物聯網衝擊下台灣家電代理商價值研究- 以H公司為例

Abstract

「代理商」在商業活動價值鏈中，利用供需兩端被「適度隔離」，不易直接進行交易， 於是有了獲取利潤的機會，這也創造了中間商的價值。數位時代，網路工具減少資訊不對稱的情形，資訊快速流通使得消費者偏好多變；而物聯網時代，雲端使得消費者與製造端直接對話，「去中間化」壓縮了代理商空間，直接衝擊許多商業活動。

本研究將探究物聯網在家電產業發展現狀，並找出台灣小家電代理商因應過程所面對的問題如下：(1)智慧家電其終端產品技術發展狀況與限制，代理商「新品開發」評估的關鍵點。(2)探討IoT的新經營環境，如台灣智慧家電發展與市場接受程度，以及通路變革，代理商因應之道。(3)家電產業「服務價值鏈」中，代理商如何重塑「核心能力」，即內部科技服務部門、物流等等人才與軟硬體因應。(4)國際品牌海外經營策略的可能改變，而區域代理商有何談判籌碼。

本研究將採用「質性研究」方法中的「個案研究法」，將蒐集的初級與次級資料以「價值鏈理論」、「服務創新模型」等組織資料，以歸納與演繹相關所做的的研究發現。

研究個案H公司，西元1960年創立，初期經營日系進口相關零件，曾是台灣第二大傳統相機代理商，2000年間逐漸轉型成專業行銷代理商，主要代理小家電，此研究欲分析其面對「去中間化」的威脅、智慧家電廠商大舉進軍，而消費者接受度未明…以上種種外在因素下，如何發揮其核心能力，並藉由本研究探討提出管理建議。

研究結論發現，組織靈活度，是迎戰新經營環境時重要的支持，科技能力則是進入下一階段的必要能力，而代理商除既有的通路經營、行銷能力之外，精耕在地顧客資產、服務創新能力將可重塑代理商價值。

關鍵字: 代理商價值、物聯網、台灣小家電There is an information asymmetry gap between the seller and the buyer in a transaction. Therefore, the function of agents is important and valuable. The internet has improved the information asymmetry problem in the digital age. New information is easily accessible, allowing people to have more choices than before. In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), buyers and sellers communicate through the cloud. Agents’ profits are decreasing in the transaction process which has a huge impact on business activities. This research focused on how IoT is applied in the home appliance industry. The agents in the home appliance industry are anticipated to face four problems. 1). As new product development depends on the skills and the limitations of the whole industry, what is the key evaluation factors? 2). This research is going to explore the possibilities for the agents to manage the market and selling space in the home appliance industry. 3). How to rebuild the core capabilities in the value chain of the home appliance industry. 4). When the international brands change their strategies, what kinds of advantages will the agent receive in negotiations? This research will adopt a qualitative research method. All contexts are based on primary and secondary information of the case company (hereafter H company) which is collected and analyzed in terms of Value Chain Theory and Service Innovation Model. H company was established at 1960’s. It was the second largest camera agent in Taiwan. During the 2000’s, H company became a professional marketing agent with the main products on home appliances. First, this research is going to analyze the changes of the environment, the marketplace and competitors of H company, of which then we can provide some management advice to the company. The result of this research is to show that maintaining organization flexibility supports the company to go through the all environmental changes. The utilization of technology is a critical point for the company in order to get to the next stage. The agent has to focus on maintaining local customers. The ability of innovation will enable agents to rebuild value.

Key word: value creation of agent, IOT, home appliance