoftBank集團的聯繫拓展業務，並更好地完成併購活動達到所預期的目的。

The semiconductor industry is going through a transitional phase where we see certain segments mature and some segments emerge with big potential growth. The smartphone industry has propelled the growth in the semiconductor industry over the last decade but its growth is flattening. On the horizon we see growth segments in 5G infrastructure, data centers, autonomous driving vehicles, machine learning, and internet of things. Against this backdrop this paper examines how Arm as a leading Intellectual Property (IP) provider in the semiconductor industry positions itself to capture value from the market, the competitive environment it operates in, and the growth strategies it adopts to deliver above market average growth. This research looks at the fundamental changes in the semiconductor industry, including the shift from a vertically integrated model to an international cooperation model through specialization, and also the recent industry consolidation wave and its impact on the competitive landscape. It uses multiple academic models to analyze Arm as a case study including the Porter’s industry 5-force analysis, company’s resources and capabilities model, BCG’s business group mix analysis, and Porter’s generic competitive strategy model. Using these models to analyze Arm reveals reasons why Arm is successful to this date in the smartphone market, and raises questions about what Arm must achieve in order to ride the next waves of opportunities. This paper also draws upon other models like Prahalad and Hamel’s core competency model, Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema’s value disciplines, and a couple of Arm’s internal models (business transformation model, growth model) to better understand Arm’s key focuses and business directions. This paper is also written with much insight and introspection gained from working in Arm for over 15 years. In response to the rapid changes in the tech industry and its goal to capitalize on the market opportunities, Arm has embraced many huge changes in terms of setting its strategies & directions, changing the organization structure, acquiring new companies and capabilities, and exiting some market areas. It is evident that taking risks and allowing room for failure is inevitable in this growth journey, but Arm must ensure that the big directions and strategies are right, its execution is solid, and course-correct as fast as it can if the strategy does not work out as expected. This paper offers some recommendations in the end relative to how Arm can come out on top of its growth goals. It must adopt different approaches to running its established business vs the emerging business, leverage the SoftBank group’s connections, and do a better job of the M&A activities.