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  • November 2000 (Revised December 2001)
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Alibaba.com

By: F. Warren McFarlan, Carin-Isabel Knoop and David Lane
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:18
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Abstract

This case focuses on the strategic issues of an emerging dot-com in a rapidly emerging Internet nation-China. Alibaba, a bulletin board company based in Hangzhou, China, is trying to carve out a niche in the B-to-B e-commerce world. It also shows the speed and complexity of strategy evolution and the fascinating set of problems that a player in this new space must confront. Whether the company will ultimately survive or not is very much a question. The issues are surprisingly similar to those which confront companies in Western Europe and the United States.

Keywords

Digital Marketing; Internet and the Web; Marketing; Strategy; Service Industry; Information Technology Industry; Hangzhou; Europe; United States

Citation

McFarlan, F. Warren, Carin-Isabel Knoop, and David Lane. "Alibaba.com." Harvard Business School Case 301-047, November 2000. (Revised December 2001.)
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About The Author

F. Warren McFarlan

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Related Work

    • December 2001
    • Faculty Research

    Alibaba.com (B)

    By: F. Warren McFarlan and Fred Young
Related Work
  • Alibaba.com (B) By: F. Warren McFarlan and Fred Young
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