1. Managing the Digital World: Amazon.com
- First and foremost, Amazon.com’s mission statement is “to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices” .
- Its enterprise-wide information systems enabled Amazon to fulfill its goals through the use of effective strategies that facilitated various operational facets to deliver the products ordered by a wide range of clientele at the most effective use of the marketing mix (product choice and selection, prices, places, and promotions).
- These strategies include: use and application of a workable information systems (IS) infrastructure; effective management of supply chain; utilization of IS in novel ways (leasing computing resources or storage space); and offering products like Kindle that addresses the needs and demands of the clientele.
2.The pros of providing Web services to assist smaller enterprises are:
- Provides Amazon with ways to increase revenues;
- Provides Amazon with opportunities to gain greater competencies in utilizing current resources towards the benefits of small enterprises and generates a win-win strategy;
- Enhances their corporate image, core competencies and competitive advantage.
The cons of providing Web services to assist smaller enterprises are:
- These are additional responsibilities and use of corporate resources that are earmarked for the benefit of clientele (small businesses or even large companies) which entail costs through the need to spend time, money, resources, and warehouse spaces to be allotted for their clients’ needs.
- It diverts their thrusts or corporate strategies to accommodate the needs of these small businesses and could expose them to some risks and accountabilities.
3. Amazon differentiates itself from other online marketplaces through:
- Application of more centralized marketing strategy ;
- Use of own warehouses and IS infrastructure; it was noted that “eBay doesn’t take inventory, and prefers to be an intermediary that facilitates peer-to-peer commerce” ;
- “End-to-end solutions like Amazon’s tend to provide greater convenience and a better user experience” ;
- Focus on customer-centric strategies; such as personalizing accounts, one-click shopping options; greater variety of products offered at the lowest prices possible.
Works Cited
"About Amazon." 2013. amazon.com. 21 April 2013 <http://www.amazon.com/Careers-Homepage/b?ie=UTF8&node=239364011>.
Dixon, Chris. "eBay vs Amazon: decentralized vs centralized e-commerce." 13 February 2012. cdixon.org. 21 April 2013.
