CHINESE E-COMMERCE MODEL: Using ALIBABA as a case study

This report aims to analyze Alibaba’s e-commerce mode. With the development of internet technology, e-commerce is attracting more and more attention from governments, businesses and individuals which is one of the major reasons for Alibaba’s quick development. The author has seen the importance of e-commerce and important role of Alibaba in e-commerce field. This report will start by introducing Alibaba briefly. And then the major theories and concepts used by the report will be analyzed, especially e-commerce, PEST framework and Porter’s five forces model. In addition, details of Alibaba’s e-commerce mode, problems of its mode will be provided in the following paragraph. Based on this situation, several suggestions will help Alibaba to resolve its problems. Literature review, theoretical research and practical analysis are two major approaches to analyze its e-commerce mode. In this way, Alibaba can make further progress in the future

A Model for the Evaluation of Society’s Progress Towards Cashlessness: A Comprehensive Analysis of the World and Norway

Master's thesis in Business administration (BE501)The purpose of this thesis is to determine Norway as well as other countries in terms of the progress in cashless societies. When it comes to payment services, there are constantly new and better innovations that suppliers are attempting to find solutions for and that are easily available to consumers. The main aim of this thesis is to determine which phases a society is in by using a model for cashless society phases. As there are no fitting models for analyzing such cashless societies, we introduce a new model of cashnessless, and use it as the base of the analysis. Some countries with advanced technology and rising markets are discussed to see what kind of payment methods the country provides to its citizens. The benefits and drawbacks of establishing a cashless society are also presented to determine which groups will be most affected, as well as determining the importance of physical money to the public

Application of Blockchain Smart Contracts in E-Commerce and Government

With technological advances and the establishment of e-commerce models, business challenges have shifted to online platforms. The promise of embedding self-executing and autonomous programs into blockchain technologies has attracted increased interest and its use in niche solutions. Using qualitative interviews, this paper sought the opinions of the eleven industry leaders regarding smart contracts. Findings reveal that the technology is gaining momentum in e-commerce, particularly in financial transfer, record-keeping, real estate, and property management, insurance, mortgage, supply chain management, data storage, authorization of credit, denaturalized intelligence, aviation sector, shipping of products, invoice financing and other domains. The significant benefits of widespread adoption and deployment of smart contracts include their capability to deliver decentralization, efficacy, cost-effectiveness, transparency, speed, autonomy, transparency, privacy, and security, encouraging the emergence of novel business models. Albeit these benefits that revolutionize online transactions, the technology faced multifaceted challenges. Smart technologies are only a decade old and are not advanced in security, transparency, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory framework. Furthermore, organizational, and technical challenges limit their deployment: incompatibility with legacy systems, scalability, bugs, speed, and lack of talent and understanding regarding smart contracts. Consequently, policymakers, developers, researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders need to invest effort and time to foster the technologies and address pertinent issues to enable the global adoption of smart contracts by small and big businesses

Examining the impact of Internet electronic commerce on commercial organizations in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is undergoing tremendous change in both infrastructure and economics, which is helping the Internet to flourish in the region. Although growth of electronic commerce (EC) is slow, it is becoming increasingly global. Businesses worldwide are engaging in this commercial evolution. The purpose of this study was to provide consumers and commercial organizations in Saudi Arabia with practical information regarding electronic commerce. It attempted to explore the perspectives of Internet users, information technology (IT) professionals, business owners, and managers of online businesses in Saudi Arabia. Two survey instruments were used to gather data for this study. The first survey instrument consisted of 37 questions and was sent to 80 randomly selected Internet users in Saudi Arabia. A total of 45 (56.25%) questionnaires were returned. The second survey consisted of 21 questions and was sent to 80 randomly selected IT professionals, managers, and business owners. A total of 49 (61.22%) questionnaires were returned. The questionnaire was posted on the Web, http://www. geocities.com/ksaecommerce/ Surveys/default.htm, and e-mails were sent to the study group after the review of the pilot study. Consistent with the statistical analyses discussed in chapter III, analysis of the data was undertaken using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer program. The results of the study indicated that, the awareness, perceptions, and attitudes of the consumers, IT professionals, managers, and business owners\u27 toward shopping on-line depended on such factors as level of security and fraud. There appears to be a positive relationship between the level of security and attitude toward using the Internet for shopping. In addition, the research revealed some barriers related to electronic commerce from the consumer\u27s point of view: Although online transactions are convenient, timely delivery in Saudi Arabia is costly and inefficient. Improvements in Internet and EC technologies will continue to increase productivity, providing that commercial organizations in Saudi Arabia are willing to adapt new business models to capture advances in technology. The major recommendations of this study are as follows: (a) The private sector and universities should take a roles in educating people to benefit from the Internet; (b) financial sector must coordinate with information technology companies to increase customers confidence in electronic commerce; (c) an updated telecommunication infrastructure is needed in Saudi Arabia; and (d) the Saudi government, represented by the Ministry of Commerce and other competent bodies, should be committed to introducing and widely using electronic commerce. At the same time, the government should take necessary procedures to prevent the misuse of electronic commerce

E-Commerce During COVID-19 Lockdown 2020: Challenges and Opportunities For Consumer Rights In Uganda

Both the government of Uganda and Jumia Uganda effectively used the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown measures of 2020 to promote e-commerce services. This study adopted a qualitative research methodology. The researcher elicited random responses over a Facebook page regarding consumer experience using Jumia Uganda during the lockdown. The study engaged a population size of about 5,000 persons and a target sample size of 100 participants on Facebook of which 50 persons responded. The study found that 66% of the respondents had a bad experience using the Jumia Uganda platform compared to 34% who had a good experience. Although e-commerce was widely promoted and used, e-commerce service consumers had a bitter-sweet cocktail of experiences. Critical challenges of the business include: poor quality and counterfeit products, delivery challenges, high cost of shipping and pricing of products, cancellation, return, refund, repurchase challenges, and lack of an effective dispute resolution mechanism. The study recommends the improvement of the delivery mechanisms, quality verification, and certification process, and the creation of an online dispute resolution mechanism to boost consumer confidence and interest in e-commerce. Key words: E-commerce/ Covid-19/ Consumer Rights/ Trade/ Online Trade/ Online Dispute Resolution. DOI: 10.7176/JMCR/82-06 Publication date:November 30th 202

Media Distribution in the Printing Industry: A Study of the Movement of Printed Materials and Electronic Files

Change, according to Phillip Ruggles (2005), can be advantageous to one\u27s business. It can sometimes be exciting and economically rewarding. At other times, change can be challenging and risky, bringing about chaos and disruption. The printing industry is undergoing both structural and cyclical change. Meeting the challenge to remain competitive in today\u27s printing industry relies heavily on providing value for customers. Thus, print service providers are offering a variety of value added services in an effort to meet customer demands and to remain competitive. One such additional service is distribution (both physical and electronic), which includes shipping/delivery, mailing, warehousing, and inventory management. As print technology advances, the offering of distribution services by print providers is becoming a trend in the industry. The objectives of this research were to understand distribution and distribution workflows, to understand the utilization of electronic distribution of files and the distribute-then-print model, and to understand how printers are incorporating e-commerce as a tool to distribute print. This thesis research also looked at the challenges, issues, and future trends anticipated by print service providers for their distribution operations. To achieve these objectives, selective answers from the 2005 Printing Industry Center (PIC) research on Media Distribution (Cummings & LeMaire) and another research on the Utilization ofE-commerce (Cummings & LeMaire) were used to support vi this thesis. Additionally, in-depth interviews were conducted with six print service providers to further understand distribution operations within the printing industry. The research results revealed key findings in the areas of physical distribution, distribution workflows, electronic distribution, e-commerce, and distribution challenges and trends. Questions addressing physical distribution and workflows yielded the following results: the definition of distribution from all the responses can be summarized as the movement of printed and finished materials from the printing plant to an internal storage location, to a distribution center, to the customer (the print buyer), or to the enduser. Various processes were described by research participants to represent their distribution operations. Figures 12 and 13 are representations of the two main workflows: a simple workflow for small companies, and a more complex workflow for larger companies. Electronic distribution findings showed that this model has not had a great impact upon the participants\u27 distribution procedures or their businesses in general. Only four (25%) of the companies interviewed have used this distribution model. Additionally, questions addressing e-commerce utilization showed that participants\u27 definition of ecommerce can be summarized as a system that allows customers to perform transactions over the Internet. Participants all agreed that e-commerce is a value-added service that benefits everybody. It was also apparent that most printers are not utilizing the full capabilities of e-commerce systems. Research participants discussed various challenges faced while offering distribution services. Among those challenges are storage and warehousing, customer information flow, fuel surcharges, postage increases, and trucking. Participants also vn anticipate the following trends relating to their distribution operations: advancement in technology, improved customer relations, and electronic flow of communication. This thesis research is valuable and contributes ample literature on the topic of distribution in the printing industry. As no research is exhaustive, opportunities remain for further research projects within various aspects of this study

Developing a business plan for a startup e-business

The purpose of this thesis is to develop an initial business plan for a startup fashion company that operates on the Internet in the Vietnamese market. To reach the target objective, the thesis first examines e-business from a theoretical perspective and considers its advantages and disadvantages. Secondly, the macro environment of the proposed business is analyzed, namely the country of Vietnam and its e-commerce environment. Finally, the outcome of the thesis is presented in the form of a business plan for the business idea. The business idea is to establish an e-retailer that offers young Vietnamese consumers fashionable apparel products imported from Europe. The purpose of the business is to locate a suitable niche market and focus on being the leader of that market and to maintain lasting customer relationships. The research approach used in this thesis is deductive, in which the theory and hypothesis is developed and a research strategy is designed to test the hypothesis. The main research method carried out is qualitative, in which several interviews were conducted with a marketer/blogger about Internet marketing in Vietnam and also with the owners of existing ebusinesses in Vietnam to learn about difficulties when starting a new e-business. The business plan was greatly improved as a result of advice from the interviewees. The results indicate that the niche market for the business idea is identified and reachable. In order to be the leader in that niche market, the business needs to differentiate itself from the rivals by creating a superior business image focused on customer service values. The company’s vision is to bring the exotic European trend to the Vietnamese fashion market and inspiration to female fashion lovers. Offering customers the best online shopping experience and customer services should be the company’s most important priority

Online Dispute Resolution for Consumers in the European Union

E-commerce offers immense challenges to traditional dispute resolution methods, as it entails parties often located in different parts of the world making contracts with each other at the click of a mouse. The use of traditional litigation for disputes arising in this forum is often inconvenient, impractical, time-consuming and expensive due to the low value of the transactions and the physical distance between the parties. Thus modern legal systems face a crucial choice: either to adopt traditional dispute resolution methods that have served the legal systems well for hundreds of years or to find new methods which are better suited to a world not anchored in territorial borders. Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), originally an off-shoot of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), takes advantage of the speed and convenience of the Internet, becoming the best, and often the only option for enhancing consumer redress and strengthening their trust in e-commerce. This book provides an in-depth account of the potential of ODR for European consumers, offering a comprehensive and up to date analysis of the development of ODR. It considers the current expansion of ODR and evaluates the challenges posed in its growth. The book proposes the creation of legal standards to close the gap between the potential of ODR services and their actual use, arguing that ODR, if it is to realise its full potential in the resolution of e-commerce disputes and in the enforcement of consumer rights, must be grounded firmly on a European regulatory model. Introduction 1. Consumer Protection and Access to Justice in the E-Commerce Era: A European Perspective 2. Online Dispute Resolution as a Consumer Redress Strategy 3. Consumer Adjudicative Processes Supported by ICT: Court Processes and Arbitration 4. Online Mediation for Consumers: The Way Forward 5. The Need for a Legal Framework to Develop Consumer ODR in the E