E-commerce platform strategic planning for innovative entrepreneurial firms

Abstract

The following report discusses e-commerce opportunities for Cloud Valley, an innovative and comprehensive incubator located in Shenzhen, China. The report provides an indepth analysis of e-commerce, evaluates the effectiveness of launching an e-commerce platform for the client, and develops strategies for effective execution. Extensive empirical evidence is utilized to determine the strategy taken for the platform development in addition to analytical processes of interviews and surveys to obtain data from the client and employees of the incubator. These procedures were undertaken to ensure only optimal recommendations resulted in terms of strategic planning for the short and long-term direction of Cloud Valley. The report firstly addresses background information incorporating an introduction to the business incubator program, Shenzhen Nanshan Hi-Tech Incubator and to Cloud Valley. The topic of e-commerce is then introduced including the chosen definition of ecommerce used within the report as well as benefits and risks associated with ecommerce platforms. Cloud Valleys’ current situation is then addressed incorporating interview and survey findings. The incubator’s current status of development, incubatee’s requirements and the client’s expectations are addressed prior to developing the strategic proposal. Subsequently, an overview of the recommendations is outlined, incorporating the project scope, objectives and approaches. A best practice analysis is undertaken to find the best possible pathways to formulate the project, by drawing on successful ecommerce platforms currently utilized by established incubators. After the empirical research has been analyzed, in conjunction with the accumulated findings from the primary and secondary methodologies, the e-commerce platform planning is outlined. Here the overall design of the e-commerce platform, detail design, an in-depth analysis of each phase of the platform, an implementation plan, and a conclusion to summarize the whole infrastructure and potential benefits of the proposed project is outlined. Finally, the report will suggest plausible limitations of the project, closing remarks and acknowledgements. The results from the utilized methodologies conclude that Cloud Valley are currently establishing client profiling on their website and wish to establish an internet service platform to improve communication and provide service, however have not yet come up with detailing. Cloud Valley also has IT capabilities in providing platform services. Furthermore, interviews with Cloud Valley employees conclude that employees could be more satisfied with the promotion of their products/ services, their level of IT training, IT support, and a networking platform. From these findings, three opportunities were detected, one, increased online marketing exposure through the use of incubatee profiling, two, improved communication transparency and educational services through communication platforms and further support, and three, improved knowledge sharing and networking through the facilitated knowledge sharing platforms. After vast empirical research into best practice methods by successful e-commerce platforms within the online/IT services sector was conducted, three phases were developed and have been explained in-depth throughout the report. The three stages are as follows, stage one is developing incubatees’ profiles, stage two is the implementation of an e-commerce platform and dedicated business services and stage three is to facilitate networking and knowledge sharing.