farzal.ecommerce.spring2008.iba.khi.pk

average for quiz 3 was 55%

written by Farzal (Admin)

I mentioned that our next lecture (#22) will be after 2 weeks from today on April 5th. This means you will have 25 days to April 30th, the deadline to finish your project work.

Please don’t wait for April 5th to have next project related activity in your brain – continue to make progress on the business plan and the execution, and keep sending me questions you have.

written by Farzal (Admin)

The exam will be split into 2 sections just like last time.

Some of the points we discussed this morning:

1. Exam will cover lectures 10 – 18, including 2 guest lectures
2. From the case studies, the questions will come in the conceptual portion of exam (section b)
3. From Google posting on our blog, the information not contained in the guest lecture is not covered
4. From first midterm, the only topic coming again is RFID, its physical characteristics, and how it helps with information or product supply chain
5. The M-Commerce topic is not coming. Its posted on the blog under files though
6. Stats are important from ball-part point-of-view; the exact numbers aren’t important, but you should be in the plus minus 20% range
7. Since I will not be invigilating, just put your best answer with assumptions made and move on
8. The time allocated and space allocated are your 2 parameters to gauge the depth or length of the response.
9. I really can’t make the exam any easier than it was, or grade it ‘lighter’; but with knowledge of first midterm, and additional attention you’ve paid since the first one, you should be able to score 15 to 20% better than you did last time, eliminating the need for any curve

If I’ve missed anything, please email or put as comments on blog, and I will distribute to rest of the class

written by Farzal (Admin)

I was working on 2 hour sleep this morning and wanted to just have a very interactive discussion around remaining topics of M-Commerce.

I apologize for blowing up – I have no right to do so. And what I said about the exam can be safely ignored. See next posting on examination points.

However, I am at a complete loss why for about 10 of you, talking to a class mate in a row different from yours or 2 chairs away from you is so important? And why not more people take up my offer to sleep during the class, or leave the class all together, or use SMS or mobile IM to talk to chat with class mates, or read books or magazines to pass the time?

It’s been almost 2.5 months since our first introduction. I had asked you for one simple favor – don’t disturb others around you. And a small percentage of you continues to spoil the class atmosphere day after day. Just ask yourself - are you in top 10? And then introspect the reasons for not being there.

written by Farzal (Admin)

We will have a long(er) lecture with break in between.

Please be kind to me.

Farzal

written by Farzal (Admin)

It was pleasure to interact with all of you during my recent visit to IBA. First of all, I’d like to thank Farzal for inviting me. Secondly, please accept my apologies for a little late follow-up as I’m still traveling.

Following are some of the areas I touched upon during my presentation:

- Importance of Internet from Pakistani Perspective:
+ Over 1 billion Internet users globally spending 30% of their time online (Internetworldstats.com, 2007 & Jupiter Research, 2004)
+ 26% increase in global Internet advertising spending from 2004 to 2005 (Zenith Optimedia, 2005)
+ More than 1 million PC’s sold in Pakistan in 2006 with 20% YoY growth (Bearing Point & PSEB, 2006)
+ Around 12 million Internet users in Pakistan (Internetworldstats.com, 2007)
+ Pakistan Internet usage trends: Attached.
+ Google.com.pk traffic trend estimate @ http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/google.com.pk?site0=google.com.pk&site1=geo.tv&site2=dawn.com&site3=waridtel.com&site4=apniisp.com&y=r&z=3&h=400&w=700&range=3y&size=Large

- Google Trends & Keyword Research:
+ Google Pakistan Zeitgeist @ http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/intl-zeitgeist.html#pk
+ Google Trends @ http://www.google.com/trends
(you can compare upto 5 terms separated by commas; can also select geo-location)
+ AdWords Keyword research tool @ https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordTool
(you need to register for a free AdWords account before going to this URL)

- Google AdWords (Paid Search & Internet Marketing):
+ Main AdWords website @ http://adwords.google.com/
+ AdWords product overview [PDF] @ https://adwords.google.com/select/AdWordsOverview.pdf
+ AdWords advanced reference guide [PDF] @ https://adwords.google.com/select/library/adwordsreferenceguide.pdf
+ IMPORTANT: AdWords official textbook [PDF] @ http://www.google.com/events/business_educators/files/MarketingAndAdvertisingUsingGoogle.pdf
+ AdWords learning center @ http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/
+ AdWords industry knowledge center @ http://www.google.com/intl/en/ads/metrics.html
+ AdWords global success stories @ https://adwords.google.com/select/success.html
+ AdWords local success stories:
> B2B Export: Cotton Socks Indenting: RY International: http://www.cottonsocks.com.pk/
> B2B Local: Software Development & Consulting: LumenSoft: http://www.lumensoft.biz/
> B2C Local: Online Shopping: Shophive: http://www.shophive.com/
> B2B Global: Google Qualified Internet Marketing Consulting: Bramerz: http://www.bramerz.pk/

- Google AdWords Professional (GAP) Qualification:
+ Qualified individual certification website @ https://adwords.google.com/select/ProfessionalWelcome
+ Requirements for an individual certification @ https://adwords.google.com/support/select/professionals/bin/answer.py?answer=12241&hl=en_US

- Tracking & Audit @ http://www.google.com/analytics

- Google Apps for your Domain (GAfyD):
+ Getting started with Google Apps @ http://www.google.com/a/
+ Google Apps overview presentation @ http://services.google.com/apps/resources/overviews_breeze/Apps/index.html
+ Google Apps administrator training material @ http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=67785
+ Guide to a successful Google Apps deployment @ http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=67774

- Other Interesting Products:
+ Share your videos & rich content with Google Youtube @ http://www.youtube.com/
+ Share your thoughts & view with Google Blogger @ http://www.blogger.com/
+ Monetize your content with Google AdSense @ http://www.google.com/adsense/
+ Google products list @ http://www.google.com/options/ (Don’t forget to try: Alerts, Desktop, Earth, Orkut, Picasa & Docs)
+ Google search features @ http://www.google.com/help/features.html (e.g. Calculator, Currency Converter, Definitions, etc.)
+ Google advanced/refined search tips @ http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/refinesearch.html

Anxious to explore further and would like to try Google AdWords to promote your blog or website? Let me know and I’d send you a free $25 coupon (conditions apply).

I hope I’ve listed all items/products we discussed. Please let me know if I missed out on anything.

Thanks & best of luck with marketing your e-commerce website in Pakistan!

Badar Khushnood
Pakistan Country Consultant
Google Inc.

M: +92.300.8486070
E: badar@google.com
E: badar@badar.com.pk

written by badar \\ tags: e-commerce, Google, marketing, online, Pakistan, promotion, website

Last couple of weeks I’ve been internally burning at the joke that my compensation at IBA had gone up by Rs. 4 per 50 minute session (increment of .003%).

I raised the issue of giving visiting faculty increase of Rs. 04 (about .003%) with Mr. Danishmand, and heads of HR and Accounts team.

It was a positive surprise to hear back from Mr. D himself. He clarified that brackets were revised, but just not in time for printing of appointment letters. After revision, my increment now stands at a whopping 20%. This is good news for anyone thinking of joining a more professional teaching setup (as opposed to running tuition centres, which really exploit on the weakness of our country’s educational system – and in fact, make it even worse by attracting talented individuals to tuition business instead of exploring university and college teaching.

Just to emphasize – not many visiting faculty is here because of financial reasons. For people like Jawed Edhi Continue reading »

written by Farzal (Admin) \\ tags: Danishmand, iba

We’ve had a great series of lectures, starting with RFID and its use in creating efficient supply chain. This was followed by a great lecture from Badar from Google. And then today’s lecture on one of the most (in)famous dot com failure, webvan. We will be a couple more of these in next couple of lectures, before moving on internet advertising and SEO.

The files from these lectures are under files. What ever data I receive from Badar on his presentation, I will post them under lecture 15 in files section.

I’ve also posted 3 case studies (as a separate link next to Files). One is against the use of RFID to solve the airline baggage problem. The other 2 are for webvan, one written at the time of launch, and the other at the time of their bankruptcy.

written by Farzal (Admin) \\ tags: Google, RFID, supply chain, webvan

We will be having a guest lecture (Badar Khushnood, Google evangelist in Pakistan). He will be coming at 8:30am so please be on time

The subject of his presentation would be monetizing information based businesses, specially in Pakistan. This presentation will tremendously help you in short term with your projects, and in medium term about giving you case studies of information based businesses in Pakistan which depend on e-marketing.

There is also come e-marketing event at IBA City Campus being arranged by some student event committee? It is supposed to be on Tuesday evening arranged by Noman and Mariam? If someone has more details, please send them my way.

You can look up Badar’s profile at:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/badar

written by Farzal (Admin) \\ tags: Badar Khushnood, e-commerce, E-Marketing, Google