The Tech Strategy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

What TikTok Can Learn From Huawei About the Role of the State (39) Jul 20, 2020

Show notes

In this class, I talk about the role of the state as a key factor in certain industries and countries. This tends to be a fuzzy, uncomfortable aspect when it comes to analysis. But it is fairly common for government to act as both policeman and player. And it can often be easy to predict.
You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.
This is part of Learning Goals: Level 7, with a focus on:

#27: The Role of the State

Concepts for this class:

Role of the State
Mismatched and/or Crippled Scale

Companies for this class:

TikTok / Douyin
Bytedance
Huawei

———-
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.

Support the show

Will Farfetch or Secoo Win in Luxury Ecommerce in China? (38) Jul 13, 2020

Show notes

In this class, I talk about the difficulty of moving luxury into ecommerce. And how Chinese consumers will likely determine who finally cracks this problem. Secoo and Farfetch are two companies that are on this frontier right now.
You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.
Question: Will Farfetch or Secoo win in luxury ecommerce in China? Three factors to consider:

What do consumers care about most?
What do large luxury brands care about most?
What do small luxury brands and boutiques care about most?

Related podcasts and articles:

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:

#26: Advanced and Complicated New Retail

Concepts for this class:

Platform Business Models: Marketplaces for Products and Services
New Retail
Online Merge Offline (OMO)
SMILE Operational Marathon: Ecosystem Shaping and Management
China Digital Consumer Network (CDCN)

Companies for this class:

Farfetch
Secoo
JD

Support the show

Companies Can Have Digital Superpowers: Lazada vs. Grab. Luckin vs. Hellobike. (37) Jul 05, 2020

Show notes

In this class, we go through 6 digital superpowers, which is a simple high-level checklist for when digital tools can significantly change the competitive dynamics of a business.
You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.
Which of the 6 Digital Superpowers does the company have? If any.

Dramatically transform the user experience
Enable a platform business model
Network effects
Other competitive advantage
Virality
Scalable

Related podcasts and articles:

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:

#25: 6 Digital Superpowers

Concepts for this class:

6 Digital Superpowers
SMILE Operational Marathon
Competitive Advantages: Traditional vs. Digital

Companies for this class:

Lazada
Grab
Luckin Coffee
Hellobike

Support the show

WeChat, TikTok and Capturing the Consumer Mind in a Digital Age (36) Jun 28, 2020

Show notes

In this class, I talk about the share of the consumer mind as a revenue competitive advantage. And how companies like WeChat and TikTok are changing this with digital tools.
You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.
Related podcasts and articles:

Why Didi Needs Driver Switching Costs. Uber Too. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 23)

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:

#24: Share of the Consumer Mind in a Digital Age

Concepts for this class:

Competitive Advantages
Share of the Consumer Mind
Switching Costs
Searching Costs
Temporary Supply-Demand Imbalances

Companies for this class:

TikTok / Douyin and Bytedance
WeChat and Tencent

Support the show

How Should Education Companies Like New Oriental Respond to AI Digital Natives Like LAIX? (35) Jun 22, 2020

Show notes

In this class, I go into the how digital native education companies like LAIX are challenging traditional companies like New Oriental.
You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.
Which of the 6 Digital Superpowers does LAIX have? If any.

Dramatically transform the user experience
Enable a platform business model
Network effects
Other competitive advantage
Virality
Scalable

Related podcasts and articles:

Review: The Sexy But Dangerous Economics of Digital (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 15)

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 2, with a focus on:

#1: Basics of Digital Economics

Concepts for this class:

Jobs to be Done
Digital Econoimcs
Digital Superpower 1: Dramatically Transform User Experience

Companies for this class:

Liulishuo (LAIX)
New Oriental Education

Support the show

Huawei, Luckin and the SMILE Marathon (34) Jun 14, 2020

Show notes

In this class, I go into the increasing dimensions of operational marathons. I call these the SMILE marathon.
You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.
SMILE Marathons. Competing every day on which dimensions?

Scale, Scope, Efficiency and Effectiveness
Machine Learning / AI Factories and Zero-Human Operations
Innovation
Rate of Learning
Ecosystem Orchestration and Management

Related podcasts and articles:

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:

#23: SMILE Marathon

Concepts for this class:

SMILE Marathon
SMILE Marathon Dimension 1: Scale, Scope, Efficiency and Effectiveness
SMILE Marathon Dimension 2: Machine Learning / AI Factories and Zero-Human Operations
SMILE Marathon Dimension 3: Innovation
SMILE Marathon Dimension 4: Rate of Learning
SMILE Marathon Dimension 5: Ecosystem Orchestration and Management

Companies for this class:

Huawei
Luckin Coffee

Support the show

3 Ways AI Is Transforming Fashion: My Interview with JD Vice President of Cloud & AI (33) Jun 08, 2020

Show notes

In this class, I talk about ways AI and cheap prediction are being used in fashion and apparel. From my interview with Dr. Tao Mei, Vice President of Cloud & AI at JD.com.
You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.
Related podcasts and articles:

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:

#22: Basics of AI

Concepts for this class:

Digital Superpowers
Operational Marathon
AI as Cheap Prediction
AI Factories / Zero-Human Operations

Companies for this class:

Support the show

Grab vs. GoJek vs. Lazada: Who Will Win in Services in SE Asia? (32) Jun 01, 2020

Show notes

In this class, I go through some of the basics of Grab, GoJek and Lazada. And the different approaches for capturing local services in SE Asia.
You can listen here or at my webpage.
Which are the most important 1-2 factors for the competition in SE Asia services?

Consumer engagement and experience. Capturing a share of the consumer mind.
Merchant engagement and experience. Being strong with service providers.
Platform business models and their advantages (subsidized pricing, growing interactions, data, etc.)
Network effects.
Management execution and access to capital.

Related podcasts and articles:

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:

#16: Basics of Ctrip, Meituan and Marketplace Platforms for Services

Concepts for this class:

Bundling
Platforms: Marketplaces for Services
Network Effects

Companies for this class:

Grab
GoJek
Didi
Lazada

Support the show

Products with Personalities? My Interview with JD About Conversational AI (31) May 25, 2020

Show notes

In this class, I talk about my interview with He Xiaodong of JD. And about how chatbots are evolving into conversational AI. Plus the basics of AI economics.
You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.
CORRECTION. In this podcast, I mentioned that JD's Smart Customer Service has the personality of a young woman. Xiaodong was actually referreing to Microsoft's Xiaolce. My apologies.
Related podcasts and articles:

This is part of Learning Goals: Level 4-5, with a focus on:

#22 Basics of AI

Concepts for this class:

AI - Cheap Prediction
Mismatched and/or Crippled Scale

Companies for this class:

Support the show

Should Starbucks Buy Luckin Coffee? Should Alibaba? HeyTea? (30) May 18, 2020

Show notes

In this class, I talk about what can be done with Luckin Coffee post-scandal. Should another company or investor buy it?
You can listen here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.
Who should buy Luckin Coffee? Choose an option.