| dc.description.abstract | The last decade has witnessed a phenomenal growth in smartphone sales, since Apple released its first iPhone in 2007. Smartphone nowadays is probably the most prevalent electronic product in the consumer market. However, in several markets, it has reached the maturity stage, where growth stagnates.
In 2016, the global smartphone sales grew merely 3.8%, the first single-digit growth for the product. However, if the North America and Western Europe are excluded, most regional markets show robust growths, especially in the Middle East. Despite long-term war and political turmoil in some countries due to geopolitics, researchers expect it would be among the next wave of markets with high economic growth. This is evident particularly in the oil-exporting countries, which are committed to opening up of market and of e-commerce to stimulate non-oil revenues.
Company H, a global brand in the heated competition in smartphones, hope to exploit this opportunity, by utilizing its existing advantages to expand its market size and boost product sales, to escalate its competitive advantage in this region through a new virtual channel. The initiative includes selling smartphone online in the fast-growing Middle-East, leveraging existing subsidiaries, distributors and logistics partners.
This study attempts to provide a strategic plan for
Company H in establishing online stores in the region. It first examined the global and Middle- Eastern smartphone and B2C e-commerce environment, and conducted a SWOT analysis to derive a strategic portfolio, and planned for implementation. A feasibility study was also conducted. | en_US |