網路系絡下之平台發展策略

Development of Platform Strategy in the Network Context

周志隆(Chih-Lung Chou)

指導教授 ： 江炯聰

國立臺灣大學/管理學院/商學研究所/博士(2005年)

https://doi.org/10.6342/NTU.2005.10295

摘要

既有的平台策略文獻中，區隔市場的方式不適用於具有網路效應的市場。既有文獻將市場依據消費族群以及他們對功能水準與價格的不同需求加以區隔。採行平台策略的廠商可以組裝平台模組與針對不同市場區隔所設計的互補組件，有效率地設計多樣產品把握市場機會。然而，對於資訊與通訊技術領域的新產品或服務而言，相容性通常比功能水準或價格更具基本價值，而且互補組件與衍生產品的設計與提供乃由一群廠商分散決策，採行平台策略並不一定可獲得競爭優勢，例如IBM OS/2與Netscape Navigator。在具有網路效應的市場中，假設廠商皆已採行傳統之平台策略，其個別策略對網路效應的掌握將影響平台的成敗。本研究旨在提出一考量網路效應的平台發展管理架構，使廠商經由管理步驟獲得競爭優勢。
此管理架構乃根據網路效應理論，以及在網路環境下近期興起之平台的個案研究結論所建構。所選個案包括Microsoft .NET，NTT DoCoMo i-mode，以及Apple iTunes/iPod。此管理架構強調平台廠商應把握自行提供使用者互動功能的機會，藉直接網路效應創造價值；以及處理間接網路效應之市場雙邊性，亦即同時面對交互影響的消費者市場與互補組件市場，平台廠商應藉相容性決策引入其他平台之網路利益，引導互補組件之設計與提供，管理平台上多元互補組件之供需與交易，在創新的動態過程中確保平台領導地位。管理架構中反覆的管理步驟連結成正向迴饋的因果關係，使平台策略的利益能因網路效應而自我增強。
本研究提出平台策略的新觀點，將平台策略的研究推及具有網路效應的市場，對平台發展提出較先前文獻更具體的實務建議。本研究個案之代表性可將研究成果推及未來網際網路上組合軟體，無線通信，與內容產業的各式新平台發展之研究。

關鍵字

平台策略 ； 網路效應 ； .NET ； i-mode ； iTunes ； iPod

並列摘要

The way the existing literature on platform strategy treats the market is inappropriate to deal with markets with network effects. In the literature, the market is segmented by customer groups and their tiers of needs of performance and price. With platform strategy, designers can assemble platforms and complements designed for target market segments to derive product variations for catching market opportunities efficiently. However, for new products of information and communication technology (ICT), compatibility is often of more fundamental value than performance and price, the complements and derived products are developed and marketed by a group of technologically and commercially interdependent companies, and thereby conventional platform strategy may not lead to competitive advantage through internal efficient product design. For example, IBM OS/2 and Netscape Navigator are finely designed platforms but failed. Supposing the contester for a market with network effects applies conventional platform strategy, the fit between its strategy and the network context will affect the outcome of the platform. The purpose of this research is to develop a framework for managing the platform development under the network context. Through the management steps, the platform provider shall obtain competitive advantage based on network effects.
The managerial framework is constructed based on network economics and conclusion of case studies on strategies of representative emerging platforms, including Microsoft .NET, NTT DoCoMo i-mode, and Apple iTunes/iPod. The managerial framework emphasizes creating value by in-house designing functions with direct network effects, and dealing with the two-sidedness of the market with indirect network effects. That is, when facing buyers and sellers holding each other back, the new platform provider shall break the interlock by importing network benefits from other platforms with compatibility decisions, channeling the innovation of complementors, managing the demand and supply for diverse complements, and keeping the platform leadership in the dynamic process of system innovation. The iterative management steps seek to complete loops of positive feedback for the benefits of platform strategy to self-reinforce.
For practitioners, this research makes more concrete and actionable suggestions than previous platform strategy literature. The representative cases are helpful to following researches on new platforms emerging from the convergence of software, mobile telecom, and digital content on the Internet infrastructure.

並列關鍵字

Platform Strategy ； Network Effects ； .NET ； i-mode ； iTunes ； iPod

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