The Tech Strategy Podcast

In this class, I talk about Ant Financial / Alipay, AI factories and the basics of payment platforms.You can listen here or at my website for this podcast.The graphic discussed is shown here. The previous articles I cite are:From Big, Dumb Bureaucracies to Zero-Human Operations: The Holy Grail of the Digital Age (pt 1 of 2)How Ant Financial / Alipay is Building an AI Factory in Financial Services (pt 2 of 2)This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:#19 The Basics of Ant Financial and Payment PlatformsConcepts for this class:Advantages of ScaleEconomies of Scale and ScopeLearning AdvantagesDisadvantages of Scale: Bureaucracy, Specialization, Scope, Scale, Complexity, ConnectivityPayment PlatformsAI Factories / Zero-Human OperationsCompanies for this class:Ant FinancialAlibaba———-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.comSupport the show

In this class, I talk about Meituan and the evolution toward more advanced types of services marketplaces.You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.What Should Meituan Do?:Geographic expansionFocus on transportation services (i.e., Didi)Focus on hospitality services (i.e., Ctrip)Jump into an ancillary opportunity: Financial Services or Cloud ServicesAdvance into more complicated services (i.e., market networks)The previous podcast on the subject is:Meituan vs. Ctrip vs. Alibaba: Who Will Win in China Services? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 22)This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:#18 More on Meituan and Marketplace Platforms for ServicesConcepts for this class:Market NetworksMarketplaces for Products and ServicesCompanies for this class:MeituanAlibaba———-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.comSupport the show

In this class, I talk about networks vs. ecosystems. And how networks have evolved from physical to virtual / digital.You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:#17 Basics of Baidu and Physical and Virtual NetworksA lot of the AT&T information comes from the book The Business of Platforms.Concepts for this class:Network EffectsNetworks and EcosystemsComplementary Products, Services and PlatformsCompanies for this class:BaiduAT&T———-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.comSupport the show

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 WorldCompanies for this class:Lazada———-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.comSupport the show

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 HuaweiConcepts for this class:Digital Superpower #1: Dramatically Improve the User ExperienceMoney WarsHyperscaling vs. BlitzscalingCompetitive Advantage: Economies of ScaleLinked BusinessesCompanies for this class:HuaweiLuckin 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.comSupport 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 CostsConcepts for this class:Switching CostsNetwork EffectsDigital Platforms: Marketplaces for ServicesCompanies for this class:DidiUberMeituanCtrip———-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.comSupport 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?Bundling of servicesThe Assets of a Marketplace Platform: Users, Activity and DataNetwork EffectSwitching CostsThis is part of Learning Goals: Level 3, with a focus on:#16 Basics of Ctrip, Meituan and Marketplace Platforms for ServicesConcepts for this class:Digital Platforms: Marketplaces for Products and ServicesBundling and Cross-SellingNetwork EffectsSwitching CostsCompanies for this class:CtripMeituanAlibaba 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.comSupport 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.Good Product. Reliable, easy-to-use, high quality video communications.Viral serviceCollaboration / Coordination PlatformNetwork EffectSwitching 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 PlatformsConcepts for this class:Digital Platforms: Collaboration / Coordination / StandardizationWord of Mouth vs.ViralityNetwork EffectsSwitching CostsCompanies 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.comSupport 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?Addictive Product. Short personalized videos focused on memes, comedy, and lip syncs are a psychological hack.Easy to Use and Highly Shareable Content Types. Tap into CDCN.Audience-Builder Digital PlatformNetwork Effect, including data network effect (also called learning effect)First mover in new spaceAI and Digitized Operating Model.Learning Goal for this class:#12 the Basics of TikTok and Audience-Builder PlatformsConcepts for this class:Digital Platforms: Audience BuilderB2B Customer View: Shareability, Word of Mouth and ViralityChina Digital Consumer NetworkNetwork EffectsFirst MoverAI and Digital OperationsCompanies 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.comSupport 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 KOLsConcepts for this class:China Digital Consumer NetworkNetworks and EcosystemsDigital Platforms: MarketplacesSocial Media, Influencers and KOLsCompanies for this class:JD / JD LiveAlibaba / 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.comSupport the show