由A公司Set top box(STB)發展經驗探討台灣多媒體IC設計產業的策略

Abstract

一家IC計設公司的成立，首先要看其掌握的設計研發人力素質及能量，並經由策略分析，決定切入市場的產品及策略，並需能提出一個有競爭力的核心競爭策略與商業經營模式。A公司在2002年初由華邦Spin-off出來時，考量當時多媒體IC的大環境與主要競爭者的資源與經濟規模，透過SWOT分析，尋找到STB/DVB-S產品來切入市場。透過複製DVD功能的差異化價值，做好大陸客戶技術服務與具吸引力的價格策略，使得DVB-S在第一代和第二代的產品非常成功，也因此有了第一桶金的產生及Scale-up初期時的成功。 然而在中期Scale up時，面臨到完全不同的市場需求與競爭者，由於產品策略的定位不符合在中國以外的市場需求，並在產品研發一開始時，沒有做好3-5年的整體競爭策略規畫，進而在公司整體資源的侷促限制下，損失非常多的機會導致功敗垂成。總言而之，STB的成功是因為在初期階段，沒有同質性高的台灣競爭者，並在既有的DVD的技術基礎底下，發展出符合中國大陸廣大農民需求的產品。STB的失敗也是因為當Scale up時，要去切入全球市場時，公司的經濟規模、經營管理、內部的研發管理、產品的定位與功能都還沒有發展到世界一流的地位而導致失敗。多媒體IC市場在21世紀的現在，是資源競逐的一場全方位競爭，不管在研發資源、產品定位、市場掌控、成本、品質與交貨等，都必須把公司的體質提升到世界一流的能力，透過策略性的思維與做法，才有辦法在這一場競爭中勝出。另外無論策略再好，研發人力再優，資源再怎麼豐富，一個公司的執行力更是成功的關鍵，能夠把好的策略性想法，領先競爭者實際執行出來，才能產生真正的價值。 在過去30年全球的IC產業歷史中，不乏一代拳王的大起大落故事。其失敗原因不論是歸咎於公司領導人的特質，或是成功後決策的失當，或是高估自己、低估競爭者的氛圍--等，不管何原因，如何在成功後，避免成功症候群的發生是企業永續發展的關鍵。

The establishment of an IC fabless company begins by evaluating the design and business development ability. Strategic analyses determine how a product enters the market. Furthermore, one needs to develop a competitive strategy and business model. The company A was spinned-off from Winbond in 2002. After evaluating the resource requirement and the economic magnitude of multi-media IC industry. with SWOT analyses, company A found STB /DVB-S product line ideal for entering the market. Three KSF at the beginning stage included IC’s feature differentiation copied from DVD, good technical service for China customers, and attractive pricing strategy. The great market response made a huge succcess to company A in the DVB-S product.. However, the company A was facing a totally different market and competition during the later scale-up period of DVB-S product. The failure of fulfilling the demand of non-China market, inadequate product plan at the beginning stage, and a lack of strong RD resource support led to the loss of many key opportunities and ultimate failure of the company. Overall, the successes of 1st and 2nd generation DVB-S products for the company A were based on its converting the DVD technology to develop a product, which completely met China farmer’s requirement and the lack of competition from other Taiwan IC design house. The failure of the STB happened during scale-up. As the economic scale, operation management, RD management, product position and product plan of the cpmpany A all did not achieve the world-class level which were necessary to be a winner in the multi-media industry in 21st century. After all, a company’s execution ability is one of the most important KSF (key success factor). The ability to surpass all competitors in executing the right straties would determine a firm’s ultimate desting. During the past three decades of IC industry, there were many stories about the boxing champion with a single generation product. Regardless of the reasons for failure which may include leader’s characters, wrong decision, over-estimating oneself, or underestimating competitors, the prevention of success inertia on leaders is crucial to an enterprise’s long term survival and development.