Chinese Entrepreneurship in the Internet Age: Lessons from Alibaba.com

The story of Alibaba demonstrates a credible example of how a small start-up company can eventua lly make it big in the global economy through the Internet. Thi s case study does not attempt to present Alibaba as a perfect fo rmula; rather, it discusses the strategies carried out by the firm an d, in the process, culls out the important lessons that can guide star t-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs in the complex world of online tradin g. Similar to the interesting and exotic Asian cuisine that continuou sly evolves from the diversity of Asia’s people and their unique cul ture and personality, Alibaba has successfully transformed i tself over the years, adapting to the changes in and demands of on line businessto-business (B2B) commerce. Keywords—Entrepreneurship, Electronic Commerce, Leadership, Business Model, Small and Medium Enterp rises (SME) I. HISTORY AND GROWTH OF ALIBABA LIBABA.com was founded by Jack Ma in 1998. It was not simply found through a straightforward “recipe. ” Instead, it took various forms and changes, and is still continuously evolving even up to this day. Its stor y is as unique as the story of the man behind it. A. Following Alibaba’s history from the story of the m an