Case study 2 – Ewan McKenzie

Question 1)

Alibaba was able to optimise their retailing strategy though creating an omnichannel
ecosystem, bridging the gap between online and offline channels, to connect buyers and
sellers of goods. They were able to coordinate all the different the networks of their
business, such as sellers, marketers, service providers, logistics companies, and
manufacturers, through this ecosystem, to optimise the customer experience, and remove
points of friction throughout the customer journey. Alibaba leveraged technological
advancements such as AI and machine learning, which garnered are more optimised
experience, which allowed them to intervene at points where needed, with recommended
products and chatbot powered by AI. The unique points of difference from Alibaba’s
offering, came through the ability to being more consumer-centric, with respect to other
business models. This omni-channel approach enabled Alibaba to tailor their offerings and
services closer to customer needs, which in turn created greater value that could not be
matched by traditional retailers.

Question 2)

Alibaba’s innovation of it Ant Microloans subsidiary, came to fruition through the ability for
AI to efficiently and accurately analysis large quantities of information. Compared to other
banks, through big data and machine learnings processes, Ant Microloans were able to
streamline the loan approval service, simplifying the merits in which they are judged upon.
They could assess points of consideration that were not previously possible, such as how
competitive a business's offering is and the quality of their social relationships.