我國發展熱昇華相片印表機耗材產業之競爭優勢研究—以M公司創業為例

Abstract

熱昇華列印技術在五十年前就被研發出來，二十年前許多公司積極投入研究，歷經十年，大部份放棄，只剩少數幾個廠商在利基市場繼續研究改善，而在最近突然蓬勃發展。Geoffrey用羅吉斯(Everett Rogers)的「技術採用生命週期」(Technology Adoption life Cycle)模式，在其著作跨越鴻溝(Crossing the Chasm)和龍捲風暴(Inside the tornado)，可解釋為何熱昇華列印技術歷經五十年的發展，在跨越鴻溝後選擇了利基市場，形成了保齡球效應，終於在列印技術與成本的改善為主流市場所接受而形成龍捲風暴。

印表機技術門檻高，我國在此光電列印產業一直處於劣勢，沒有完整的產業結構，因此我國在印表機產品及其耗材產業產值偏低。該產品與市場幾乎都是歐美日大廠品牌，且其利潤與業績的模式都是百分之八十以上來自耗材的銷售。因此參考 Michael Porter 之競爭策略 〝 產業環境及競爭者分析〞，將本國發展彩色熱昇華印表機之耗材產業環境進行分析，並以M公司研發，生產此耗材與創業過程中所遭遇到的問題。

The Dye-sublimation Technology was invented fifty years ago. It was twenty years ago that more then 20 worldwide famous companies who put lots of effort in developing that technology for ten years long. But only few of them are still in that market for the past ten years. Suddenly the emerging market grows rapidly. By using Everett Roggers “Technology adoption Life Cycle” model Geoffery explain those phenomenons in his two books “Cross the Chasm” and “Inside the Tornado”.

In Taiwan we are not good in printers and its’ consumer products. Now we have a company who designs, produces and sells in his own brand name of dye sublimation printer very well. But he can not design and produce the color ribbon and photo paper. We think there is a chance for us to do that in Taiwan. It is time for us to evaluate the infrastructure of Taiwan chemical industry, education system, machinery’s industry and government system. Try to answer the question: Is it a good timing for M company to start the color ribbon and photo paper production in Taiwan?