Alibaba's World: How a remarkable Chinese company is changing the face of global business

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In September 2014, a relatively unknown Chinese company made history with the largest IPO ever, surpassing Google, Facebook, and Twitter combined. Alibaba, now the world's largest e-commerce company, quietly built a customer base larger than Amazon's while handling most e-commerce transactions in China. How did this transformation occur? In this insightful account, Porter Erisman, one of Alibaba's first Western employees, recounts the journey of Jack Ma, a former schoolteacher who overcame numerous obstacles, including failing his college entrance exams twice, to establish Alibaba. Erisman shares firsthand experiences of navigating the dotcom crash, competing against giants like eBay and Google, negotiating with the unpredictable Chinese government, and dealing with misguided advice from foreign experts. He illustrates how Alibaba evolved from a struggling startup to a dominant force in e-commerce. The narrative also explores Alibaba's significance in shaping the new global business landscape, emphasizing a shift towards the East, emerging markets, and the rise of nimble entrepreneurs over traditional industry titans. As we look to the future, the story of Alibaba and its successors offers essential insights into the evolving world of business.