| dc.description.abstract | With the rapid development of emerging technologies, the demand for server products has shown a trend of variety and customization. In such an environment, Taiwan, as the world′s major server manufacturing base, is facing severe challenges and opportunities as its server manufacturers are largely operating with the traditional OEM/ODM model. This study uses case analysis to explore the motivations, obstacles and key success factors for Taiwan server manufacturers to transform from OEM/ODM to own-brand suppliers, aiming to provide empirical evidence and management suggestions for this industry.
The research subject is a Taiwan′s representative server manufacturer, whose current main businesses include ＂own-brands＂ and ＂providing OEM/ODM products for cloud service providers.＂ The study found that the company′s main motivation for transforming into its own- brand was to engage with key component manufacturers earlier so as to have the opportunity to obtain those key components earlier as well, and directly assist customers in solving product demand problems, increase profits, and build brand image. However, the road to transformation inevitably has to face major challenges such as huge R&D investment, insufficient brand influence, and insufficient channel construction.
By comparing the product development projects of the company′s own-brand and those of cloud service provider business, the research revealed several key factors affecting the success of the own-brand development project strategy: 1) working closely with suppliers to grasp technology trends; 2) communicating with customers and keeping tuning to meet their requirements timely; 3) selecting development projects prudently based on resource conditions; 4) enhancing the collaboration between design and manufacturing to solve emergent problems earlier; 5) increasing the appropriate number of trial productions to quickly improve product design quality.
Overall, this study provides an empirical basis for Taiwan server manufacturers to transform into own-brands, and provides management suggestions on market positioning, supply chain integration, and technological innovation. The study can help server manufacturers enhance their competitiveness and market responsiveness. The research results can also serve as a reference for brand transformation and product development project management in other high-tech industries.
Future research can cover more manufacturer cases, combine quantitative analysis to deeply explore the factors influencing the development of own-brands, pay attention to the impact of emerging technologies on industrial ecology and business models, as well as analyze the product requirements for sustainability and environmental protection. This will help to comprehensively understand the development trends of the server industry and the evolution of its own-brand transformation strategy. | en_US |