A Comparative Study of Market Modeling, Promotion Strategies and Consumer Culture in the Electric Power Markets of Taiwan and the Kanto Region of Japan(1900-1930)

Abstract

It was the time the world electric power industry and its markets had rapidly extendedworldwide when the Japanese occupied Taiwan in 1895. During this period of Japanese rule,Taiwan had begun to develop its own market and consumer culture through the introduction ofnew energy resources from Japan—and expansion that has lasted to the present day.Most studies on electric power at home and abroad concentrate on top-down policies.Because a majority of studies focus mainly on the post-1930s era, this concentrates on theperiod from 1900 to 1930 to bring attention to a formative period in energy marketing. Not onlycan this study fill the gaps where former studies have lapsed, but it also covers a comparativestudy on operating performance between Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) and TokyoElectric Power Company (TEPCO). The study provides historical and comparative aspects oftop-down policy and provides transarea analysis and reexamines the diversity between themarket modeling, promotion strategies, and consumer culture of these two companies.Taipower is a unique government-owned company in Taiwan history. It always implementsits policies from the government at all costs without concern for profit and loss. The guidingprinciple is to faithfully play its role to implement state policy. The assignment in Japan, however,didn'tcarry out policy handed down from the authorities, instead obtaining the goal of marketintegration through the coordination of capital and personnel. This study does not attempt tocritique either their policies or the organizational structures, but instead provides insight intothese two companies'operating performance by means of examining the interaction betweenpolicy and market demand. In addition, the connection between policy and market, theadvantage and disadvantage of each competitive model, and the differentials between Taiwan'sand the Kanto region's market features will be elaborated upon as well.

日本於1895 年取得臺灣時，正巧也是世界電力工業與市場快速全球擴散的時期，其時間起迄橫亙整個日治時期。臺灣透過日本引進新能源，卻發展出自身的市場與消費文化。國內外的電力研究多偏於「由上而下」的政策面探討，時間則側重在1930年代以後居多。本研究擬以1900-1930 年代為時間斷限，一則補強前人研究之漏隙，一則聚焦於「臺灣電力株式會社」（以下簡稱臺電）與「東京電燈株式會社」（以下簡稱東電）兩家公司營運績效的比較。透過「由下而上」、「跨區域」的歷史比較觀點，檢視兩家公司對於市場形塑、推廣與消費文化之差異。臺電是臺灣歷史上特殊的「國策公司」，其揹負的政策任務往往不計市場利潤與成本，忠實扮演「國策會社」的角色。然而，這樣的政策任務，在日本本土不是透過政策下達，而是透過資本與人事的協調，達到市場整合的目標。因此，本研究不在判定政策或企業組織型態的優劣，而是探明兩家公司在政策與市場的互動過程中，「公營版」臺電與「民營版」東電彼此的營運績效，闡明政策與市場的聯繫方式，彼此的競爭優劣，以及臺灣與日本關東地區市場特性的差異。