Innovative business plan: daily deal platform in the Angolan market

This project was created with the intent to elaborate a business plan for a Daily Deal platform in the Angolan market, a very peculiar branch of e-commerce that stimulates local businesses through a demand created by attractive discounts offered to clients in the platform. A detailed study was carried out to determine the economic and financial feasibility of the project considering several important variables that play a role in the construction of e-commerce start-ups, particularly in emerging markets. Among these variables, the following stand out: addressable audience potentially inclined to make online purchases, infrastructure conditions that allow an efficient implementation of this business model, economic crisis that recently has been directly influencing both the price of products and services in the market and the customer purchasing power, and the existing competition in the sector. After analyzing the business plan, it was possible to realize the enormous potential of this project given the growth of the target audience in the short-medium term, associated with factors such as economic and infrastructural improvement which will consequently result in greater confidence and interest from the 2 ends of the business (merchants and customers). Therefore, these relationships reinforced the viability of this business, making the investment in this project encouraging at all levels. To implement this platform, an initial investment of 30 000 € will be necessary, destined to investment in fixed capital, administrative expenditures, and suppliers. Considering the assumptions made, the financial and economic valuation of the project is positive with a Net Present Value of 316 160 €, an Internal Rate of Return of 123%, and a payback period of 3 years.A criação deste projeto teve como propósito a elaboração de um plano de negócios para uma plataforma de Daily Deal no mercado angolano, um ramo bastante peculiar do "e-commerce" que estimula negócios locais através de uma demanda criada pelos descontos atrativos oferecidos aos clientes através da plataforma. Levou-se a cabo um estudo detalhado de modo a determinar a viabilidade económica e financeira do projeto tendo em conta diversas variáveis importantes na conceção de "start-ups" de "e-commerce", particularmente em mercados emergentes. Dentre estas variáveis, destacam-se os seguintes: público endereçável potencialmente inclinado a realizar compras "online", condições de infraestrutura que permita uma execução eficiente deste tipo de atividade, crise económica que recentemente tem influenciado diretamente tanto no preço dos produtos e serviços praticados no mercado como no poder de compra do cliente e por último a competição no setor. Após análise do plano de negócios foi possível perceber a enorme potencialidade deste projeto dado o crescimento do público alvo no curto-médio prazo, associado a fatores como melhoria da economia e das infraestruturas que consequentemente resultará em maior confiança e interesse por parte dos principais intervenientes do negócio (comerciantes e clientes). Portanto, estas elações reforçaram a viabilidade deste negócio tornando o investimento neste projeto encorajador a todos os níveis. Para implementar esta plataforma será necessário um investimento inicial de 30 000 €, destinado à inversão em capital fixo, gastos administrativos e fornecedores. Tendo em consideração os pressupostos assumidos, a avaliação financeira e económica do projeto revelou-se positiva com um Valor Presente Líquido de 316 160 €, uma Taxa Interna de Rendibilidade de 123% e período de recuperação do investimento de 3 anos

Estimating the impact of entertainment on the gaming volume of Las Vegas hotel casinos

This study addressed the indirect effect of entertainment on gaming volume (i.e., coin-in). Specifically, this study attempted (1) to gain an understanding of the relationship between show patronage and gaming volume; and (2) to estimate the magnitude of incremental revenue for each show attendee. Conceptual models to examine the indirect effect of daily show headcounts on gaming volume were proposed, including other variables previously found or theorized to influence gaming volume. Secondary data (i.e., show headcounts, daily coin-in and daily cash drop) were collected from two different Las Vegas Strip properties. This study employed multiple regression models with the appropriate autoregressive (AR) and moving average (MA) errors, to adjust or correct for autocorrelation present in time series data. Hypotheses associated with the show headcount variables were tested at a .10 alpha level, given the exploratory nature of this research; In regression models associated with the first subject property, the show headcount variable had a significant effect on both coin-in and cash drop. This finding supports conventional wisdom that shows drive gaming volume. Despite the positive linear correlation between show headcounts and gaming volumes, the economic significance of the incremental win per show attendee was not substantial. For the second subject property, the impact of show headcounts on coin-in was not statistically significant, whereas show headcounts had a significant influence on cash drop. In general, the results of this study suggest that show-goers are not necessarily avid gamblers; The findings of this study point to the importance of careful selection, investment and management of entertainment options. If the purpose of a show is to complement casino gaming, it should produce a strong spillover effect on gaming volume. If not, the show should be profitable on its own. It also better position itself as a necessary component of a full-service resort. With the findings of the current work, casino operators could further evaluate whether show attendees produce sufficient returns on investment. Additionally, this study adds valuable empirical results to the limited literature base associated with the impact of entertainment on gaming volume. Finally, it provides a platform for future research in this area

The Relationship of Women\u27s Magazines and Their Websites: A Comparative Analysis of Print and Web Content

With the digital expansion of magazines, it is essential to determine how a magazine\u27s online and digital content compares to its print content. The editorial strategy for print content versus Web content could make a difference in consumers\u27 brand attachment and loyalty to a magazine. Magazines must have a dynamic online strategy that offers a different experience than printed material in order to gain new relationships and strengthen those relationships people already have with the brand. A comparative analysis of the print content versus the online website content of four separate women\u27s publications can help determine if each magazine is using a dynamic online strategy or if the Web content will substitute the print magazine for readers. It should be noted that success in the digital world can be whatever the publisher considers relevant, which could range from online branding to new audiences to new revenue streams (FIPP, 2007). The results of this analysis can be used to determine how the relationship between the online content and print content of a magazine affect its overall brand success

The Role of the Mangement Sciences in Research on Personalization

We present a review of research studies that deal with personalization. We synthesize current knowledge about these areas, and identify issues that we envision will be of interest to researchers working in the management sciences. We take an interdisciplinary approach that spans the areas of economics, marketing, information technology, and operations. We present an overarching framework for personalization that allows us to identify key players in the personalization process, as well as, the key stages of personalization. The framework enables us to examine the strategic role of personalization in the interactions between a firm and other key players in the firm's value system. We review extant literature in the strategic behavior of firms, and discuss opportunities for analytical and empirical research in this regard. Next, we examine how a firm can learn a customer's preferences, which is one of the key components of the personalization process. We use a utility-based approach to formalize such preference functions, and to understand how these preference functions could be learnt based on a customer's interactions with a firm. We identify well-established techniques in management sciences that can be gainfully employed in future research on personalization.CRM, Persoanlization, Marketing, e-commerce,

Critical success factors for business-to-commerce E-business : lessons from Amazon and Dell

Thesis (S.M.M.O.T.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, Management of Technology Program, 2000.Includes bibliographical references.The Internet has becoming an increasingly important channel for both business-to-consumer and business-to-business e-commerce. It has changed the way many companies do business. Every day, more and more companies worldwide are being linked electronically. But the success rate in terms of profitability for these startups is low. This thesis focuses on business-to-consumer aspect of e-commerce. My research is to study the models from a set of online merchants and see how these companies translate their companies' e-business vision into reality. What are the critical factors these online merchants considered as they transform their companies into an e-commerce? This thesis identifies the key success factors of this technology strategy and model as well as helps understanding to what extent this success can be replicated in other markets and industries. Through detailed case studies on Amazon and Dell, we will analyze their strategies and identify the success factors that make them unique to thrive on this competitive landscape of the Digital Economy.by Le Kha.S.M.M.O.T