In this class, I talk about Lazada, the SE Asia ecommerce champion. And about how it is a good example of how Asia is both at scale and becoming increasingly interconnected.

You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

Podcast on the future of digital is located here.

• Why Digital Is Disrupting Business, Politics, Culture and Society (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 11)

The McKinsey Global Institute papers about the future of asia are here.

Note: The term emerging markets was coined by Antoine Van Agtmael, author of The Emerging Markets Century: How a New Breed of World-Class Companies Is Overtaking the World

Companies for this class:

• Lazada

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I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

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In this class, I talk about my interview with Huawei about their 2019 financial results. And a bit about the disclosure of fraud at Luckin  Coffee.

You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 3, with a focus on:

• #6 Basics of Huawei
• #10 More on Huawei

Concepts for this class:

• Digital Superpower #1: Dramatically Improve the User Experience
• Money Wars
• Hyperscaling vs. Blitzscaling
• Competitive Advantage: Economies of Scale
• Linked Businesses

Companies for this class:

• Huawei
• Luckin Coffee

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

Support the show

In this class, I talk about the basics of Didi and the importance of switching costs on the supplier side of the platform.

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 3, with a focus on:

• #15 Basics of Didi and Switching Costs

Concepts for this class:

• Switching Costs
• Network Effects
• Digital Platforms: Marketplaces for Services

Companies for this class:

• Didi
• Uber
• Meituan
• Ctrip

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

Support the show

In this class, I talk about the crazy collision of Ctrip, Meituan and Alibaba in services in China, particularly in hotels.

You can listen here or at iTunes and Himalaya.

How do Ctrip and Meituan compare in the following aspects?

1. Bundling of services
2. The Assets of a Marketplace Platform: Users, Activity and Data
3. Network Effect
4. Switching Costs

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 3, with a focus on:

• #16 Basics of Ctrip, Meituan and Marketplace Platforms for Services

Concepts for this class:

• Digital Platforms: Marketplaces for Products and Services
• Bundling and Cross-Selling
• Network Effects
• Switching Costs

Companies for this class:

• Ctrip
• Meituan
• Alibaba Fliggy

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

Support the show

In this class, I talk about why Zoom has been so successful in video communications.

Choose two options for why Zoom has been so successful.

1. Good Product. Reliable, easy-to-use, high quality video communications.
2. Viral service
3. Collaboration / Coordination Platform
4. Network Effect
5. Switching Costs 

Correction/Clarification: Zoom has been blocked in China for the last couple of months. I know lots of people who are using it because of coronavirus but that is via VPN. So not the same thing. I'm not sure if I mentioned that or said it wrong in the podcast. 

Learning Goal for this class:

• #14 Virality vs. Word of Mouth
• #15 Collaboration, Coordination, and Standardization Platforms

Concepts for this class:

• Digital Platforms: Collaboration / Coordination / Standardization
• Word of Mouth vs.Virality
• Network Effects
• Switching Costs

Companies for this class:

• Zoom

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

Support the show

In this class, I talk about why TikTok / Douyin took off so rapidly and powerfully.

Choose two options for why TikTok / Douyin has grown so fast?

1. Addictive Product. Short personalized videos focused on memes, comedy, and lip syncs are a psychological hack.
2. Easy to Use and Highly Shareable Content Types. Tap into CDCN.
3. Audience-Builder Digital Platform
4. Network Effect, including data network effect (also called learning effect)
5. First mover in new space
6. AI and Digitized Operating Model.

Learning Goal for this class:

• #12 the Basics of TikTok and Audience-Builder Platforms

Concepts for this class:

• Digital Platforms: Audience Builder
• B2B Customer View: Shareability, Word of Mouth and Virality
• China Digital Consumer Network
• Network Effects
• First Mover
• AI and Digital Operations

Companies for this class:

• ByteDance / TikTok / Douyin

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

Support the show

In this class, I talk about how live-streaming and KOLs (especially Taobao Live) are activating the China Digital Consumer Network (CDCN). And how the coronavirus quarantine economy is supercharging this.

Correction. I mistakenly said Scott Gottlieb was former CDC head. I meant FDA.

You can listen here or at iTunes and Himalaya.

Learning Goal for this class:

• #11 the Basics of CDCN, Social Media and KOLs

Concepts for this class:

• China Digital Consumer Network
• Networks and Ecosystems
• Digital Platforms: Marketplaces
• Social Media, Influencers and KOLs

Companies for this class:

• JD / JD Live
• Alibaba / Taobao Live

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

Support the show

In this class, I talk about how online retailers like JD and marketplace platforms like Alibaba compete on different dimensions.

You can listen here or at iTunes and Himalaya.

Alibaba and marketplace platforms compete on:

• Cost and / or difficulty of entry - including the chicken-and-egg problem and the cost of the logistics network.
• Competitive advantages - including network effects (main one) and economies of scale in logistics, marketing and IT.

JD and online retailers compete on:

• Cost and / or difficulty of entry - including the cost of the logistics network.
• Competitive advantages - including supply cost advantages and economies of scale in logistics (mostly), marketing and IT

Key Learning Goal is #5: the basics of JD

Concepts for this class:

• Digital-Physical Hybrids
• Competitive Advantage: Economies of Scale
• Competitive Advantage: Network Effects
• Digital Platforms: Marketplaces
• Cost and Difficulty of Entry
• Linked Businesses

Companies for this class:

• JD
• Alibaba

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

Support the show

In this class, we continue the discussion about what Huawei should have done after the US tech ban. In Part 1, we discussed the telco business. Here we talk about the consumer and smartphone business.

You can listen at my website or at iTunes and Himalaya.

I presented four options for what to do:

1. Fix the supply chain and stay the course.
2. Become a digital platform. This means building a smartphone operating system.
3. Ignore Europe and focus mostly on China.
4. Try to build an anti-US alliance for smartphone operating systems. Europe would be key.

Concepts for this class:

• Digital Platforms vs. Products
• Innovation Platforms
• Operational Marathon
• Innovation Marathon (also under Rate of Learning)

Companies for this class:

• Huawei
• Apple
• Xiaomi
• HTC

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

Support the show

In this class, we review the basics of digital platforms, which is one of the key learning goals for Level 2.

You can listen here or at iTunes and Himalaya. 

Concepts for this class:

• Pipelines vs. Platforms

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I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Jeff’s Asia Tech Class, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research. 

www.jefftowson.com

Support the show