Hello, dear friend, you can consult us at any time if you have any questions, add WeChat: daixieit

IMAT3614

Big Data and Business Models

Specifications and Assessment section

This coursework brief contains information you need to prepare your final coursework report. Your coursework contributes 50% to your final mark. There are three parts to this assignment (see Figure 1 below), and to succeed you need to complete the following task.

Worksheet Data Analysis in R week22 (30)

Phase Test Week 29 or 30 (100)

Coursework Business Models week 31 (70)

Figure 1: Breaking down your final mark.

Total mark = Phase test mark * 30% + (worksheet mark + coursework mark) * 70%.

Business case report: The multiple sided network business model

The advent of big-data and Internet technology created opportunities for new types of business models. One of those models is known as the multi-sided network business model (also known as the “platform”). For this task you will choose a company that provides platform services to its customers. You will then conduct your own independent research about that company, following the steps described below:

Answer the following questions in a report.        Marks

1 Multi-sided network: an initial analysis

1.1. Identify the company you would like to analyse and describe it briefly. What is your evidence that this company is indeed a platform provider? (2 mark)

1.2. The company you chose provides a platform with multiple sides that interact with one another. Identify and describe each of those sides. (2 mark)

1.3. Give an example of a different company that provides similar services (more or less) but uses a more traditional business model. Explain why the selected company is not a platform business. (2 mark)

1.4 Compare the two companies, focusing on their business models and its implications. (2 marks)        8

2 System dynamics

Produce a diagram of a system dynamics model, representing the complex set of cause-effect relationships that describes how a business system works. (5 marks)

2.1 Identify and define important factors (measurable variables) that influence the business performance; (2 marks)

2.2 Analyse the relationship between variables, and explain whether the relations are positive or negative, which are causes and which are effect. (3 marks)

2.3 Analyse the model and identify feedback loops, and explain which types of loops they are. (2 marks)

Note: The diagram must be your original work. It needs to be correct, elaborate but as parsimonious as you can make it clear and easy to understand.  12

3 Strategy and Business Model

3.1 Analyse your company’s business model critically, using Porter’s Five Forces model. Discuss and explain your analysis, providing facts and figures with appropriate reference to source material. (2 marks for each force analysis. 1 mark for the analysis without evidence) 10

4 Network effects

Platform providers typically analyse eight different categories of network effects (see Figure 2 below), consisting of all possible combinations of the following properties:

● Same- and cross-side effects,

● Positive and negative effects,

● Effects running in both directions between two sides of the network.

4.1 Provide an example for each category of network effect, identifying to which category it belongs and critically evaluating its significance. (1.5 mark per type of network effect, 1 mark for the explanation without evidence)

Support each example with evidence from news items and other publications, and reference your resources appropriately using Harvard referencing style.

Make sure there is a clear relationship between the network effects and your system dynamics. 12

Figure 2: Eight categories of network effects

5 Intervention

Based on the analysis of the network effects, to advance the company’s business goal,

5.1 Provide one original suggestion for an appropriate intervention (3 marks)

5.2 Add variables of your suggestion to the system dynamics, discuss how they related to other variables in the system dynamics and help improve the business goal. (4 marks)

5.3 What evidence do you have that your proposal would work? explain how the intervention would affect the network effects.) (3 marks) 10

6. Pricing strategy

6.1 Identify which side of the network is the money side and which is the subsidy side. (2 marks)

6.2 What strategies would the company have in choosing their pricing strategy, and what was their rationale when reaching their final decision? (4 marks)

6.3 Provide examples for services given by the platform provider to each side. (2 marks) 8

7. Professional structure, style and content

7.1 Compose your report and design it to have a professional quality with introduction and conclusions. Structure it neatly, dividing it into coherent sections with informative headings, contents, and a cover page, where provides the report title, your name, student number, programme, and submission date. All figures and/or tables with labelled captions should be explained or cited in the text (4 marks).

7.3 Provide sound arguments based on reliable and well-documented resources (3 marks)

7.4 Include critical analysis, proper discussion, conclusions, references, etc. (3 marks) 10

*Note: eBay and Amazon will not be in options of companies that you select. Total

Expected word count for this task: 3000. This does not include a bibliography and appendices. This word count is a recommendation only, there is no penalty for going above or below this recommended word count. 70

Deliverables to be submitted for assessment:

One single document of your final report. Submission through Turnitin on blackboard.

How the work will be marked: Assessment marking scheme

Marks will be awarded according to the marking grid below, considering the distribution of marks outlined in the body of the coursework brief.

Be mindful of the quality of the case studies and articles you choose to base your research on, as this will impact your ability to carry out the analysis and come to informed claims. Your resources must draw on professional and academic publications, trustworthy media publications and literature from reliable resources, ideally from peer-reviewed journal articles or equivalent resources.

You will need to define the concepts you use and apply them correctly. The concepts you will need to use include (but are not limited to) subsidy side, money side, network effects, same side effects, cross-side effects etc. Answers are expected to provide evidence of your independent research.

General Specifications and Assessment:

● Please see the following document to learn how to avoid common errors and how to get a better mark https://bit.ly/2RzdaFY

● Make sure to read the questions carefully and attempt to answer every relevant aspect of the question.

● Word count: 3,000 (allowance: ±10% words). This does not include a bibliography and appendices. This number count is a recommendation only. It is not a requirement!

● Make sure to label your answers with numbers, corresponding to the numbers in this coursework specification. In your report make it very clear which part of the question you are answering!

● For references, you will need to use the DMU Harvard referencing style (resources available in Blackboard and online) as per DMU guidelines.

● Your work MUST be presented in A4 paper with pages numbered, using 11pt Arial font and 1.5 spacing. Formatting, style and presentation of the essay will be considered during marking.

● Avoid using inappropriate resources such as blogs from unauthorized sources, tabloid press, Wikipedia, Techopedia, Investopedia etc.

● Briefly define, explain and illustrate main concepts where necessary.