Naval modernisation from Michael Porter’s 5 Forces analysis point of view: case study of Taiwan

This study examines the strategic positioning of Taiwan’s Republic of China Navy (ROCN) amid intensifying regional competition and evolving maritime threats. It adapts a tool developed for business strategy, Michael Porter’s Five Forces framework, to the defence domain by applying each force in turn to the ROCN’s context. The analysis draws on official defence reports, procurement records, and secondary literature to assess rivalry with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, dependency on domestic and foreign suppliers, the influence of political leadership on naval doctrine, and structural barriers facing ROCN’s modernisation. The findings indicate that ROCN modernisation is shaped by interlocking pressures rather than a single cause, and that institutional inconsistency, personnel shortages, and unresolved strategic priorities compound the challenge posed by China. The study demonstrates that Porter’s framework offers an alternative tool for analysing a defence institution facing multidimensional threats and bottlenecks.