Search results
11 – 20 of over 1000Allan KK Chan, Caleb Huanyong Chen and Long Zhao
area E-Business; Corporate Strategy; Strategic Management; Operation Management.
Abstract
Subject
area E-Business; Corporate Strategy; Strategic Management; Operation Management.
Study
level/applicability Senior undergraduate; MBA; EMBA.
Case
overview After development for 10 years, JD was now China’s second largest business-to-customer (B2C) e-retailer and the largest in self-operated sector. It was September 2015 when Liu Qiangdong was deciding whether to persist with JD’s self-operated model and the heavy investment in the self-built logistics system. JD’s business model had been functioning well. However, as JD grew bigger and bigger, it became too expensive to expand its logistics system. JD had not made a profit since it raised funds from investors. Liu had to come up with a good proposal before the next monthly meeting to convince them that JD would finally overtake its biggest rival, Alibaba which ran on a different business model. In addition, JD was exploiting the rural and the global markets, as well as a new business in internet finance. Facing challenges and dilemmas, should JD persist with its model? How could Liu align short-term profitability with long-run development? How could JD overcome attacks from Alibaba and other competitors?
Expected
learning outcomes This case is appropriate for courses in e-business and strategy, particularly those with a strong focus on doing e-business in emerging markets (e.g. China). After studying the case, students should be able to: understand the e-commerce market in China; understand business models and key strategies of e-retailers; identify and analyse the pros and cons of the self-operated business model and self-built logistics system in e-commerce; learn how to evaluate performance, strategies and business models of e-commerce companies; and extract key trends in the market and compare different strategies.
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.
Details
Keywords
Chengqi (Chen) Guo and Xiaorui Hu
The purpose of this paper is to report the findings and lessons learned from a case study that is based on Alibaba's business‐to‐business (B2B) fraud in China. The influence of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report the findings and lessons learned from a case study that is based on Alibaba's business‐to‐business (B2B) fraud in China. The influence of such incidents and post‐hoc solutions are research worthy in today's booming digital business world.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a case study approach and practice‐driven method that rely on user behaviors, corporate policies, and financial data. The taxonomic framework of online fraud and corresponding countermeasures arise from digital forensic reports, policy reviews, data analysis, and a literature review.
Findings
The key findings are indigenous to the Chinese B2B landscape, yet they help international stakeholders understand and address fraudulent issues. The paper finds beside the traditional customer‐based account signature, internal employees must be assigned their own signature systems to track malicious activities. Meanwhile, digital signature systems can be enhanced by reducing the record inter‐arrival time. Policy revisions are proposed to (e.g. offshore companies) lead to the decrease in the number of fraudulent incidents.
Originality/value
The paper extends existing understanding of online fraud by studying a Chinese case. The findings are timely and based on real world experience. Actual practices are discussed and evaluated. A range of fraudulent activities is reviewed in a comprehensive framework. The findings are important due to the public exposure and wide implications of such an incident. Also, this study reveals that fraud protection is an on‐going effort requiring a triangulation of technical artifacts, policy management, and operations management.
Details
Keywords
Data has become one of the most significant instruments in e-commerce innovation. Benefits to the entire society can be summarized as following: from the government’s perspective…
Abstract
Data has become one of the most significant instruments in e-commerce innovation. Benefits to the entire society can be summarized as following: from the government’s perspective - to assess the impact of e-commerce to the economy; for merchants - to understand consumers’ needs; and for consumers - to be offered with the right product he/she is looking for. The digital revolution in the past five years has shown the need to offer more differentiated services than the physical stores, when consumers are not able to try and touch products. It is for this reason that e-commerce has continuously developed and transformed Research Online, Purchase Offline into a true experience. Considering the future of e-commerce is to enhance economic development and growth, this research will discuss the disruption of Research and Development through big data. The core objective of this research is to propose a predictive model to deeply understand consumer behavior by analyzing new regulations and transaction records.
Details
Keywords
Alibaba will remain as a holding company overseeing six subsidiaries, five of which may list independently in due course. The individual companies are intended to increase in…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB278325
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
The future of Chinese internet conglomerate Alibaba after the forthcoming retirement of its founder.
Qin Hu, Xun Wu and Clement K. Wang
Although electronic commerce (e‐commerce) can be a source of competitive advantage, will e‐commerce businesses in countries like China flourish when governments still take a…
Abstract
Although electronic commerce (e‐commerce) can be a source of competitive advantage, will e‐commerce businesses in countries like China flourish when governments still take a “wait‐and‐see attitude” as to prompting, protecting, and regulating e‐commerce? The paper employs transaction cost economics in analyzing the role of government in regulating electronic contracting. Due to the transaction costs arising from e‐commerce, explicit contracts between parties are usually incomplete. The paper argues that these contracts should always be backed by implicit contracts, which are determined by default rules in various governments. Therefore, it behoves governments urgently to fill gaps in incomplete contracts in e‐commerce in order to foster a predictable legal environment for e‐businesses, minimize legal risks and transaction costs, and maximize economic and social benefits. The authors believe that governments must also act in concert with one another at the international level to create a favorable and consistent commercial environment.
Details
Keywords
Sunny Li Sun, Jianqiang Xiao, Yanli Zhang and Xia Zhao
How do entrepreneurs use simple rules to build their business models? Based on an inductive study of three Chinese Internet and technology firms, the authors find that business…
Abstract
Purpose
How do entrepreneurs use simple rules to build their business models? Based on an inductive study of three Chinese Internet and technology firms, the authors find that business models emerge from simple rules that entrepreneurs learn from their experience. Simple rules also guide entrepreneurs to actualize and exploit opportunities in the marketplace, and they can help business models evolve through market feedback, especially in internationalization. This paper aims to delve into the black box of entrepreneurial decision-making and offer a better depiction of the business model development process in uncertain and fast-changing environments and thus provide guidance for future entrepreneurs.
Design/methodology/approach
Following the case method (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 2003), the authors first present a thick description of characteristics of three companies and the dynamics of their business models. They then code these descriptions into first-order measures. Finally, they aggregate these measures into abstract constructs. They constantly compare the theoretical constructs and the emerging theory with the existing literature on business models.
Findings
The authors generate three key insights from the findings: business models emerge from simple rules learned from entrepreneurs’ experience, simple rules help entrepreneurs exploit and actualize opportunities in the marketplace and simple rules help businesses expand and evolve business models through market feedback, especially in internationalization.
Originality/value
This paper falls into the intersection of strategy and entrepreneurship – an emerging new field of strategic entrepreneurship – and is concerned with how businesses create and sustain a competitive advantage while simultaneously identifying and exploiting new opportunities. The authors bring people – the individual decision-makers for businesses – back in strategy research and depict a more realistic picture of the behavior of successful entrepreneurs and their business model development process.
Details
Keywords
Alan Amling and Patricia J. Daugherty
The purpose of this paper is to explore how two mega-trends, e-commerce and urbanization, have the potential to reshape logistics practices around the world. Primary focus is on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how two mega-trends, e-commerce and urbanization, have the potential to reshape logistics practices around the world. Primary focus is on how Chinese business practices and logistics innovations are increasingly relevant to the USA and other western countries.
Design/methodology/approach
Experience-based thought piece focusing on specific Chinese logistics innovations centering on speed, adaptability and new business models.
Findings
The Chinese economy has played a key role in providing support and enabling logistics innovations in China. Key enablers include the ubiquitous connectivity and applications availability, the dynamic low-cost labor environment and government support for the Chinese logistics industry.
Research limitations/implications
This study suggests new areas for research.
Practical implications
This study provides insights into the potential value associated with adopting innovative Chinese logistics practices.
Social implications
This study provides suggested areas of attention to help focus on logistics operations on key societal trends.
Originality/value
Our paper provides insights into the potential value associated with adopting innovative Chinese logistics practices. We believe this represents a significant contribution as little coverage of the topics have been noted to date in leading logistics/supply chain journals.
Details
Keywords
Feng Wan, Peter Williamson and Naresh Pandit
Chinese firms are winning market share from foreign multinational enterprises in domestic markets. The international business literature suggests that this is happening because…
Abstract
Purpose
Chinese firms are winning market share from foreign multinational enterprises in domestic markets. The international business literature suggests that this is happening because these firms are developing non-traditional firm-specific advantages (FSAs). Strategic factor market (SFM) theory provides a good basis for explaining how this is happening. However, it is underdeveloped in terms of analysing unique resources and unique access to those resources by Chinese firms in their domestic markets. This paper aims to develop a framework to understand how Chinese firms have developed non-traditional FSAs.
Design/methodology/approach
The case study method is adopted to explore how Chinese firms develop non-traditional FSAs. Specifically, the authors compare paired case studies of a Chinese firm and a foreign multinational in each of two industries.
Findings
The authors find that Chinese firms have developed non-traditional FSAs because of more relevant experience, better adapted strategies and privileged relationships. This has enabled Chinese firms to develop non-traditional FSAs.
Originality/value
The authors propose a framework that conceptualises non-traditional FSA development in Chinese firms as a product of superior access to unique and valuable resources in their domestic SFMs.
Details