Things to read:

"eBay and Google: A Coopetition Perspective"
Julien Decot and Steve Lee,MBAs.
Haas School of Business, May 29, 2006
Link to the .pdf file can be found at:
http://battellemedia.com/archives/002634.php

Google Profit Shows It's Internet Leader,
AP, July 2006
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060721/earns_google.html?.v=9

source:MICHAEL RAPPA *exam relevant
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/google.html

What is Google AdSense
by Sara Milstein, Rael Dornfest
Article, 2005, Link
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2005/07/26/WhatIsAdSense.html

Customizing WordPress with Google AdSense Ads
by Miraz Jordan Nov 24, 2008
http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1276280

What Are Google AdWorks
by Sara Milstein, Rael Dornfest
Article, 2005, Link
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2005/07/22/WhatAreAdWords.html

Search Engine Advertising
by Hal Varian, Lecture Notes *exam relevant
http://www2.sims.berkeley.edu/courses/is141/f05/lectures/search-engine-advertising.pdf

Google`s Search for Corporations
By Ben Elgin, BusinessWeek online, 2006
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2006/tc20060515_429450.htm?campaign_id=search

Enterprise Search Gets Lost
by Marc Strohleim, BusinessWeek online, 2006
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2006/tc20060515_393086.htm?campaign_id=search

Google's 6 principles of e-commerce
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zd4149/is_200405/ai_n9474743

Web Search for a Planet: The Google Cluster Architeture
L. Barroso, J Dean, U Hölzle, IEEE, 2003
http://labs.google.com/people/jeff/

The Google Legacy by Stephen E. Arnold, e-book format,
freely available excerpt Chapter Three: Google Technology.
http://www.infonortics.com/publications/google/google-legacy.html

Questions to consider:

• Who were the early market leaders in search engines?
• How did Google displace the early leaders?
• What is Google's business proposition? How do they generate revenue?
• Do you expect contextual advertising to contributesignificantly to Google's profit growth?
• What are Google's competitors doing?
• How would you advise Google to help it maintain its dominant position (new markets?, new technology?, new business models?)
• What is the core tenet of Google's strategy to dominate thefield of search engines?
• What kind of business model(s) does Google use?
• Look at the various E-services Google offers and critically analyze them,identify the target groups, the benefits,business models and identify any open issues.
• What are the strengths and weakness of Google`s strategy and business model(s)?
• How is Google different from other major search engines?
• What is PageRank? Why might it produce more effective results from searching a large index? What are the limitations of this approach?

- AMAZON.COM

Things to read:

Costs of Competition Send Amazon Profit Down 58%
LAURIE J. FLYNN, July 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/26/technology26amazon.html?ex=1311566400&en=9f28af0fd05bb9df&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

source:MICHAEL RAPPA *exam relevant
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/amazon.html

Questions to consider:

• What are the benefits and limitations of Amazon's online retail model?
• How does Amazon.com change the market for books?
• Look at the various E-services Amazon.com offers and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.
• Amazon has a huge catalog of products for sale. How does the design of Amazon's web site facilitate the user's effort to locate a particular product?
• What is collaborative filtering? How does Amazon use this technique to encourage sales?
• Amazon lets its customers sell used books along side the new versions. Is this a reasonable business practice, of does it unfairly undermine the market for new books?
• Evaluate the Amazon.com website. What aspects of the interface design, features, and functionality represent key strengths and weaknesses?
• How would you account for Amazon.com's success in becoming the Web's most prominent retail site and one of its best known brands?
• How is information captured on the Amazon.com site? How does Amazon.com use that information to create value for users?
• What role do virtual communities play in enhancing users' experiences at Amazon.com? Are virtual communities central or peripheral to the site's efficiency and effectiveness as an online retailer?
• What has happened at Amazon since this case was prepared (see Readings 2001)? Has it moved closer to profitability? What are its prospects for the future?

- YAHOO!

Things to read:

Q1 2006, Q4, Q3 2005 Yahoo! Earnings
http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/earnings.cfm

source:MICHAEL RAPPA
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/yahoo.html

Questions to consider:

• What are the benefits and limitations of the advertising business model?
• How can Yahoo's rapid success in creating a major global brand name be explained?
• How does Yahoo differ from traditional businesses in the world of mass communication, such as print publication or radio and television broadcasting?
• In what ways do Yahoo and Google differ in their business models?
• Look at the various E-services YAHOO! offers and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.

- eBay

Things to read:

source Michael Rappa: (*exam relevant: choose one of the studies: ebay, itunes, wikipedia)
http://www.digitalenterprise.org/cases/ebay.html

Changing marketplace strains Google, eBay relationship
By Elise Ackerman
Mercury News
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/14471402.htm

Questions to consider:

• What is eBay and How Does It Work? In particular, how do transactions take place and how do potential buyers evaluate potential sellers?
• If you have experienced eBay auctions first hand, recall your motivation for participation and evaluation of the experience
• If you have never participated in an eBay auction, search through the listings on www.ebay.com. Do you see anything on which you might be interested in bidding? How do you, as a new user, feel about the site contents and navigation?
• How successful is eBay? How does its performance compare to traditional retailers such as Wal Mart and Internet retailers such as Amazon.com?
• Going forward, should eBay be concerned with increasing corporate involvement? Where is competition likely to come from?
• eBay is one of the only major Internet "pure plays" to consistently make a profit from its inception. What is eBay's business model? Why has it been so successful?
• Other major web sites, like Amazon.com and Yahoo!, have entered the auction marketplace with far less success than eBay. How has eBay been able to maintain its dominant position?
• Is Google a competitor for eBay? Why?
• What method does eBay use to reduce the potential for fraud among traders on its site? What kinds of fraud, if any, are eBay users most susceptible?
• eBay makes every effort to conceptualize its users as a community (as opposed to, say "customers" or "clients"). What is the purpose of this conceptual twist and does eBay gain something by doing it?
• eBay has long been a marketplace for used goods and collectibles. Today, it is increasingly a place where major businesses come to auction their wares. Why would a brand name vendor set-up shop on eBay?
• Look at the various E-services eBay offers and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.

- AMERICA ONLINE (AOL)

Things to read:

source:MICHAEL RAPPA
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/aol.html

Questions to consider:

• What factors help explain AOL's ascendency to the largest online subscription service?
• What is the strategy behind AOL's merger with Time Warner? Why did it fail?
• What problems are at the core of AOL's recent troubles? How can the company turn around and set itself on a path to success?
• Look at the various E-services AOL offers and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, businessmodels and identify any open issues.

- DOUBLECLICK

Things to read:

source:MICHAEL RAPPA
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/doubleclick.html

Questions to consider:

• How does the DoubleClick's DART and Boomerang advertising network operate?
• What are the privacy concerns that arise from services like DoubleClick?
• What steps does DoubleClick take to protect the privacy of Internet users and are these provisions sufficient?
• How has Internet-based advertising changed over the past decade?
• Look at the various E-services DOUBLECLICK offers and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.

- ITUNES MUSIC STORE

Things to read:

Apple and Coca-Cola: European Online-Music
http://www.music.coca-cola.com/

source:MICHAEL RAPPA (*exam relevant: choose one of the studies: ebay, itunes, wikipedia)
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/itunes.html

Questions to consider:

• How does the iTunes business model work? How is it different from traditional models for the music industry?
• How does the iTunes model compare with other Internet music services, such as Listen.com?
• Can the iTunes model survive in an environment where illegal music downloading runs rampant?
• Look at the various E-services ITunes offers and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.

- DELL COMPUTER

Things to read:

source:MICHAEL RAPPA
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/dell.html

Questions to consider:

• What is the "direct business model"?
• What new business opportunities does the direct model affordDell, which would not otherwise be possible?
• Look at the various E-services Dell Computer offers and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.

Things to read:

source:MICHAEL RAPPA (*exam relevant: choose one of the studies: ebay, itunes, wikipedia)
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/wikipedia.html

Questions to consider:

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Wikipediaapproach to knowledge dissemination? How does Wikipedia comparewith the traditional encyclopedia? Which would you trust more as asource of accurate information?
• Should Wikipedia allow material to be posted by anonymous contributors? What are the advantages and drawbacks?
• It is not uncommon for knowledgeable individuals to disagree over the facts on certain subjects. How does Wikipedia mediatedisputes on sensitive or controversial topics? Is mediation likely to yield unbiased results?
• By the end of 2005, there were over 4,000 very active "Wikipedians" (those individuals who contribute 100 times or more per month) and 27,000 individuals contributing at least 5 timesper month. What factors might explain the motivation and commitment of such a large groupof volunteers?
• Look at the various E-services Wikipedia offers andcritically analyze them, identify the target groups, thebenefits, business models and identify any open issues.

- MONSTER.COM

Things to read:

source:MICHAEL RAPPA/RICHARD LUCIC
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/monster.html

Questions to consider:

• What is the Monster business model(s)?
• How does Monster change the employment market?
• Look at the various E-services Monster.com offers and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.
• What are the Monster Board's strengths and weaknesses with respect to its competition?
• What factors account for its business success to date?
• How might Monster Board strengthen its franchise, given Jeff Taylor's options; building its brand, launching vertical sites as brand extensions, or increasing geographic expansion?
• How might Monster Board gain maximum leverage as a subsidiary of TMP Worldwide?
• Are there new economic models, new sources of user value, or pricing policies that Monster Board could adopt to enhance revenues and profitability?
• Is branding different in e-commerce? Is branding more or less difficult in the online environment?

- RED HAT

Things to read:

source:MICHAEL RAPPA
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/redhat.html

Questions to consider:

• What is the "Open Source" business model? How does Red Hat make money?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Open Source model in comparison to the Commercial Software Development (CSD) model advocated by Microsoft?
• Look at the various E-services Red Hat offer and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.
• What is the industry that Red Hat is competing in?
• Who are the major players? What are their strategies?
• What are some of the trends in the industry (threats and opportunities)?
• Characterize the relationship that exists between the Linux open software movement and Red Hat. What do you see as the advantages/disadvantages of such a relationship? How should Red Hat nurture/maintain this relationship going forward?
• Characterize Red Hat's current business model. How do you see this evolving in the future? What capabilities should Red Hat be developing in order to support the future business model that you are proposing?
• In which way do Red Hat's product development objectives differ from those of a proprietary company?
• Do you see the open source movement as having a long-term impact on the software business? Please comment focusing on the Internet strategy used by Red Hat.

- CLASSMATES

Things to read:

source:MICHAEL RAPPA
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/classmates.html

Questions to consider:

• What does Classmates do?
• How does Classmates make money?
• How do the membership tiers differ? What explains the success of Classmates in converting members into paying subscribers where others have failed?
• Look at the various E-services Classmates offer and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.

- SLASHDOT

Things to read:

source:MICHAEL RAPPA
http://digitalenterprise.org/cases/slashdot.html

Questions to consider:

• What is the basis of the Slashdot's "optional advertising" model?
• How does Slashdot change the traditional model of news broadcasting?
• Look at the various E-services Slashdot offers and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.

- DB40bjects

Things to read:

Product information: http://www.db4o.com/about/productinformation/
Company: http://www.db4o.com/about/company/
Developers Community: http://www.db4o.com/community/
Dual licenses:
GNU General Public License: http://www.db4o.com/about/company/legalpolicies/gpl.aspx
Commercial License: http://www.db4o.com/commercial/
ODBMS.org portal: http://www.odbms.org/

Questions to consider:

• What is the "Open Source" business model of DB4Objects? How does DB40bjects make money?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Open Source model in comparison to the Commercial Software Development (CSD) model advocated by Microsoft?
• What is the role of the developers community in the business model of DB4Objects?
• Look at the various E-services DB4Objects offer and critically analyze them, identify the target groups, the benefits, business models and identify any open issues.
• The open source model is not only a development model. In fact, for companies like MySQL and db4objects it is at least 50%, if not 70% a sales, marketing, and distribution model based on self servicing and viral/word of mouth marketing. That's where DB40bjects safe 10x money, while in engineering it is only 2x or so.
  Pls research this issue, comment and provide evidence in your report.

- RealNetworks Rhapsody

http://www.realnetworks.com/

Questions to consider:

• Consider the music subscription service of Rhapsody. To what extent are there network effects and/or economies of scale?
• Are there lock-in or switching costs under a subscription model?
• In a business with network effects, there is generally a first-mover advantage. What are the first-mover advantages and disadvantages for Real?
• How important is it that the subscription service extends to portable players?
• Why does Real give away the player but charge the content provider for encoding software?
• Microsoft has been aggressive competitor in this market. It not only gives away its competing Windows Media Player, it also gives away the software for encoding. How should Real respond?
• Real has won the court case in Europe. Microsoft in now forced to sell a version of Windows without including Windows Media Player. How should Real best take advantage of this opportunity in Europe (and what does this imply for the US)?