JD Logistics and the Dream of Smart, Automated Logistics at Scale (1 of 2)(Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

I have been thinking about JD’s logistics operations for like 4 years. I visited a couple of their warehouses. I toured their robotics laboratory. And I am always looking for their cool logistics videos (see here). But it’s hard to see the whole system. Most logistics is behind the scenes. But JD Logistics has just […]

How Coupang Is Building a Competitive Fortress in South Korea (Tech Strategy – Podcast 70)

Coupang is a South Korean e-commerce company that is building a competitive fortress in its home market. The company has a number of advantages, including economies of scale, a strong distribution network, and a focus on customer service. Coupang is also investing heavily in technology, which could give it an edge over its competitors.

Cloud is the Big Unknown in Alibaba’s Growth (pt 2 of 2). (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

This is Part 2 of two articles on Alibaba Investors Day. In Part 1 (Dissecting Alibaba’s 11 Growth Strategies), I wrote about their 5 growth strategies in “Domestic Consumption” (i.e., stuff Chinese consumers spend money on). But CEO Daniel Zhang also outlined 5 growth strategies for Alibaba Cloud. And their cloud business is what everyone has […]

Dissecting Alibaba’s 11 Growth Strategies. From Investor Day 2020 (1 of 2). (Tech Class – Daily Article)

So Alibaba Investor Day was this week. Actually it was three days. And there were lots of presentations and publications. But people generally want to hear from Maggie Wu (CFO) and Daniel Zhang (CEO). Their two presentations on the final day are a big deal. I went through everything (so you don’t have to). And […]

Why Revenue Scale and Operating Leverage Are Different for Software vs. AI. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 69)

In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses how revenue scale and operating leverage differ for software and AI companies. He argues that software companies can achieve economies of scale more easily than AI companies, which can lead to higher profit margins. Towson also discusses the importance of data and talent for AI companies, and how these factors can affect their ability to scale.

Is Roblox Going to Be the Next TikTok? Plus the Kuaishou IPO. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 68)

In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the potential of Roblox to become the next TikTok, and the upcoming IPO of Kuaishou. He argues that both companies are part of a new wave of audience-builder platforms that are changing the way people consume media.

ByteDance vs. Kuaishou: Innovator vs. Fast Follower Strategies for the China Attention Market (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

Kuaishou Technology is going public in Hong Kong. From the IPO filing, the basic story is that Kuaishou does short videos and live streaming. It’s a video company. And these are the combined numbers reported: 305M average DAUs, in their apps and mini-programs in China. 769M average MAUs, in their apps and mini-programs in China. +86 minutes in […]

The 3 Effects of Network Effects. Plus So-Young’s Cool Marketplace. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 67)

In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the three effects of network effects, and how they can be used to create a competitive advantage. He also talks about So-Young, a Chinese marketplace for beauty services, and how it is using network effects to grow its business.