Saturday, December 11, 2010
TourByMe.com
Monday, December 6, 2010
The laboratory
In general, these tools allow us to initially approach a problem in a visual order to focus on the basics through a process of group discussion and a mixture of several tests made with the same tools, such as different business models.
The feedstock for the production of such analysis gets through the sheet of paper, sticky notes, felt, white and blackboard, computer, camera, scissors, canvas and even storyboards. The technologies required are numerous, especially in programs like Word, VirtualDub, Gimp or even Blender. The Internet is, quite naturally the cornerstone for the achievement and sharing of data collected through our analysis. Among the sites used, are included, Youtube, Google, Bmdesigner, Gliffy, Amadeus, Blogspot and many others who helped us move forward in our research. The following pictures illustrate some of these tools: (Clockwise from the top: Blender stop motion editing, BM on whiteboard, Blueprint on Gliffy, Storyboard)
Research on:
- Amadeus.com
- TravelTechnology.com
- View of the market share for the GDS
http://wapedia.mobi/en/Computer_reservations_system
- Forecasted acquisitions for Amadeus that actually took place, for ex. Vacation.com and e-Travel Inc.
http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Amadeus
Future trends:
http://www.oef.com/free/pdfs/
http://www.amadeus.com/
Amadeus Financial Results:
- In 2010 http://www.amadeus.com/amadeus/x191166.
- The annual report with consolidated financials statements. It's really good explaining the revenues of Amadeus (page 18):
http://www.investors.amadeus.com/includes/pdf/english/consolidated_financial_statements_dec_07_08_09.pdf
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Amadeus Holistic Business Model
Here above you see the holistic business model for Amadeus, based upon the three separated business models for each of its customer segments, which you can find below. (The dark green post-its in the holistic business model are post-its in common for all of the customer segments.)
segment: travel agencies (down)---segment: travel providers (up)---segment: travellers (down)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Amadeus' Revenue Streams and Channel Phases
As one can see, Amadeus has several sources of revenues (almost all of the streams discussed in the course).
But mainly, Amadeus' revenues come from its Transaction-Based Solutions, in particularly from its GDS (Global Distribution System), and it might combine pricing mechanisms according to the segment targetted. For example, it requires Travel Agencies (mainly) a subscription fee for usage of their GDS solution whilst still applying Transaction fees for every operation performed in their solution.
When acting as an Agent, it gets brokerage fees and when distributing its IT Solutions might get Selling, Leasing or Licensing revenues.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Travel Industry and Internet - Interviews
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Amadeus' Business Model
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Amadeus Value Proposition
Strategy Canvas based on the Blue Ocean's Analysis
Friday, October 15, 2010
Travel Industry Environment - Mapping
This industry has been particularly transformed by web-based technology.
The changes that the industry has been through range from the transaction /information exchange between traveling companies, the emerging of dot com (specially ticketing) companies to the introduction of sophisticated applications and devices to enhance the traveling experience ( like Smart Phone applications).
Today, the traveling industry is a different one than 10 years ago.
Travel Industry Mapping Exercise
- Ubiquitous in nature, but with a strong and fierce competition among the participants within the industry.
- Worldwide Market and Operations
- 24/24 hours availability but it also applies to competitors and substitute services
- Fierce competition for market share due to the Low-Cost emerging services
- B2B, B2C, B2b business models
- General recovery after the financial crisis
- Market and Economic conditions are often country-dependent
Amadeus Business Model
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Case Study MS Office Business Model Environment
The force of these substitute products rely on their availability and multi-platform adaptability, in some cases, and mainly of course on their free cost for the final user.
Nevertheless, the change resistance experienced by most users has allowed MS Office to remain the leader in its sector. According to different surveys (i.e. Forrester), most companies are planning to upgrade to the newest versions of Office and do not plan to move to an alternative application fearing, among others, lack of seamless interoperability with other applications and user’s resistance.
MS Office’s partners OEM, play an important role in the business model installing and distributing MS Office software. By doing this, they initially capture users that later will highly probably stick to the product. The same will probably happen with users of Office Web Apps for Facebook.
KEY Trends
MS Office’s market is world wide.
When regulations are created and applied to protect the brand and limit the use of the software to legal customers, it influences the business model by increasing the company’s control over the use of the product and hence increasing revenues. In the same way, by increasing or decreasing taxes on the buying of the product, there will potentially be more or less customers.
Higher revenues in a country will give as a result a higher legal use of the product. The demographic distribution between urban and rural areas also impacts the sales of the product.
Piracy is a trend that strongly influences MS Office’s market. People’s tendency to use the product illegally has extended to all societies and all income levels, because of the easy access to it, restricting then the control on the use of the product.
Tactile and online tools are invading the technology market. People don’t necessarily have to use MS Office suite to produce a beautifully-designed presentation. That threatens MS Office market.
MARKET Forces
The main market issues are that competitors will offer cheaper products with similar quality, or offer it with a higher quality at the same price like Live Document. Another issue is that customers are constantly demanding lower prices.
Microsoft Office users are mainly business and individuals. But revenues largely come from business, and even though most business presently using MS Office prefer not to move to an alternative product, Microsoft needs to be aware of competitors, who are constantly trying to conquer a bite of the market.
We find that there is a growing segment of elderly people that are starting to work with computers, so in the future, Microsoft might want to develop a strategy to target this do not segment by creating a simplified version of the Microsoft Office package.
Even though some geographical regions such as Latin-America or Africa are experiencing a big growth, there are also some areas such as China, where sales do not necessarily increase, due to the illegal software download market.
Customers want to increase the efficiency and maximize their productivity. In order to achieve that, customers need to have a more user-friendly version of the MS Office package with an extended problem solving tool.
Moreover, they want a program in which they can have all the information, their agenda, etc.
There are rather switching efforts than switching costs because a lot of people are used to work with the Microsoft operating system.
Microsoft also has a strong brand, enough reason for the customers to stick to MS Office. However, the company needs to be aware of the illegal downloading trend and free software from competitors. Revenues mainly come from high margins of licenses, because right now the customers have no influence on the software price. In the future, Microsoft will have to take into account that customer's power might increase.
MACRO ECONOMIC Forces
Due to the global recession that hit the market two years ago, the market, in general, is starting to slowly recover. However, market conditions (GDP, unemployment rate, etc.) strongly depend on the geographical region. An example of this fact is that the USA has a lower unemployment rate and is more rapidly recovering from the recession than other countries, such as Spain, Italy, Greece or Latin-America.
The economic infrastructure also depends on the region Microsoft is selling their products to. There are wealthier areas with good public services, good supplier access, high life quality, high taxes, etc. that can have easier access to MS Office, but there are also poorer regions that experience difficulties in reaching it.
As a consequence of the global recession, banks have limited the credit availability. Because of this, companies have had difficulties to obtain funds. However, Microsoft as an established brand, and has managed to survive.
The main resource of MS Office is software developers. Therefore, the main costs are labor and intellectual property costs. These costs can be reduced by outsourcing.
INFLUENCE ON THE BUSINESS MODEL in the Future
Activities:
- enhance marketing activities, to maintain the market share
- extend the customer support
- integrate new technology trends into the product development, in order not to lose segments of the market
- Lower prices and higher quality software
- Software developers that are skilled at the new technologies (headhunting + training)
- More alliances with strong technology leaders (as with Facebook)
- Reinforce relationships with governments in order to world widely approve laws against illegal downloading
- target a new customer segment: the elderly people
- less developed geographical areas
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Project group E-business 2010 is
- Ana Abraira
- Brenda Beltran | brexls
- Pascal Chollet | chollet.pascal
- Martin Des Crescenzio | ni-2m1
- Linde Vloeberghs | lindevloeberghs