The Motivation, Characteristics, and Development Prospects of e-Commerce in China

Purpose: This study examines the origin, dynamic motivation, characteristics, and development prospects of e-commerce in China, and focusing on the case of Alibaba, suggests directions for development. Composition/Logic: This paper is structured as follows: The first section provides the introduction. The second section considers the various motivating factors behind the development of e-commerce in China. The third section discusses the current situation and characteristics of China's e-commerce. The fourth section analyzes China's e-commerce development prospects. The final section concludes. Findings: This study suggests three development directions for further progression of the Chinese e-commerce trend: (i) Big data and cloud computing strategy; (ii) rural strategy; and (iii) globalization strategy. The implications for Korea can be inferred from the above strategies. Originality/Value: This study contributes by presenting an analysis on the origin, prospects, and characteristics of e-commerce in China, with a focus on Alibaba. In particular, this study offers detailed directions for development that could have implications on Korea.