WeChat Shop for Small and Medium Enterprises Establish Presence - Facilitators and Challenges
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School of Business |
Master's thesis
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Authors
Date
2020
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Global Management
Language
en
Pages
78 + 12
Series
Abstract
Every year, more companies and entities see China as an attractive opportunity. Consequently, the number of companies trying to enter the Chinese market keeps increasing every year, and it will certainly keep raising in the future. The main reason is that the Chinese market is extremely attractive for companies of all sizes and from any industry. The market is particularly attractive because Chinese people in fact represent the world’s biggest middle class, and this middle class recently started experimenting an income growth that is providing them with a constantly increasing budget and various resources to access the market and make purchases. This thesis describes my research where I attempted to analyze, and explain what are the facilitators and the barriers for small and medium enterprises to approach the Chinese Market using the WeChat E-Shop option. Specifically, the research focuses on how small and medium enterprises with limited resources and limited international experiences can prepare themselves to join the CBEC dimension and establish a presence there. The research also explains the main steps that companies need to go through when they decide to open a WeChat Shop Account and to start selling their products and services through the most used e-platform in China. My research is based on two main sources: first, the literature review where I researched the main frameworks and models related to CBEC for SMEs, and, second, the findings of my research that I gathered working with two small enterprises that have been going through the whole process and have now successfully opened their shop. The research gap I attempt to cover is how small and medium enterprises can establish their presence in this market through e-commerce. The main practical implication that can be inferred by my research is that the SME needs to understand what e-commerce is, what it can be used for, and what elements characterize cross-border e-commerce; the company has to clearly perceive the benefits coming from new technologies and how these can influence the competitive environment; finally, the third implication is the Step-by-Step Guide to start the WeChat Shop Account that I created while working with the two companies that have now entered CBEC with China. In addition to the Step-by-Step guide, I also researched the main Service Providers that support companies willing to start their CBEC with China using the WeChat Shop option. Considering the findings, companies interested in entering China with WeChat e- commerce may understand better how to prepare and how to move to establish their presence into the Chinese e-commerce market deciding what to ask from third parties as a support and what they need to succeed in their operation.Description
Thesis advisor
Wei, LuKeywords
cross border e-commerce, Small and medium enterprises, WeChat, Chinese market