JD.com CEO’s Challenge

JD.com CEO’s Challenge

Strategic Direction: JD.com CEO’s Challenge

  1. Characterize the marketplace and direct sales business models in e-commerce. Which model offers a bigger potential for growth? Why?
  1. What threats did JD.com face? How would you rank/prioritize them?
  1. Why did Alibaba want to build a nationwide distribution network? Does this initiative make sense to you? What advantages or disadvantages does JD.com have relative to Alibaba?
  1. How do you find the four future development directions of JD.com (e-commerce, logistics, big data, and online financial platforms)? Does JD.com enjoy any competitive advantage in these four directions?
  1. What were the strategic alternatives for JD.com? What would you recommend to Richard Liu?