摘要: | 我們都知道愛迪生 (Thomas Alva Edison) 是位偉大的發明家,是個不得了的曠世奇才,但你可能不知道的是,他更是一位策略型創業家。在18世紀的美國,人們習慣使用煤油燈 (gas lamp) 來照明,而煤氣商自然地成了既得利益者,壟斷了整個市場。而在電燈泡普及以前,愛迪生花了整整十幾年的時間與社會環境和制度纏鬥,目的就是為了將他的發明推廣出去。
愛迪生藉由設計策略和物件來一一回應這些阻礙創新推廣的力量,最後的結果如你所見,愛迪生的電燈系統取代了煤氣照明系統,因為愛迪生深諳一個道理:「以柔方能克剛」,面對這些阻礙應當智取,而非豪奪。過去在討論創新的推廣時,都將焦點放在創新本身的功能及經濟優勢,卻忽略了外在環境的影響,即制度的力量和社會大眾的認知,很多時候,創新推廣的失敗,是因為太過「新穎」,使致其價值與意義遠遠超乎社會大眾的認知邏輯。本研究基於此觀點,並借鑑愛迪生的故事,使用個案研究法,釐清本研究個案公司 (UBER 台灣) 在推廣它創新的營運模式時,遭遇了哪些制度的力量,而透過這個故事,提出新的洞見 (insight),給予科技創新者新的推廣思維。
關鍵詞:UBER、科技創新、創新推廣、制度理論、強力設計、質化研究、個案分析 ;Many people know that Thomas Alva Edison is a great inventor, an enduring genius, but what you may not know is that he was a brilliant entrepreneur. During the 18th century in America, people used to use the gas lamp to illuminate, and the gas companies had become vested interests and monopolized the market. Before the bulb became popular, Edison had spent over a decade to fight the social circumstance and institutional forces, with a purpose to promote his invention.
By planning his strategies carefully, Edison responded well to all of these forces which stifle innovation to be promoted. The final result, as you can see, Edison′s electric lighting system has replaced the gas lighting system, because Edison knew the truth: "to use softness to conquer strength." While facing strong obstacles one should outsmart rather than seizing. In the past, when people discussing the promotion of innovation, they almost focused on functions of innovation and economic advantages, but ignored the impact of the external circumstance which are institutional forces and public′s schemas. Most of the time, an innovation is too "novel" for the public to understand the value and significance and therefore causes a failure of promotion. This study is based on this view and the lesson from Edison′s story to clarify the business case of UBER Taiwan, who is facing some institutional forces when UBER promotes its innovative business model. Through this story, here to propose a new insight and to promote new thinking towards technological innovators in Taiwan.
Keyword:UBER, Technology Innovation, Promotion of Innovation, Institutional Theory, Robust Design, Qualitative Research, Case Study |