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  • January 2009 (Revised March 2009)
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A Chinese Start-up's Midlife Crisis: 99Sushe.com

By: William C. Kirby, F. Warren McFarlan and Tracy Manty
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:17
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Abstract

Now into their third year at the helm of an Internet start-up in China, Ken Pao and Bill Li were managing a totally different company (with a new name) from the one they first founded in 2006. Having changed their business model from a social networking site to an online gaming business came with new challenges. They hired almost an entirely new staff, cultivated new partnerships, and most urgently sought new funding. However, with three years of experience, they were no longer a "start-up" and now faced the ramifications of mid-life. What would it take to remain a viable competitor in China in a new industry?

Keywords

Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Entrepreneurship; Venture Capital; Investment Funds; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; China

Citation

Kirby, William C., F. Warren McFarlan, and Tracy Manty. "A Chinese Start-up's Midlife Crisis: 99Sushe.com." Harvard Business School Case 309-060, January 2009. (Revised March 2009.)
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About The Authors

William C. Kirby

General Management
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F. Warren McFarlan

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Related Work

    • September 2010
    • Faculty Research

    A Chinese Start-up's Midlife Crisis: 99Sushe.com (TN)

    By: F. Warren McFarlan
Related Work
  • A Chinese Start-up's Midlife Crisis: 99Sushe.com (TN) By: F. Warren McFarlan
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