A Strategic Analysis of V.S./Taiwan Wood Furniture Trade

中美木質家具貿易之策略分析

Paul M. Smith

《林產工業》 8卷3期 (1989/09) Pp. 1-12

摘要

國際競爭已成為現代商業經理所必需面臨的挑戰，在1950年代，世界貿易的成長開始超過世界國民生產額之成長，代表國際競爭環境基本改變的肇始（波特，1986）。來自國外木質家具工業日益增加的競爭，反映成一組新的經濟力量，影響了需要勞力密集的製造業。這種全球性工業的出現，配合日益萎縮的國際市場，其涵義影響深遠。人們傳統上喜歡以木材們家用或辦公用家具。在過去數十年間，由於製造及運輸技術上的突破加上整個世界上相對成本結構的變化，使國際間木質家具貿易的金額與數量均大增，中美木質家具貿易額之激增，即是一最佳的例子。本文目的在概述受國際市場力量影響的中美木質家具貿易之發展；找出及評估決定家具製造及市場相對優勢之因子；並強調在國際家具業中，美國可扮演濶葉樹林供應商的角色；最後探討木質家具貿易的未來及影響產品交流的推廣及妨礙等因子。

關鍵字

木質家具貿易 ； 濶葉樹材 ； 國際木材市場 ； 中美家具貿易

並列摘要

International competition represents a basic issue challenging business managers today. In the 1950's, the growth in world trade began to exceed the growth in world GNP, thus signaling the start of a fundamental change in the international competitive environment (Porter 1986). Increased competition from abroad in the wood furniture industry reflects a changing set of economic forces emerging in labor intensive manufacturing industries. The strategic implications of these emerging global industries coupled with the staggering magnitude of the international market are far reaching. Wood has traditionally been the a preferred material for household and office furniture. During the past few decades, international trade in wooden furniture has gained in volume and value due largely to advancements in production and transportation technologies and shifts in comparative costs throughout the world. The increased volume of wooden furniture trade between Taiwan and the U.S. is one example of such development. The purpose of this paper is to overview the development in U.S. (Taiwan wooden furniture trade relative to international market forces. Major elements determining the comparative advantages in furniture manufacturing and marketing are identified and evaluated. Moreover, the role of the U.S. as a supplier of hardwood raw material supplier to international furniture manufacturers is addressed. Finally, implications for future wood furniture trade and factors promoting and inhibiting product flows are considered.

並列關鍵字

Wood furniture trade ； Hardwood lumber ； International wood market ； US-Taiwan furniture trade