Publications
Publications
- July 2014 (Revised August 2015)
- HBS Case Collection
Qihoo
By: Feng Zhu
Abstract
Qihoo, one of the largest Internet companies in China today, was founded in 2005. The company started its business by offering a security software product, and quickly dominated the market in China after its unusual move of giving its product away for free in 2009. Later, it expanded its offering to cover a broad spectrum of Internet and mobile security products. In 2012 the company launched its own Internet search engine called So.com. By August 2013, So.com captured 18% PC market share, and had posed a threat to Baidu, China's largest and most established search engine provider. Yet to compete against Baidu and other Chinese Internet giants in the long run, Qihoo needed to find a way to replicate its PC market success in the mobile market. How could Qihoo continue to evolve its search engine business and what was the best mobile strategy to help the company grow?
Keywords
Platform Strategy; Business Model Innovation; Chinese Internet Market; Competitive Strategy; Information Technology; Digital Platforms; Internet and the Web; Information Technology Industry
Citation
Zhu, Feng. "Qihoo." Harvard Business School Case 615-017, July 2014. (Revised August 2015.)