Alibaba: رشد کارآفرینی و گسترش جهانی در بازارهای B2B / B2C Alibaba: Entrepreneurial growth and global expansion in B2B/B2C markets

Introduction The purpose of this case-based research is to analyze and discuss Alibaba and its entrepreneurial growth (1999–2017) in China and global markets. We achieve this purpose by analyzing the company’s entrepreneurial growth and planned initiatives in the fast changing online marketplaces and e-commerce industry. In today’s commercial world, Bbusiness is about creating value^ (Kumar and Reinartz 2016, p. 36) and Bunderstanding customer experience throughout the customer journey^ (Lemon and Verhoef 2016, p. 69). Within these changing perspectives and innovative business models, Alibaba is a Bneutral e-marketplace^/Bindependent intermediary^ (Zhao et al. 2009, p. 105) and an information technology (IT)-based Bdigital business ecosystem^ which encompasses a diverse array of B2B/B2C Web assets and portals (Tan et al. 2009, p. 2). As of 2017, the company manages Bthe biggest e-commerce site^ in the world (Powell 2017, p. 29). In addition, within today’s connected world as well as the Internet of Things (IoT) (see: Georgakopoulos and Jayaraman 2016; Karkouch et al. 2016; Porter and Heppelmann 2014, 2015), Alibaba is also an amalgam of wellplanned Bmulti-sided platforms^ which aim at delivering the needed Binfrastructure,^ Bservices,^ and Btriangular exchanges^ (Tan et al. 2015, p. 250). Within the domains of Binternational entrepreneurship as a dynamic adaptive system^ (Etemad 2004, p. 5), Binternational entrepreneurial orientation-performance^ (Etemad 2015, p. 169), and Bexploitation of opportunities that cross national borders^ (Li 2013, p. 158), this paper investigates a business entity that truly epitomizes entrepreneurial vigor, tangible growth, and long-term global ambitions. The concept of entrepreneurial growth is based on well-planned corporate initiatives that may lead to fast and tangible expansion and visibility in global markets. By being an agile and innovative firm, Alibaba has become the largest B2B firm in the world because of its unique business model and well-planned international expansion (Kim et al. 2016). Along with other entrepreneurial firms, Alibaba is also a classic example in the area of international entrepreneurship which targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and other businesses in global markets. The company was started by Jack Ma in 1999 with 17 associates in Hangzhou, China. In the last 20 years, B2B and B2C markets have witnessed major structural changes and the emergence of new business models, online marketplaces, and Web-based platforms which aim at operational efficiencies in the value chain. These markets are also the result of new technologies and globalization which brought efficiencies and new opportunities in international entrepreneurship (Cockayne 2016). In just 20 years, e-commerce has grown significantly with diverse business models and efficient markets (Goldmanis et al. 2009; Tapscott and Williams 2010). Because of the importance of Web-based markets and SMEs’ growth (Javalgi et al. 2011; Sarin 2012), Alibaba has become a major B2B company and an online marketplace. The company continues to grow by leaps and bounds beyond China and has made strategic investments and alliances with firms such as Yahoo, Microsoft, Softbank, and others. Alibaba’s mission statement says: BTo make it easy to do business anywhere^ (Alibaba.com 2010–2017) which definitely reflects its global ambitions and expansion. No wonder The Economist (2006, p. 78) called Ma BChina’s pied piper.