Abstract
Abstract TFT-LCD products have been sold in the market for years. LCD TV has replaced CRT TV and reached the turnover rate of more than 80% in Taiwan and developed countries such as Europe, USA and Japan. TFT-LCD products have also extended to Monitor, Notebook and Mobile phone. Furthermore, TFT-LCD products are weeded through the old and brought forth the new to the hottest products, Tablet lately. The revenues of TFT-LCD panel makers were not as bright and luminous as their dazzling array of products. TFT-LCD panel makers kept having a loss from 2008. In order to survive in the crisis, they started implementing the differentiation strategies one after another. They must stand in a unique position to fulfill customers’ demands in existed and highly competitive product fields. Therefore, some panel makers enhanced their product satisfaction by price premium. They developed new specifications of products under the premise of keeping the same price. And some panel makers chose to develop products of new applications so as to make profits from new markets. This thesis focuses on is the competitiveness of the TFT-LCD industry and its evolution. In this study, several important Taiwanese driver IC companies, such as Novatek, Himax and Raydium, are used for case analysis. The common features of the three companies are having the same main products as in TV and monitor applications, and extending to tablet product line at the same time. Panel makers are under the transformation after suffered from such a rapid change. To driver IC companies, how to develop products and specifications which can fulfill panel makers’ demands in advance and become the technical bellwether? What kind of strategies and skills can be used to have the achievements? The study has an exploration in how Novatek, Himax and Raydium can use the following strategies to have places in tablet market by related literature review and industry analysis. And they are also expected to expand their advantages and continue to lead.In general, the present study intends to identify the following issues: (1) To use vertical and horizontal alliance strategy to have the synergy which means one plus one is greater than two. (2) The complementary role is referred in Value Net. How to successfully compensate for the lack part and find the complementary company which is matched in technical ability and willing to cooperate in panel parts and components supply chain to have a mutual help. (3) The theory and application of Inside the Tornado. Product positions and strategies are used for different purposes in different life cycle. Key Words: Differentiation, Value Net, Inside the Tornado