從代工到自創品牌：在合作中啟動競爭

From OEM Supplier to OBM: Initiating Competition in Cooperation

儘管代工在國際分工佔有關鍵角色，鑑於代工利潤不斷壓低，許多代工廠商紛紛轉型自創品牌。過去對於代工到自創品牌議題之研究尚未有從動態競爭及競合觀點切入。然而自創品牌如同在合作中啟動競爭，代工廠採取哪些策略來降低對方報復的可能性或延遲對方的回應？以動態競爭觀點解釋在合作中啟動競爭，其適用性為何？本研究依據四家個案公司分析結果，發現代工廠之策略會考慮到與品牌客戶間的競合關係。代工廠會主動告知提高對方的察覺，避免面對面直接競爭，分散訂單來源，減低對方之反擊動機；且會提高與對方的資源相似性，以拉高其回應困難度。在合作中啟動競爭不同於兩個競爭者間純粹的競爭關係，也不同於與競爭者合作的本質，本研究延伸動態競爭與競合觀點對不同現象的詮釋。所提出之研究發現與命題有助於實務上代工廠自創品牌策略決策行動之重要參考。

None of the research regarding the issue from OEM-supply to OBM has been paid to exploring the nature of competitive dynamic and coopetition between an OEM supplier and its brand partner. The OBM is considered as “initiating competition in cooperation”. How can an OEM supplier move to reduce the chance of retaliation or to delay opponent’s response? How the competitive dynamics perspective may apply to interpreting the phenomenon of initiating competition in cooperation? This study conducted a multiple-case method to investigate four companies, demonstrating that an OEM supplier would consider both competition and cooperation strategies. It may proactively reveal its branding intention to increase partner’s awareness. It may avoid head-on competition and decrease the market commonality to diminish the partner’s response motivation. It may commit resource investment to increase the resource similarity, thus escalating the partner’s difficulty of responding. Theoretically, this study explores phenomenon of “initiating competition in cooperation”, which is different from the “conventional competition” and “cooperation with competitor”. This study contributes to the extension and application of both competitive dynamics and coopetition perspectives. Practically, the findings and propositions derived from this study provide important references for managers’ strategies moving from OEM-supply to OBM.