Weekly task6

1. What do you think about this concept? Do you think that it will be successful or not? Why or why not?

I think this strategic partenrship will be great effect to both companies. Becasue especially nowadays, both comapnies have some problems for running bussiness in a highly competitive world market. Nokia was one of the best mobile company in the world, but over time, because of showing a lot of new innovative and capable companies such as apple and samsung, their market position was getting down and down. And even Micorsoft was the just best software company in the world, but over time, because of showing new competentive companies such as IBM and Apple, their competitiveness in the market was getting undermined. So considering this, both of them need to focus there core and strenght business part to survive and rasie theri market position, and that`s why they got strategic partenrship with each other.  

Thus I think this project will bring quite well result to both companies. Even though still now their competitor`s ability is quite good, but if two huge compnay will cooperate for one purpose then the situation will be changed step by step. And according to each company`s special ability like, Nokia`s expertise about phone and Microsoft`s Bing and software development tool, it`ll be really great after collaborating these.  

2. How does the new strategy change Nokia’s position in the markets?

First of all, at least thanks to this new strategy, Nokia`s postion will be higher than previous in the markets. But I`m just worrying how much it`ll be effective to Nokia. Beause already smartphoe user and future possible cusotmer are used to other company`s product like Iphoe4s and Galaxy S2. Thus it`ll be qutie difficult to get high position in the market rapidly, because it is totally depend on customer`s perception on brand and attitude. So even though partenrship with Microsoft will bring really a lot of great point to change Nokia`s product, but it would be not enough to change consumer`s awarness to buy Nokia`s phone instead of Iphoe.

3. Apple Iphone and Google Android phone will be their main competitor.

The IPhone sales per quarter simply (from Wikipedia)

The download situation of Android:

Year	Month	Applications available	Downloads to date
2009	March	2,300[17]
	December	16,000[19]
2010	March	30,000[20]
	April	38,000[21]
	August	80,000[22][23]	1 billion
	October	100,000[24]
2011	May	200,000[18]	3 billion[25]
	July	250,000[26]	6 billion
	October	319,000[27]
	December	380,297[28]	10 billion[29]
2012	January	400,000[30]
	February

Also, in June 2011, Nokia was overtaken by Apple as the world's biggest smartphone maker by volume.  In August 2011 Chris Weber, head of Nokia's subsidiary in the U.S., stated "The reality is if we are not successful with Windows Phone, it doesn't matter what we do (elsewhere)." He further added "North America is a priority for Nokia because it is a key market for Microsoft."However, in reality, Nokia and Microsoft still cannot invent a satisfied smartphone in the market.

4. Do you recommend us to invest on Nokia or not?

Concerning the concurrent external environment, we do not recommend people to invest on Nokia. Since Apple and Android have occupied a super large market share over the world, and probably it’s getting larger and larger in the coming years. Somehow using Apple or Android phones has already been a trend, and the consumers attitude towards Nokia is not that good, therefore, this is no longer a simple task to impress and change their attitude and it will take a long time to have such change. As a result, we would say it’s not good to invest on Nokia now. May be after 1- 2 years, we will be able to see if their partnership strategy work, then we will be able to make such decision.

Weekly task5

1. Amazon

Amazon provides the opportunity for companies or even the publics to earn money by acting as advertisers. Starting from choosing from over a million products to advertise to your customers on your website, No matter you are a large network, content site or blogger, they have simple linking tools to meet your advertising needs and help you monetize your web site. And then you will earn advertising fees from Qualifying Purchases, not just the products you advertised.

* SWOT analysis

Strengths:
1. Low or even no cost

2. Easy to start and operate

3. Applicable to large range of people, from surfer (using fb/blog) to website owner, to business owner

Weaknesses:

1. Earn little money – can only be part of the business

2. Revenue is dependent of popularity of websites

Opportunities:

1. Attract a lot more small company or individual to have business in their system

2. Online shopping is the trend of the world

3. The network of the technology devices improve extremely quickly

Threats:

1. Everyone can be your competitor

2. Thousands of competitors

3. More advertisements on websites may cause discontent of your web visitors –affect your own business

Since customers can buy a wide range of products in Amazon, from music disc, video, software and games, to books, toys and sports stuffs. So this kind of small business can be applied to the companies selling desktop and laptop such as Lenovo, HP. Since people after purchasing the desktop/laptop may be interested in purchasing some software or games. Moreover, it can be applied to some companies which selling hi-fi equipment such as Philips, as music disc and movie is the complement to hi-fi equipment. Advertising on such companies will be quite effective.

2. Yahoo

Yahoo creates different kind of possibilities for individuals and small companies to do business. They create online store for individuals and company to sell their products through this platform. Also, it allows users to post photos, video, audio into the store, in order to attract customer. The website will help company or individuals to analyze their business model, which means how big are their business and how many people visit the cyber store a day. Nevertheless, yahoo is having partnership with some big logistics company, such as DHL, FedEx, Ups, to help the store owner to delivery their product on time, which can help the owner to maintain excellent service standard.

*SWOT analysis

Strengths:
1. Diversify the company business model

2. The online store system is really user-friendly

3. The owner can save lots of labor cost

4. Develop deeper relationship among yahoo business partner, e.g. DHL, FedEx

Weaknesses:

1.      The online store system is still not popular

2.      Advertisement is not enough

3.      The online store system’s network is not quick enough

Opportunities:

1. Attract more small company or individual to have business in their system

2. Online shopping is the trend of the world

3. The network of the technology devices improve extremely quickly

Threats:

1. Many competitors would like to dominate the online store market, such as e-bay

2. Some of the online store companies have their own logistic team to save the delivery fee and reduce the cost

3. Citizens in developing country are still not having much confident in online shopping

By using Yahoo`s partnership with some big logistics company, they can do differentiation strategy from the competitor`s online shopping website.

3. Apple

Apple creates different kind of possibilities for individuals and small companies to do their business. They provides Mac app store for efficient marketing of producer`s app. By using this store, producer can easily upload their app in the market and advertise it to millions of users around the world. And thanks to a continuous increase apple user and reasonable company`s policy, such as high revenue and no credit card fee, producer and user are more connected.  

*SWOT analysis

Strength:

1. Established strong brand image and awareness

2. By relating Mac book, making difference with other app service like android

3. Attractive marketing policy like a no hosting fee and receiving payment monthly

Weakness:

1. Lack of investigation about consumer`s needs and wants (Developers of Apple are making some product by using only their creative power and imagination unlike other companies)

Opportunity:

1. According to nowadays culture, app product and smart phone will be much more developed

2. Online market is really suitable for app service

Threat:

1. A lot of competitor, such as Samsung galaxy S, around the world

2. A lot of illegal free app services, like a Cydia and Installous

Since customers can buy a wide range of app in Apple such as music, software and games and e-book. So this kind of small business can be applied to the company providing innovative service such as online shopping, health care and location tracking. Since people after using some simple app services may be interested in purchasing more developed and creative.

Weekly task4

DESIGN AN ADWORDS CAMPAIGN FOR A SMALL OR MEDIUM SIZE COMPANY

Question: Select a real firm and design an Google AdWords campaign for it. I recommend that you select a small or medium size company instead of some international big brand. In your blog posting you should first introduce the company shortly. Then you should:

-          * Define the target markets: 

       Young couples who will be married

-          * Create the ad text : 

        UK no.1 winter wedding planner,  providing the most romantic   

        time in your life with your love, has more than 10,000 times of 

        wedding plan successful experience   

-          * Select the key words: 

       Honeymoon, winter  wedding, wedding planner, special 

       anniversary, propose 

-          * Create the budget: 

        0.07 euro per one click, 1000 times click per each day, two                

        months(60 days)- only winter period special wedding = 4200 

        euro

Tell also what methods there are available to analyze the success of your campaign.

1) The increase of deals, reservations and enquiry

2) The number of visitors through the Google advertisement and how long did they spend on surfing our homepage.

3) Using questionnaire to test the public’s awareness of our company

Weekly task3

The function of the e-banking is quite sufficient. It can provide most basic functions for the users, such as buy stock, settle the payment and transfer money to other. Also, after doing in transaction in the e-banking, there is a button that is required for the user to confirm every time. Therefore, it can minimize the mistake of the users.

 But the design of the website is not user-friendly, because there are not enough information and instruction for the user to follow. Also an e-banking system, lacking of clear instruction, will not make sure the customer to use this website again.

And the layout of the website is not attractive, and the buttons are really close to each other. It will be really comfortable for user to use.

Also, the security is inadequate, because the password is only some simply password with few digits. In other bank, they require for at least 8to 10 digit and double password to make sure the identity of the user. Some bank even will provide a machine for their customer and provide unique password each time which the customer access to the website.

SUS scores:
Lance: 47.5

Jinhee: 50

Rick: 45

Weekly task1

Name: Li Hon Ming Rick, Hon Keung Lance, Jinhee Choi

Q1. How can file sharing networks make money if they do not sell music?

These file sharing networks earn money by gaining the advertising income. Nowadays there are thousands of file sharing software for free for anyone to download and use it. The users don’t need to pay for any amount to download resources such as movies, music, games, and these file sharing networks are the platforms for companies which seeking for advertising their product or service. It seems that such networks create a win-win situation for internet users to download what they want without any payment, companies seeking for advertising and also the owner of the file sharing software to gain revenue. Indeed, the record industry is paying for such win-win situation, their business is no longer profitable as the consumers are all shifted to the illegal downloading. General speaking, the file sharing networks provides internet users the resources for free, gain revenue through advertising other companies products or service, and the record industry is the only side suffering.

Q2. In which type of eCommerse do file sharing networks belong to?

B2B, Business to Business. Since file sharing networks gain revenue through advertising other companies products or service, seller refer to  the file sharing networks which selling the space of advertisement, buyer refer to the companies which paying for advertising their products or service. However, the internet users are the bait which to be used by file sharing networks to lure companies to make advertisements.

Q.3 Is the record industry justified in attempting to shut down file sharing networks down? Why or Why not?

No, it`s not. Even though it`s true that sales of recorded music are the worst the industry has experienced in many years because of an indiscreet distribution of free music file in online network, but record industry can`t shut down file sharing networks. Because after some customer buy online music legally, online consumer has whole ownership of that music file and uploading some file of one`s own on network is totally his/her decision. This is same with post messages anonymously on website as a freedom of expression.

But in terms of intellectual property rights, this happening is really serious problem. Not only record industry, but also CD game and movie industry has suffered great losses because of ‘Peer to Peer’ (P2P). The main reason of this fact is people`s perception. Because of early free download website, despite legally prevention recently, they still think online contents such as music, game and movie are free. Thus when we can engage in a serious discussion about reality, there is some second best plan. That is empathic understanding. Producer should recognize customer`s mind and change the system according to them. CD key is great example. When customer buys some game CD, there is a CD key, password to install and play game. If record industry apply this method to their offline strategy, it`ll be helpful. And also in terms of online, they can use DRM system that deprives ownership of downloaded file after the expiry date.

The most important thing for producer is ‘Do not forget people who want to download free file on network, as a potential buyer.’ The reason why they oppose the prevention policy of online free contents is they like it. If everyone must pay cost for downloading file thanks to great policy or system, they`ll pay it naturally. So if all online download system is closed one-sidedly by producer, they lose a lot of potential buyer.

  

Q4. Do you think that illegal downloading will disappear over time?

We think that the illegal downloading will not disappear over time. People around the world think that illegal downloading as free resources, which mean they can take whatever they want freely without any consequence. In the economic point of view, this kind of resources is called public good which is non-rival and non-excludable. For example, air is a kind of public good, no one can prevent people to breath the air. Also, probably not much people can endure this kind of free entertainment temptation, especially for the developing country. In these countries, poor people cannot afford much money in entertainment. In reality, no government can effectively prevent people download the music or movie file from the internet. Also, in technical point of view, there is no mean to prohibit people to upload and share the file with other. Nowadays, internet is really common and the connection involves globally. It is impossible to stop anybody to share illegal resources around the world. Also, it is extremely costly for the government to charge every sharer or downloader one by one, or even maybe more than half of the citizen is downloading resources from internet every day in the whole country.