新竹市於清領時期即為北臺灣政治、經濟重心，戰後受到臺北都會發展以及二級產業的沒落，商業活動逐漸沈寂。直到升格省轄市及新竹科學園區設置後，商業活動復甦，各項商業指標成長速度皆優於全省平均。本研究主要探討戰後新竹市商業發展的情形，並進一步暸解政策因素對地區商業發展造成的影響程度。 本研究主要分為三個部份，第一章主要探討二次大戰前新竹市商業活動的性質與地位；第二章為戰後至升格省轄市之前商業活動沈寂情形與原因探討；第三章則是升格省轄市後商況與新竹科學園區連動關係的研究。本研究以行政變遷為時間斷限，探討政策因素對商業地位提升的影響，並暸解新竹市與鄰近鄉鎮生活圈的商業關聯性，以人口成長、商店數量、商業種類、商店規模、商圈分布的狀況為依據，探討新竹市商業變化的情形。本研究指出，新竹市商業發展起飛最快速的階段為民國70年以後，主要受到新竹科學園區設置後帶來的消費人口與消費能力，使得新竹市的商業發展較前期快速，百貨公司或大型賣場的密度皆相當高。但是受到腹地及地理位置的限制，商業發展卻不及鄰近桃園、台中的成長幅度，使得新竹市出現消費外流的情形，造成新竹市商業活動始終只能侷限於次都會中心的規模。Hsinchu City has been the political and economical center of northern Taiwan since the era of Qing occupation, but following the end of World War II, the rise of the Taipei metropolitan area and the decline of secondary industries, commercial activity in the city fell to a historic low. It was only until Hsinchu was elevated into a provincial city and the Hsinchu Science Park was established that commercial activity was revived, and now the growth rate of business indicators in all sectors is above national median. The purpose of this research is to examine commercial development in post-war Hsinchu so as to understand the degree of influence policy factors have on the commercial development of a districtThis paper is divided into three sections. Chapter 1 is a discussion of the nature and position of commercial activity in Hsinchu City prior to World War II; Chapter 2 is an examination of the situation and reasons for the decline of commercial activity after the war and before Hsinchu was elevated into a provincial city; Chapter 3 is an analysis of the relationship between commercial activity after the elevation into a provincial city and the establishment of the Hsinchu Science Park. Time periods in this study were delineated according to administrative transitions in order to clarify the influence policy factors have on the strengthening of commercial positions and the commercial relationship between Hsinchu City and neighboring township or village living parameters. Shifts in commercial activity within Hsinchu City were examined according to the categories of population growth, store numbers, commercial varieties, business scale, and business distribution.This study found that the phase during which commercial development in Hsinchu City grew exponentially was after the 1980s, mostly in response to increases in consumer population and capabilities following the establishment of the Hsinchu Science Park, resulting in more rapid commercial development than before, and a dense distribution of department stores and megastores. However, limitations in economic hinterland and geographical location has caused commercial development growth to be behind that of neighboring large cities such as Taoyuan and Taichung, resulting in consumer outflow for Hsinchu City, the outcome of which is that commercial activity in Hsinchu City has been limited to the scale of sub-urban centers.
