Uber technologies Inc.: re-entering the South Korean Taxi hailing service after the eviction
Publication date: 26 March 2018
Abstract
Subject Area
Competing in Emerging Markets; Internationalization of Service Firms; Global Marketing.
Study level/applicability
Senior undergraduate or graduate students in business schools.
Case overview
Uber first entered the South Korean taxi hailing service in Seoul in September 2013. In March 2015, the company shut down its operations after being charged for operating an illegal service. However, in January 2016, Uber decided to re-launch Uber’s premium service, UberBLACK after working with the city government. Given the country’s unique characteristics, was the decision to re-enter the market justifiable? Would Uber’s new strategies including partnering with a local company be sufficient? How could Uber gain more market share against its local powerful competitors?
Expected learning
Outcomes This case allows students to understand the challenges of internationalizing services of a global company in an emerging market that has strong national cultures and domestic preferences. The students will learn how to analyze the country and industry external environment as well as internal resources and capabilities to formulate the appropriate market entry strategies and to effectively implement them. The students will also learn the critical role of host country government and how to manage its relationship, the first- and second-mover advantages/disadvantages and the sustainability of innovative business models.
Supplementary materials
Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
Subject code
CSS 11: Strategy
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant No. 15K03694.
Disclaimer. This case is written solely for educational purposes and is not intended to represent successful or unsuccessful managerial decision-making. The authors may have disguised names; financial and other recognizable information to protect confidentiality.
Citation
Kittilaksanawong, W. and Afanyan, M. (2018), "Uber technologies Inc.: re-entering the South Korean Taxi hailing service after the eviction", , Vol. 8 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/EEMCS-04-2017-0070
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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