台灣蝴蝶蘭產業的在地文化、創新、路徑依賴與地方性

The Importance of Local Culture, Innovation, Path Dependence, and Locality in the Taiwanese Phalaenopsis Industry

蔡漢生(Han-Sheng Tsai)

《南台人文社會學報》 18期 (2018/02) Pp. 109-144

摘要

蝴蝶蘭產業是台灣最具國際競爭力的農業項目，也是台灣發展精緻農業或科技農業的成功典範。本研究長期針對該產業進行田野調查、文獻耙梳，並整合議題思考理脈而蒐集與分析資料，從而發現它在全球的最大競爭優勢在於育種和生產的創新能力。這些競爭優勢的建構，除台灣的氣候條件、人才素質與創新能力外，主要沿襲台灣三股文化脈絡之路徑依賴的創新所建構：一是源自台灣早期有閒階級之偏好欣賞新奇蘭花品種的社會文化，孕育出優異的品種創新能力；二是學習中小企業強調彈性專精分工的產業文化，創造出高生產力的分工體系；三是承襲設立專業產業園區的政策文化，建構出完備的供應鏈和群聚效應。該產業因此跳脫傳統農業的發展路徑，並以其領先全球之品種創新和營運效能的地方性，造就台灣成為全球蝴蝶蘭種苗的最大出口國，因而鑲嵌在全球蝴蝶蘭產業鏈中的關鍵位置。秉此證明，該產業在全球的競爭優勢是沿襲台灣在地文化的路徑創新，是無此文化環境的國家所難以模仿和挑戰，在地文化就成為打造差異化競爭策略的重要利器。

關鍵字

蝴蝶蘭產業 ； 在地文化 ； 創新 ； 路徑依賴 ； 地方性

並列摘要

The Phalaenopsis industry is the agricultural field in which Taiwan is the most competitive globally, and serves as an example of Taiwan's successful development of high-end agricultural technology. After conducting long-term field research on this industry, along with the collection and analysis of related literature and statistical data, it emerged that the source of the industry's global competitiveness is its innovative capabilities in breeding and production. Apart from the advantage conferred by the country's climate, its quality of talent, and the focus on innovation, the industry benefitted from Taiwan's path dependence, which is based on three aspects of local culture. The first is the leisure class's cultural appreciation of new orchid species in early Taiwan, which ultimately gave rise to innovation and exceptional varieties; the second is the industrial culture's emphasis on flexible specialization derived from small and medium-sized enterprises and leading to a highly productive division of labor; the third is the policy of establishing industrial parks, which created a complete supply chain and helped the industry achieve critical mass. All these enabled Taiwanese growers to move away from the developmental path of traditional agriculture and become a global leader in creating new varieties, as well as improving operational efficiency. This not only made Taiwan the world's largest exporter of Phalaenopsis, but also embedded the industry in a key position in the product's global supply chain. It follows that the competitive edge of this industry stemmed from the innovation fostered by Taiwan's location and culture. Other countries which lack these attributes find it hard to imitate or challenge Taiwan. Thus, local culture is an important factor in creating competitive strategy based on differentiation.

並列關鍵字

Phalaenopsis industry ； local culture ； innovation ； path dependence ； locality