Business ecosystem and technology roadmap for Taiwan's TFT-LCD industry

During the past two decades, Taiwan, a reliable source of quality 12-inch wafer manufacturing, grew to become the largest supplier of TFT-LCD panels in the world. The financial crisis in 2008 and increasing competition from other Asian manufacturers shortly after, led to the current scenario, which is characterised by global oversupply, demand fluctuations and price volatility. As a result, several Taiwan's TFT-LCD manufacturers attempted to break through these difficulties. This paper proposes the technology roadmap for Taiwan's TFT-LCD and describes three methods to analyse the current strengths, limitations and future potential of the suggested technology roadmap: Dynamic Five Forces framework, Business Ecosystem and Industry Value Chain. The results suggest that developing a business ecosystem lifecycle could obtain an appropriate technology roadmap for Taiwan's TFT-LCD industry. The study provides useful observations and directions for management and business coalitions involved in drafting and executing globally competitive strategies.