從策略面剖析應用材料公司的關成功因素

Abstract

從早年的電子工業到80年代盛行的個人電腦到90年代的通信至今所謂的數位時代（information age），半導體工業總值已達美金1800億，應用材料公司因掌握適當時機以創新求變的企業文化在有遠見的執行長－詹姆士•摩根（James Morgan）近24年的領導下成為了世界第一的半導體設備供應商，其成功的祕訣在本論文中經由文獻探討中找到最適當的策略構面深入探討分析，其中包括企業總體策略、市場競爭策略、全球組織策略、技術研究發策略及產品策略等構面。在經過剖析後可摘要其關鍵成功因素如以下八點： (1) 卓越遠見及領導能力的領導者。 (2) 專注於半導體設備產業，但全面性擴展各設備區間市場。 (3) Sematech組織之成立及美國業者在80-90年代合作與日本業者競爭之助益。 (4) 率先深耕日本市場及建立全球化支援體系。 (5) 建立一個全球在各地本土的忠實合作夥伴。 (6) 能吸引國際一流人才並留住人才為其效力。 (7) 永遠搶先進入新市場及持續推出新產品及技術。 (8) 利用市場規模及廣大產品線之優勢。 除此之外應材以其規模之大卻仍保有小公司之彈性及應變能力，以其穩佔全球設備業龍頭寶座卻仍時時創新求變，雖然先建立全組織卻懂得培養重用當地本土高階主管，雖然極力全面地拓產市場但能要求在各區間市場保持不一，只能第二的高市佔率，雖然堅信推出新產品搶先機的優勢又能經與客戶長期合作關係來持續改善產品品質，這種種成就都含著相互矛盾的作用，但應材能擅用組織、善用人才，利用靈活策略加以一一克服並堅守本業且抱持"以客為尊"的原則以客戶的成功為目標建立起與客戶間長期的雙贏合作關係，這些都是應材所以能擁有今日成功不可或缺的因素。

From the early electronics era through popular PC in 80's and communication era in 90's the so-called "Information Age", the total semiconductor industry has achieved over USD 180B revenues. Under the strong leadership of Mr. James Morgan (CEO Since 1977), Applied Materials Inc. builds the number one semiconducter equipment company. This study is to analyze the key Success Factors of Applied Materials Inc. through a detailed analysis in different strategy content such as the corporate strategy, market strategy, globalization strategy, technology development strategy, product strategy and so on. The Key Success Factors are briefly itemized as following: (1) Strong and visionary leadership. (2) Focus on the core competence. (3) Support from "Sematech" organization in 80's (4) Early penetration into Japanese market and global organization's building up. (5) Develop a long term partnership with one key customer in each region. (6) Capability to attract the best hands and retain them. (7) Always enter the new market before competitors and continuously develop new technology and product. (8) Leverage the broad product lone and economic scale advantage. Applied Materials Inc. has been the number one supplier since 1992 with overall 60% market share, but still keeps the flexibility and agility of small company. Applied Materials has set up a global organization, but clearly understand how to manage the local subsidiary by local people. Applied Materials continuously develop new technology and product to the market as the pioneer, but meanwhile continuously work with customers to improve the efficiency of current product to reduce the cost. Through long term partnership, Applied Materials build up a "won-win" relationship with key customer in the world and that ensure the success of Applied Materials.