Taipei, Sep. 6 (CNA) In the era of knowledge-based economy, everyone should read and more importantly think to catch up with the changing times, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) Chairman Morris Chang said in a forum Wednesday.
"Knowledge is the basic requirement in a knowledge economy. Thinking is what creates ideas and leads to innovation and added-value, " Chang said hours after his arrival from San Francisco early Wednesday.
"Simply put, we can say that knowledge is not the key word in a knowledge economy; turning knowledge into interests -- or money -- is, " he explained, quoting Chinese philosopher and educator Confucius as saying: "To study and not think is a waste."
Delivering his speech to more than 500 people on the topic of corporate learning, Chang elaborated on three biggest changes during the last 20 years.
"Our society has been going through enormous changes with the impact of knowledge economy and globalization. It has created a winners' circle and, at the same time, a high unemployment rate of college graduates, " he said.
"Subjectification" of the emerging importance of business models is the second impact, Chang said.
"From Dell to Starbucks, from Amazon.com to eBay and Google, successful companies are now selling business models, not just their products, " he noted.
Lastly, the rise of China and India has sent shockwaves round the world, he said.
"In addition to the advocacy of lifetime reading and learning, we need to understand the importance of thinking as well. It is what keeps us in the winners' circle," Chang said.
TSMC, founded in 1987, is the world's largest dedicated semiconductor foundry. Its revenues represent some 50% of the global foundry market.
Friday, September 08, 2006
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW LAUNCHES CHINESE EDITION IN TAIWAN
Taipei, Sep. 6 (CNA) The Harvard Business Review (HBR) , one of the most respected management magazines, officially launched a Chinese edition in Taiwan Wednesday, according to an announcement by Harvard Business School Publishing CEO David Wan.
In collaboration with Commonwealth Publishing, HBR Chinese edition debuted with its September 2006 issue, Wan said.
Approximately 80 percent of its content will be translated from the English edition, while 20 percent will be Taiwan-related.
HBR is known as an agenda-setting pioneer among its peers, said Wan. Management concepts such as blue ocean strategy, core competence, re-engineering, globalization and marketing myopia were first published in HBR.
Research-based HBR is a general management magazine published since 1922 by Harvard Business School Publishing, owned by the Harvard Business School. Its worldwide English-language circulation is 240,000, while 11 regional editions boast a circulation of 150,000.
In collaboration with Commonwealth Publishing, HBR Chinese edition debuted with its September 2006 issue, Wan said.
Approximately 80 percent of its content will be translated from the English edition, while 20 percent will be Taiwan-related.
HBR is known as an agenda-setting pioneer among its peers, said Wan. Management concepts such as blue ocean strategy, core competence, re-engineering, globalization and marketing myopia were first published in HBR.
Research-based HBR is a general management magazine published since 1922 by Harvard Business School Publishing, owned by the Harvard Business School. Its worldwide English-language circulation is 240,000, while 11 regional editions boast a circulation of 150,000.
JAPAN'S YAMAGUCHI PREFECTURE PROMOTES TOURISM IN TAIWAN
Taipei, Sep. 5 (CNA) The Japanese prefecture of Yamaguchi organized a promotional seminar Tuesday in Taipei, hoping to attract more Taiwanese visitors.
An estimated 10,000 Taiwanese tourists visit Yamaguchi Prefecture every year, said Aimoto Takayuki, Tourism Division chief of staff of the Yamaguchi prefecture government. With the Japanese government declaring visa exemption for Taiwanese tourists in September 2005, the number is expected to increase.
The prefecture, which has been described as the gateway of Honshu and Kyushu, has various places and events for Taiwanese tourists to enjoy, he said, such as cherry blossoms and the Akiyoshido cave -- the largest limetone plateau in Japan.
The port city of Shimonoseki also has a special meaning for Taiwan, Takayuki said. The city was where the Treaty of Shimonoseki between the Qing Dynasty and Japan was signed in 1895 to hand over Taiwan to Japan.
Yamaguchi became the latest of many Japanese prefectures to promote tourism in Taiwan, an official of the Japanese National Tourism Organization said.
An estimated 10,000 Taiwanese tourists visit Yamaguchi Prefecture every year, said Aimoto Takayuki, Tourism Division chief of staff of the Yamaguchi prefecture government. With the Japanese government declaring visa exemption for Taiwanese tourists in September 2005, the number is expected to increase.
The prefecture, which has been described as the gateway of Honshu and Kyushu, has various places and events for Taiwanese tourists to enjoy, he said, such as cherry blossoms and the Akiyoshido cave -- the largest limetone plateau in Japan.
The port city of Shimonoseki also has a special meaning for Taiwan, Takayuki said. The city was where the Treaty of Shimonoseki between the Qing Dynasty and Japan was signed in 1895 to hand over Taiwan to Japan.
Yamaguchi became the latest of many Japanese prefectures to promote tourism in Taiwan, an official of the Japanese National Tourism Organization said.
SOUTH KOREAN CARMAKER: TAIWAN SHOULD DEVELOP `BRAND FACTORS'
Taipei, Sep. 5 (CNA) Taiwanese corporations should develop "Taiwanese factors in the branding process" by looking back at Taiwan's culture, history and philosophy, the vice president of South Korea's Hyundai KIA Motor Corp. said Tuesday.
The revision of its brand strategy has helped Hyundai enormously, which shows the importance of branding, Hyundai-KIA Vice President Kim Young-ill said in an international forum in Taipei.
Kim encouraged Taiwanese corporation to develop "Taiwanese factors, " citing Hyundai's "Korean factors" as an example, on their way to "global branding."
Hyundai-KIA re-organized its brand strategy in 1999, Kim said in the Branding Taiwan Forum, held to promote branding awareness in Taiwan.
By defining its brand positioning, brand identity, design identity and product identity, the Korean company was able to improve its past designs, which were inconsistent and failed to develop any strategy, he said.
The effort has shown promising results, as Hyundai-KIA registered a compound annual growth rate of 11% during 2002-2006 and now sells over 4 million cars a year.
Kim said the company looked back to its past and looked to the future. "First we looked at how we have been and decided what we want to be. The final step is goal-setting, " he said.
The revision of its brand strategy has helped Hyundai enormously, which shows the importance of branding, Hyundai-KIA Vice President Kim Young-ill said in an international forum in Taipei.
Kim encouraged Taiwanese corporation to develop "Taiwanese factors, " citing Hyundai's "Korean factors" as an example, on their way to "global branding."
Hyundai-KIA re-organized its brand strategy in 1999, Kim said in the Branding Taiwan Forum, held to promote branding awareness in Taiwan.
By defining its brand positioning, brand identity, design identity and product identity, the Korean company was able to improve its past designs, which were inconsistent and failed to develop any strategy, he said.
The effort has shown promising results, as Hyundai-KIA registered a compound annual growth rate of 11% during 2002-2006 and now sells over 4 million cars a year.
Kim said the company looked back to its past and looked to the future. "First we looked at how we have been and decided what we want to be. The final step is goal-setting, " he said.
ACER FOUNDER ENVISIONS BRAND VALUE-ADDED TAIWAN BY 2015
Taipei, Sep. 5 (CNA) Taiwan should transform itself from the so-called "silicon island" of the 1990s to a "brand value-added island" by 2015 for sustainable economic growth, Acer Group founder Stan Shih said in an international forum Tuesday.
The cultivation of brand economy, a synonym of knowledge economy, will make a value-added Taiwan and help create the second wave of "Taiwan miracle, " Shih said in the opening lecture of the Branding Taiwan forum, a part of the 2006 Branding Taiwan campaign.
Based on the "smiling curve" concept he submitted in 1992, Shih said Taiwan will have to be a global value-added service center in the future, with focus on the 3Bs -- global bridge, global brand and global brain.
"The knowledge economy is the brand economy, " he said, adding that brand is the most cost-effective property right.
"And education and vertical integration will be the keys in branding, " he went on.
"Competitiveness equals value divided by cost. We have been trying to 'cost-down' in the past and were pretty successful. But now is the time to work on increasing values, " said Shih, who in 1976 founded Acer Group, one of the most successful Taiwanese global brands.
Branding Taiwan can start with four major categories: digital technology products; fine food/flower/fruits; leisure-related products and culture-related products such as art, charity and medical care, Shih said.
Taiwanese government and corporations have devoted a lot of effort to innovation, but efforts in branding have been lacking, Shih said.
Regarding the potential of branding, Shih said Taiwanese traditional industries are even more promising than the high-tech sector in terms of developing global brands.
The cultivation of brand economy, a synonym of knowledge economy, will make a value-added Taiwan and help create the second wave of "Taiwan miracle, " Shih said in the opening lecture of the Branding Taiwan forum, a part of the 2006 Branding Taiwan campaign.
Based on the "smiling curve" concept he submitted in 1992, Shih said Taiwan will have to be a global value-added service center in the future, with focus on the 3Bs -- global bridge, global brand and global brain.
"The knowledge economy is the brand economy, " he said, adding that brand is the most cost-effective property right.
"And education and vertical integration will be the keys in branding, " he went on.
"Competitiveness equals value divided by cost. We have been trying to 'cost-down' in the past and were pretty successful. But now is the time to work on increasing values, " said Shih, who in 1976 founded Acer Group, one of the most successful Taiwanese global brands.
Branding Taiwan can start with four major categories: digital technology products; fine food/flower/fruits; leisure-related products and culture-related products such as art, charity and medical care, Shih said.
Taiwanese government and corporations have devoted a lot of effort to innovation, but efforts in branding have been lacking, Shih said.
Regarding the potential of branding, Shih said Taiwanese traditional industries are even more promising than the high-tech sector in terms of developing global brands.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
PROJECT AIMS TO MAKE TAIWAN 'REPUBLIC OF CREATIVITY'
Taipei, Sept. 2 (CNA) The "Republic of Creativity" project plays a special role for more than 800 booths at the 2006 Taipei International Invention Show and Technomart (TIIST) , as it reminds inventors that promotion and marketing are also key factors of successful innovation.
The project, which was established in 2004 and supervised by non-profit China Productivity Center (CPC), aims to give inventors and innovators skills in media outreach and counseling on marketing strategies.
"To put it simply, you provide the idea, we provide the marketing and promotional help," a CPC staffed surnamed Liu said.
The non-profit organization selected potential innovation projects and promote them through television channels, magazines and the Internet -- establishing Web sites, since most inventors have trouble with marketing and advertising.
Liu quoted Acer group founder Stan Shih as saying that there is more involved in innovation than just creativity, he said, "it is the combination of creativity, execution and market value."
In 2005, sixteen examples were selected and later featured in ERA television news and Business NEXT magazine.
But the project is more than marketing and promoting inventions. Since being founded in 2004, it has been trying to promote "innovation" itself, as innovation will become one of the most important factors determining international competitiveness in the new century.
"Just like the name suggests, we hope to make Taiwan the 'Republic of Creativity' in the distant future, " Liu said.
The project, which was established in 2004 and supervised by non-profit China Productivity Center (CPC), aims to give inventors and innovators skills in media outreach and counseling on marketing strategies.
"To put it simply, you provide the idea, we provide the marketing and promotional help," a CPC staffed surnamed Liu said.
The non-profit organization selected potential innovation projects and promote them through television channels, magazines and the Internet -- establishing Web sites, since most inventors have trouble with marketing and advertising.
Liu quoted Acer group founder Stan Shih as saying that there is more involved in innovation than just creativity, he said, "it is the combination of creativity, execution and market value."
In 2005, sixteen examples were selected and later featured in ERA television news and Business NEXT magazine.
But the project is more than marketing and promoting inventions. Since being founded in 2004, it has been trying to promote "innovation" itself, as innovation will become one of the most important factors determining international competitiveness in the new century.
"Just like the name suggests, we hope to make Taiwan the 'Republic of Creativity' in the distant future, " Liu said.
TAIWAN ENDEAVORS TO IMPROVE E-COMPETITIVENESS WORLD RANKING
Taipei, Sep. 1 (CNA) Taiwan is not content with being ranked seventh in the world for e-Competitiveness and will strive to challenge the top five placeholders with its new initiative "Ubiquitous Networks Society" (UNS) , an official said at a forum Friday.
Taiwan will progress from the 2002 "e-Taiwan" initiative to "M-Taiwan, " (mobile Taiwan) which was launched last year, and eventually accomplish the UNS project, said Executive Yuan Minister of State Lin Feng-chin at the Asia-Pacific e-Competitiveness Forum.
The Ubiquitous Network Society will try to achieve four goals -- establish a high-speed Internet network, establish basic laws to regulate an Internet society, develop killer applications to promote an IT-enabled service industry and challenge the top five countries in e-readiness, Lin elaborated.
Forum participants spoke highly of Taiwan's e-readiness but agreed there is still room for improvement.
Taiwan was ranked 7th among 115 countries in the 2006 Network Readiness Index (NRI) conducted by the World Economic Forum, said Irene Mia, a WEF senior economist. Taiwan placed only behind Singapore -- which ranked second in the world -- among Asia-Pacific nations.
One sign of Taiwan's great success is that the WEF's annual report featured Taiwan as a case study for the second consecutive year, Mia said, noting the key role played by Taiwan's government in pursuing and funding the strategic vision of long-term information and communication technology (ICT) as a public-private partnership.
Taiwan did not fare as well in another ranking system, finishing 23rd in the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) latest e-readiness listing, said Denis McCauly, Director of EIU's Global Technology Research.
The EIU ranking evaluated 68 countries and calculated results using 100 quantitative and qualitative indicators.
Taiwan will progress from the 2002 "e-Taiwan" initiative to "M-Taiwan, " (mobile Taiwan) which was launched last year, and eventually accomplish the UNS project, said Executive Yuan Minister of State Lin Feng-chin at the Asia-Pacific e-Competitiveness Forum.
The Ubiquitous Network Society will try to achieve four goals -- establish a high-speed Internet network, establish basic laws to regulate an Internet society, develop killer applications to promote an IT-enabled service industry and challenge the top five countries in e-readiness, Lin elaborated.
Forum participants spoke highly of Taiwan's e-readiness but agreed there is still room for improvement.
Taiwan was ranked 7th among 115 countries in the 2006 Network Readiness Index (NRI) conducted by the World Economic Forum, said Irene Mia, a WEF senior economist. Taiwan placed only behind Singapore -- which ranked second in the world -- among Asia-Pacific nations.
One sign of Taiwan's great success is that the WEF's annual report featured Taiwan as a case study for the second consecutive year, Mia said, noting the key role played by Taiwan's government in pursuing and funding the strategic vision of long-term information and communication technology (ICT) as a public-private partnership.
Taiwan did not fare as well in another ranking system, finishing 23rd in the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) latest e-readiness listing, said Denis McCauly, Director of EIU's Global Technology Research.
The EIU ranking evaluated 68 countries and calculated results using 100 quantitative and qualitative indicators.
GROUPS CALL FOR MEDIA INTROSPECTION ON JOURNALIST'S DAY
Taipei, Sept. 1 (CNA) Representatives from media watch and human rights groups urged the Taiwan media Friday to replace celebration with introspection on Journalist's Day amid a series of human rights violations perpetrated by the local media.
The media should respect interviewees' basic human rights and bring back news topics to the public domain, MWF President Kuan Chung-hsiang said in a press conference.
"The counterattack to the media, " described by Lee Ming-tsun, a professor of sociology at National Taiwan University, was set in motion by the incident in which Taiwanese Major League pitcher Wang Chien-ming announced that he would not allow any interviews by any Taiwan media, claiming that the local media seriously invaded his parents' privacy.
The public's growing disgust with the media was also what brought various groups to the joint press conference. Participating groups included the MWF, the Association of Taiwan Journalists, the People with HIV/AIDS Rights Advocacy Association of Taiwan, gay rights-advocating Gingin Books, and the Mental Rehabilitation Association of Taipei County.
"The media has the right to report, but that does not mean it can violate human rights, " Kuan said.
Representatives also lamented the Taiwan media's prejudice against sufferers of mental disease and homosexuals in its reporting.
"The situation has come to a point where anyone could be the next victim of the media's human rights abuses. It could be a 'somebody' like Wang Chien-ming or it could be a 'nobody' like you or me, " said Lee.
The media should respect interviewees' basic human rights and bring back news topics to the public domain, MWF President Kuan Chung-hsiang said in a press conference.
"The counterattack to the media, " described by Lee Ming-tsun, a professor of sociology at National Taiwan University, was set in motion by the incident in which Taiwanese Major League pitcher Wang Chien-ming announced that he would not allow any interviews by any Taiwan media, claiming that the local media seriously invaded his parents' privacy.
The public's growing disgust with the media was also what brought various groups to the joint press conference. Participating groups included the MWF, the Association of Taiwan Journalists, the People with HIV/AIDS Rights Advocacy Association of Taiwan, gay rights-advocating Gingin Books, and the Mental Rehabilitation Association of Taipei County.
"The media has the right to report, but that does not mean it can violate human rights, " Kuan said.
Representatives also lamented the Taiwan media's prejudice against sufferers of mental disease and homosexuals in its reporting.
"The situation has come to a point where anyone could be the next victim of the media's human rights abuses. It could be a 'somebody' like Wang Chien-ming or it could be a 'nobody' like you or me, " said Lee.
GOVERNMENT HELP VITAL FOR CORPORATE ACCESS TO INDIA: FORUM
Taipei, Aug. 31 (CNA) Fueled by Taiwan's "Go South" policy and growing uncertainty in the China market, interest on the part of Taiwanese corporations when it comes to investing in India has increased vastly. Help from Taiwan's government will be vital for corporate access to India's market, forum participants said Thursday in Taipei.
There is so much the government of Taiwan can do to help corporations that are interested in -- but having difficulty -- investing in India, Sean Kao of the Market Intelligence Center (MIC) said in a forum that discussed boosting bilateral investments between Taiwan and India.
For Taiwanese corporations, investing in India is a problem of great complexity because there are different regulations and tax rates in 28 states and the language barrier issue, said Lin Shih-chia, Deputy Secretary-General of Taiwan-India Cooperation Council (TICC) -- the forum's organizer.
"The government can be a great help [for corporations], from setting up a one-stop service, shortening customs clearance to establishing a Taiwanese industrial park, " Kao said.
Taiwan is also keen on a free trade agreement (FTA) with India, said Eric Wu, General Manager of iSuppli Taiwan. Once accomplished, the FTA will also help Taiwanese businesses in India.
As Taiwanese businesses are more curious than ever about India, they should also deal with it cautiously, warned Kung Ming-yi, Vice President of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research.
"The situation in India has been a little bit confusing for Taiwanese businesses. Because they see niches and difficulties at the same time, " Kung said.
"It is why I encourage all businesses that want to invest in India should take a good hard look in the mirror and ask themselves what they really want. Are you going there for Indian technology talents, making money in India market, or try to establish a base of production there? " Kung said.
There is so much the government of Taiwan can do to help corporations that are interested in -- but having difficulty -- investing in India, Sean Kao of the Market Intelligence Center (MIC) said in a forum that discussed boosting bilateral investments between Taiwan and India.
For Taiwanese corporations, investing in India is a problem of great complexity because there are different regulations and tax rates in 28 states and the language barrier issue, said Lin Shih-chia, Deputy Secretary-General of Taiwan-India Cooperation Council (TICC) -- the forum's organizer.
"The government can be a great help [for corporations], from setting up a one-stop service, shortening customs clearance to establishing a Taiwanese industrial park, " Kao said.
Taiwan is also keen on a free trade agreement (FTA) with India, said Eric Wu, General Manager of iSuppli Taiwan. Once accomplished, the FTA will also help Taiwanese businesses in India.
As Taiwanese businesses are more curious than ever about India, they should also deal with it cautiously, warned Kung Ming-yi, Vice President of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research.
"The situation in India has been a little bit confusing for Taiwanese businesses. Because they see niches and difficulties at the same time, " Kung said.
"It is why I encourage all businesses that want to invest in India should take a good hard look in the mirror and ask themselves what they really want. Are you going there for Indian technology talents, making money in India market, or try to establish a base of production there? " Kung said.
VIETNAM PROVIDES GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TAIWAN PC BUSINESSES
Taipei, Aug. 31 (CNA) Vietnam provides the most stable investment environment in Southeast Asia for Taiwanese businesses, especially the personal computer sector, an analyst said Thursday.
Although Vietnam is still a communist country, it provides themost stable investment environment compared to other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, most of which are experiencing political unrest, said Linda Lin, a researcher at the Market Intelligence Center of the Institute for Information Industry.
Vietnam also boasts one of the best growth rates in gross domestic product and gross national income among the ASEAN nations.
"With the announcement of a new foreign investment policy in 2000 and the 2006-2010 national development plan in 2005, Vietnam is now a new 'hotbed' for foreign investment, " she said. And Taiwan is already the largest foreign investor in Vietnam.
Government agencies will be the driving force behind the Vietnam market, she said, as the Vietnamese government will be engaged in an upgrading period with projects such as e-government to embrace its "open door policy."
This is why northern Vietnam, where the capital city of Hanoi is located, will be a niche market for Taiwanese PC businesses, Lin predicted.
With Vietnam's membership in the World Trade Organization in sight, lower tariffs on information and communication technology equipment is also expected to provide another niche factor for Taiwanese PC businesses, Lin said.
Although Vietnam is still a communist country, it provides themost stable investment environment compared to other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, most of which are experiencing political unrest, said Linda Lin, a researcher at the Market Intelligence Center of the Institute for Information Industry.
Vietnam also boasts one of the best growth rates in gross domestic product and gross national income among the ASEAN nations.
"With the announcement of a new foreign investment policy in 2000 and the 2006-2010 national development plan in 2005, Vietnam is now a new 'hotbed' for foreign investment, " she said. And Taiwan is already the largest foreign investor in Vietnam.
Government agencies will be the driving force behind the Vietnam market, she said, as the Vietnamese government will be engaged in an upgrading period with projects such as e-government to embrace its "open door policy."
This is why northern Vietnam, where the capital city of Hanoi is located, will be a niche market for Taiwanese PC businesses, Lin predicted.
With Vietnam's membership in the World Trade Organization in sight, lower tariffs on information and communication technology equipment is also expected to provide another niche factor for Taiwanese PC businesses, Lin said.
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