供應商品牌研究：以自行車零配件供應商為例

Abstract

以觀察供應商自創品牌的現象為研究的主要目的與問題，過去的研究發現往往強調為求在激烈的代工紅海中生存就必須建立名牌、減少代工的依賴，然而本研究認為大部分的台灣中小企業供應商，成長背景以代工起家，競爭優勢應來自於其品質卓越的製造能力及高度技術技基礎的研發設計能力，因此建立品牌是以減少市場中的資訊不對稱與交易成本並促進與客戶合作關係為主，而非擺脫代工朝向完全經營品牌。其次本研究認為以中小企業為多數的供應商在有限的資源基礎下並不足以負擔額外的行銷投資或分散過去以技術為優勢來源的投資。其自創品牌對資源分配的策略主要為應用（Exploitative）過去優勢來源，並加強研發投資分配的力道；而非分散有限資源，探索（Explorative）過去沒做過的廣告行銷。本研究於2011國際自行車展進行前測並以參展廠商名錄中的樣本為研究對象，透過交易成本經濟理論（Transaction Cost Economic）與資源基礎說（Resource-Based View）解釋供應商自創品牌的目的及其資源分配之現象。

We investigate the phenomenon of branding by original equipment manufacturing (OEM) suppliers and propose that the typical objective of branding is actually not to develop a renowned brand. Prior studies suggest that for a business to succeed and survive in an unforgiving competition, a business must strive to build a customer-oriented brand. However, most of Taiwanese small and medium enterprises (SMEs) grown up by OEM suppliers which capabilities are manufacturing or design. In current study, we argue that a brand is a method to mitigate the transaction cost and facilitated coordination in vertical value activities. Thus OEM supplier`s strategy will manifest itself in their resource allocation. Exploitative branding strategies are path-dependent by their OEM experience and capabilities, thus, focus on R&D investments, while explorative branding strategies as more customer-oriented require additional investments in marketing activities. An initial test with venders in “2011 Taipei International Cycle Show” indicates that the resource-based view (RBV) and transaction cost economic theory (TCE) can explain the linkage of relationship between action and objective of branding strategy.