Exploring the Role of Virtual and Physical Platform in the Brand Building of Craft Industry in Taipei Metropolitan

• Main Authors: KU, YU-CHIN, 辜郁晴
• Other Authors: LIN, CHENG-YI
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/2dmtsb

碩士 === 國立臺北教育大學 === 社會與區域發展學系碩士班 === 106 === The craft micro-enterprises in the cultural and creative industry are characterized by innovativeness and subjectivity. Their products’ symbolic value outweighs their functionality. In addition, these enterprises are also involved in great risks due to their small organizational scale and high volatility. For a craft micro-enterprise, the uniqueness and distribution channel of a product both play a vital role in the success of its sales. Therefore, this study is aimed to explore the role a virtual or physical platform plays in the brand establishment of craft micro-enterprises in Taipei. This study is qualitative research, presenting an overview of the craft micro-enterprises through literature review and government information. The research is structured around four major concepts—entrepreneurship, experience economy, brand establishment, and integration of physical and virtual resources, and conducted through semi-structured interviews. The case studies of Pinkoi and the Red House Market for Artists & Designers are included to provide insights into the varied effects of virtual and physical platforms on Taipei-based craft artists’ brand establishment at different stages of entrepreneurship. This study has found that most artists, constrained by limited financial and social capital, worked part-time when they started out, and the Internet-based virtual trading platforms which feature low entry barrier as well as flexibility in workhours and locations, were the logical choice for them. However, as artists accumulated capital and earned brand recognition over time, they would start to work full time. In the post-startup stage, physical premises lent themselves to communicating the symbolic value of the artists’ products because they enabled face-to-face direct contact and translatability in the exhibition space. While the importance of brick-and-mortar storefronts increased over time, the virtual platform would switch to the supplementary role.