There is a noticeable lack of production of indigenously engineered and manufactured products in Less Developed Countries (LDC's). Few products developed in these LDC's could be viable in competitive markets or even sold as components and supplies to other manufacturers of competitive goods. Assumintg that these less developed countries do not innovate and manufacture because they cannot, the next logical question to ask is why can they not? This thesis looks at the problems of manufacture and design in LDC's from the standpoint of Product Development. It begins by looking at development theories, namely top down and bottom up and assessing the difficulties encountered with either approach. It then looks at literature on product development, covering four areas: appropriate technolotgy, Product Development Cycle, QFD, and finally Design for X. These areas are analyzed for their usefulness in solving the development problem. The environment is considered and a linkage is developed between the Product Development Cycle and the environment. This is found to happen by way of Enterprise Needs which are needs that a product must fulfill to make it a viable option for manufacture. Finally, a process is outlined and demonstrated to form Enterprise Needs and take them into account within a traditional concept selection process. Environment was found to play a part in the Product Development Cycle. By clarifying Enterprise Needs as well as Customer Needs or Functional Needs, a more balanced approach can be taken to the concept selection process choosing the best concept, not only for the customer, but for the company as well.

台灣的連接器產業雖然有很優良的研發能力及快速且專業的模具技術，但綜觀當今的連接器產業產品規格的制定及材料的要求多由在世界級連接器大廠來訂定規範。大部分的台灣連接器工廠都屬於產品的跟隨者，所以在模具技術日趨成熟、材料環保訴求高、大量機器化組裝的情況下，連接器的製造門檻已不像往日那麼的高。再加上1997年後大陸開放投資，台商大舉進陸投資，也將大陸的連接器產品之技術及生產水平大幅提昇，台灣連接器的製造工廠所面對的競爭不僅是先進的歐美大廠、鄰近日本、韓國工廠，以及國內工廠競爭者，其實最近幾年大陸的連接器廠如雨後春筍般的蓬勃發展，更加遽連接器工廠經營的困難及艱苦。 本研究之個案以糧德精密公司為例，先由全球連接器技術之比較與發展現況之介紹，進而討論全球連接器市場之概況，再以4C策略行銷架構為研究基礎。針對個案進行對「中小企業連接器製造廠國際市場進入之行銷策略」加以分析研究。讓糧德精密藉由此研究得以明瞭進入國際市場過程中如何透過外顯單位效益成本、資訊搜尋成本、道德危機成本，及專屬陷入成本，找出在連接器產業的定位。 在4C架構下，分析出業界大廠及二家上市櫃公司對產品、研發的作法，以及經營客戶群的策略。幫助個案之公司能夠發展出一塊小眾的經營規模市場，藉以走出連接器之紅海市場，找到屬於連接器市場之湛藍海洋。讓台灣的連接器工廠得以透過產品及供應商的整合，推廣自有品牌至國際市場。