Abstract
Characterized with limpid, thin, and thousands of colorful beams without rays, the TFT-LCD products are improving the global visibility of Taiwanese industries. TFT-LCD will be the star industry after the information technology and semiconductor industries in the coming century. In past decade, the development of TCT-LCD was focused on bigger than 10 inches market because of the application to PC and TV. Those monitors are easier to be promoted to the market by different function of dpi (dots per inch) and size. Compared to big size monitors, the small size monitors are not so favored to the market because of its lower price, lower demand and diversity. Small size monitors did not spring up until the cell phone, portable TV, DVD monitor, hand-held video games and PDA, the global market of IA products have switched to TFT-LCD displays.This research focused on the global and Taiwanese makers of the middle and small size TFT-LCD, analyzing the developments of their product technologies and the marketing trends. The research method was based on the five force analysis of Porter (1980) and the value chain frame. The research explored the competitive advantages of Taiwanese middle and small size TFT-LCD makers, looking into the capability and the cost in order to compare the differences between the middle and small size monitor makers and big size monitor makers. Focused on developments of product, the middle and small size monitors were diverse in specification and volume more customized in design, function and power consumption. Besides monitors, they also provided related IC products, for example, driving IC, controlling IC, power controlling IC, memory and MCU…etc. Therefore, reducing the cost of key components and satisfying varied demanding customers were the key issues to the middle and small size monitor makers.