JD.com's smart logistics platform is a key to success in the e-commerce industry. The platform uses AI and automation to reduce costs and improve efficiency, …Read More »

In this episode of the Tech Strategy Podcast, Jeff Towson shares insights from his conversation with the head of JD Smart Logistics Park. The discussion …Read More »

This article uncovers the transformation of logistics through the lens of JD Smart Logistics Park. It highlights how automation and digitization are replacing repetitive labor, …Read More »

In Jeff Towson's latest podcast, he elucidates how generative AI can be the key to supercharging your business and career. He provides three practical steps: …Read More »

A summary of this article: ChatGPT and Google Bard are two large language models (LLMs) that are rapidly evolving and becoming more powerful models. Both …Read More »

Discover the competitive dynamics and future outlook of AI apps as incumbents assert their dominance and native apps face commoditization. Explore the transformative impact of …Read More »

In this episode of the Tech Strategy podcast, Jeff Towson discusses the future of generative AI and how OpenAI and Google are likely to have …Read More »

Explore the heated battle between open-source and proprietary large language models (LLMs) in generative AI. Leaked documents from Google suggest that open-source LLMs are rapidly …Read More »

In this episode of the Tech Strategy podcast, Jeff Towson discusses the rise of digital agents and non-human platforms and how they are changing business …Read More »

In Part 1, I teed up a couple of related digital concepts: Personalization. A good example of this is Shein. They are taking personalization further …Read More »

In the 162nd episode of the Tech Strategy Podcast, Prof Jeff delves into three groundbreaking technologies: AutoGPT/AgentGPT, 5.5G, and the unique concept of human organizational …Read More »

Last week, I was giving a talk in Shanghai about the digitization of manufacturing. And how this is creating a data ecosystem that connects consumers, …Read More »

In Tech Strategy Podcast 161, Prof Jeff discusses the international success of TikTok and Shein, contrasting it with the less global impact of WeChat and …Read More »

I have a weakness for strategy. For business models and structures that create advantages for certain companies. I like to look at businesses pretty much …Read More »

This blog post dissects Huawei’s recent 2022 financial report and the significant revelations it presents. Key takeaways include the stabilization of their core ICT business …Read More »

This is Part 2 about the 2022 Huawei annual report and my trip to Shenzhen for the event. In Part 1, I summarized the basic …Read More »

I attended Huawei’s 2022 financial results meeting in Shenzhen and it was mostly a story of “back to normal”. As CFO and now rotating Chairperson …Read More »

Delve into an insightful discussion with Huawei's Ex-Chairman, Guo Ping, in an exclusive interview conducted by Jeffrey Towson. Explore Guo Ping's unique perspectives on the …Read More »

In this comprehensive discussion, the focus is laid on why American citizens should protect TikTok. Contrary to popular belief, TikTok is not the major threat …Read More »

In Part 1, I laid out nfx’s 16 network effects. Which is a pretty useable framework. And I agree with about half of them (which …Read More »

I recently did a podcast on nfx list of 16 Network Effects. NFX’s 16 Network Effects. Plus, Embedding and Other Small Digital Ideas (Tech Strategy …Read More »

Network effects are a powerful force in the digital world. They can help businesses to grow quickly and to become dominant players in their markets. …Read More »

In this thought-provoking discussion, Jeffrey Towson analyzes the impact of machine learning and prediction on businesses. He questions whether these capabilities can truly serve as …Read More »

In this comprehensive analysis, Jeff Towson delves into the ongoing struggle for profitability faced by leading eCommerce companies such as Grab, Dingdong, Meituan, Didi, GoJek, …Read More »

In Part 1, I laid out some of the challenges of doing ecommerce in groceries. And two innovative business models that attempted to make it …Read More »

In the past month, two Chinese ecommerce companies focused on on-demand grocery ecommerce have announced they reached operating profitability in 2022. The two companies are …Read More »

China's economy is facing a number of challenges, including an aging population, rising labor costs, and a slowdown in productivity growth. However, the country is …Read More »

High flying Coinbase has fallen to $50 per share, which is about a $10B market capitalization. This is dramatically down from its 2021 IPO share …Read More »

Monster Energy is a leading energy drink brand that has successfully used digital technology to build its brand and reach new customers. In this podcast, …Read More »

In Part 1 and Part 2, I went through Borsheims jewelry and Nebraska Furniture Mart. Both are good examples of retailers with somewhat similar consumer …Read More »

In Part 1, I went through Borsheims, Buffett’s jewelry retailer in Omaha. It has historically had a very strong business model, although this may be …Read More »

Back in 2017 and 2018, I took a bunch of Peking University students to Omaha to have lunch with Warren Buffett. And we also did …Read More »

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can create new content, such as text, images, and music. It has the potential to disrupt …Read More »

In Part 1, I detailed two examples of how AI-powered services are going to be superior to digital platforms (in some cases). They were: Uber …Read More »

I did a podcast about how “Generative AI as a Service” is disrupting some particularly dominant platform business models. I mentioned YouTube, TikTok and OnlyFans. …Read More »

Generative AI is a rapidly developing technology that has the potential to disrupt many industries, including the content creation industry. Generative AI can be used …Read More »

Explore the four types of intangible assets that drive digital businesses in this insightful Tech Strategy Podcast. Gain a deeper understanding of the role and …Read More »

Jeff Towson's Podcast 150 delves into the transformative power of generative AI, like ChatGPT, on Hollywood's entertainment industry. The discussion highlights the potential threats this …Read More »

In Part 1, I raised the problem of intangible assets in valuation and financial analysis. Value creation follows from growth, ROIC and RONIC, where the …Read More »

Key take-aways for this article: The key to valuation is estimating growth, ROIC and RONIC. This is difficult for digital companies because of the opacity …Read More »

"In Podcast 149, Jeff Towson shares valuable insights into the digital transformation journey of leading CPG brands like AB InBev, Nike, and Ze Delivery. He …Read More »

Key concepts for this article: The Brutal Economics of Digital / Information Audience-Builder Platforms *** ChatGPT and large language models (LLM) have everyone talking. The …Read More »

Key concepts for this article: DOB2: Never-Ending Customer Improvements and Personalization Economies of Scale: Geographic Density (CA13) *** As mentioned in Part 1, I recently …Read More »

Delve into Jeff Towson's Podcast 148, where he provides a comprehensive valuation for Microsoft and its tech strategy. This episode offers expert insights into the …Read More »

If we look at Microsoft’s business lines, we can see 7-8 significant businesses. It’s a big company. But I think it’s mostly about 4 particularly …Read More »

Jeff Towson's Podcast 147 provides a detailed comparison of Mercado Libre and Magazine Luiza (Magalu) in the Brazilian e-commerce market. The podcast delves into their …Read More »

Alibaba has three key lessons for Magalu, a Brazilian e-commerce company, on how to merge the physical and digital worlds to create a seamless customer …Read More »

I recently visited Mercado Libre’s headquarters outside of Sao Paolo and had some interesting discussions with management. It was a great visit and Mercado Libre …Read More »

In this episode of the Tech Strategy Podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the arrival of ChatGPT, a new AI content generation tool from OpenAI. ChatGPT is …Read More »

Baidu, China's leading search engine, is a "learning platform" that becomes smarter with increased user activity. Founded by Robin Li in 2000, it was designed …Read More »

Microsoft's Azure strategy is to provide infrastructure and two platforms: Azure App Service and Azure Functions. Azure App Service is a fully managed platform that …Read More »

In this episode of the Tech Strategy podcast, Jeff Towson discusses Elon Musk’s strategy for Twitter and how he plans to supercharge performance and then …Read More »

I have used the terms digital and data technology interchangeably. And I have described them as things made of bits and bytes. Of ones and …Read More »

In Part 1, I argued that Twitter 1.0 is about supercharging operating performance. That’s what I expect to happen in the 6 months. And it …Read More »

As businesses grapple with the escalating arms race for online demand, they must devise strategies to capture consumer attention and engagement in the age of …Read More »

Elon Musk had an all hands meeting and Q&A at Twitter this week. It was in the Verge. That transcript, plus his frequent comments on …Read More »

In this episode of the Tech Strategy podcast, Jeff Towson discusses why most incumbents should forget about platforms and build consumption ecosystems. He explains how …Read More »

In Part 1, I summarized my list of digital business model types. For Web2: Linear business models (i.e., pipelines) Production Ecosystems Consumption Ecosystems Company Ecosystems …Read More »

I have described digital business models as either pipelines or platforms. That’ s a standard distinction. In a pipeline, a firm creates value with a …Read More »

In this episode of the Tech Strategy podcast, Jeff Towson discusses what Grab can learn from Amazon about growth and not from Meta. He explains …Read More »

Grab recently held its 2002 Investor Day. They summarized their 1H results for 2022 and went through their current strategy, which is mostly about getting …Read More »

In this captivating article by Jeff Towson, discover the remarkable insights derived from Grab's mastery of geographic density and other cost efficiencies through technology. Gain …Read More »

Apple and Pinduoduo are two companies that have been successful in purchasing economies. In this podcast, Jeff Towson discusses four lessons that can be learned …Read More »

Why do humans live in cities? And why does the urbanization rate of most countries keep increasing? Because there are lots of efficiencies when you …Read More »

Jeff Towson discusses Snowflake, Alibaba, and his 3 favorite cloud business models in this podcast. Listen now to learn more about these companies and their …Read More »

Jeff Towson discusses three strategy questions for Magazine Luiza (Magalu) in Brazil in this podcast. These questions include how to compete with Amazon, how to …Read More »

I recently visited the Magazine Luiza / Magalu headquarters in Sao Paulo, Brazil. And this company should be on your radar. Magalu is definitely out …Read More »

I keep an eye on the larger moves by Alibaba. Not the constant stream of announcements and endless initiatives but the larger strategic moves that …Read More »

I was in Kenya recently and got a chance to play with Jumia and Jumia Food, the big ecommerce apps in most of the big …Read More »

Discover how AB InBev and Ze Delivery are revolutionizing the ecommerce scene in the beverage industry in this engaging podcast by Jeffrey Towson. Gain insights …Read More »

I recently met with Rodolfo Chung, CEO of rapidly rising Zé Delivery in Brazil. This is a beverage delivery service that was launched by AB …Read More »

Uncover the three significant digital shifts revolutionizing the retail and ecommerce sectors in this comprehensive podcast by Jeffrey Towson. This episode offers a deep dive …Read More »

I wrote about Alibaba’s 5 growth strategies under “Domestic Consumption”. But CEO Daniel Zhang has also outlined 5 growth strategies for Alibaba Cloud. And their …Read More »

In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the business models of Steam and Garena, and he explores how they are changing the gaming industry. He also …Read More »

In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses why he doesn't like Netflix, Singapore Press, and most digital content businesses. He argues that these businesses lack a …Read More »

Jeffrey Towson, a China tech expert, believes that TikTok is difficult to copy because it is more than just an app. It is a culture …Read More »

In 2019, Mark Zuckerberg released a memo on “privacy-focused messaging and social networking” – and charted a new direction for Facebook. In theory, the memo …Read More »

Jeff Towson delves into the concept of economies of scale as the predominant strategy in the digital realm. He provides valuable insights into why it …Read More »

One of my favorite articles about platform strategy is a 2020 article by the Boston Consulting Group. It was a really solid investigation of an …Read More »

Economies of scale as a phenomenon goes back to Adam Smith, so it is, unsurprisingly, often described in industrial terms. It is the phenomenon where …Read More »

I’ve been arguing that digital strategy is mostly about developing expertise in 4 areas. Digital economics Platform business models AI and machine learning Blockchain Each …Read More »

CA9: Scarce or Cornered Resources is a rare and quirky type of competitive advantages. It is a cost and supply advantage. You can see it …Read More »

I’ve written a lot about Ant Financial because I think it is a cool example of a zero-human operation. It’s has been built from as …Read More »

Explore the fascinating world of digital operating basics with Jeff Towson on the Tech Strategy Podcast, featuring lessons from Majid Al Futtaim. Delve into the …Read More »

In Part 1, I went through two strategy concepts for web3. Protocol Networks (i.e., Blockchains) with Property Rights Composability (i.e., Building Blocks) at Global Scale …Read More »

Everyone describes their initial look at blockchain and web3 as “going down the rabbit hole”. It starts simply with Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Then they go …Read More »

Web3 is the next generation of the internet, built on blockchain technology. It has the potential to revolutionize many industries, including finance, healthcare, and education. …Read More »

I often get asked how JD competes with Alibaba (in ecommerce). Who is going to win? My answer is below. But first a little theory …Read More »

This discussion centers on the innovative digital business models developed by Walgreens and Ping An Good Doctor in the healthcare sector. These industry leaders have …Read More »

Virality, viral loops, incentives and digital word of mouth all get sort of mixed together. They are all growth mechanisms for digital businesses. And they …Read More »

I’ve been thinking about Luckin Coffee, which was a big story a few years ago in China. It was a digital upstart taking on giant …Read More »

Think about the value proposition of a Walmart superstore. Most everything a customer needs is in the store and easy to find. Yes, Walmart is …Read More »

In this week's episode, Jeff Towson dives deep into the concept of the rate of learning as a competitive advantage, a significant shift from its …Read More »

For those of you reading the Moats and Marathons books, I have been slowly laying out the key competitive advantages for digital businesses. And this is …Read More »

In this insightful piece, Jeff Towson explores what Xiaomi, despite its strong management team and innovative approach, can learn from the strategies employed by Apple …Read More »

In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the return of Ant Group after 2 years in restructuring. He talks about Ant's new international payment initiative, Alipay+, …Read More »

A few years ago, I wrote about how Alibaba.com was launching an ambitious global platform strategy around B2B cross-border transactions. Alibaba.com was attempting to build …Read More »

In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses why General Electric (GE) failed in its digital transformation efforts. He talks about the company's history of innovation and …Read More »

We are a couple of years into the epic (pun intended) fight between Apple and Epic Games over the App Store. This is really the …Read More »

I’ve mentioned externalizing capabilities as a strategic move many times. I thought I would detail that out. It’s common strategy in digital business models. And …Read More »