FACULTY OF BUSINESS SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

MODULE NAME: TOURISM HOTEL OPERATIONS

MODULE CODE: THM 207

NAMES. SURNAME REG NUMBERS

PAULINE VINTI. R1912842W

BELINDA. PHIRI. R1917769N

JOSAYA NHETE R1912846G

TSHUMA. MARSHALL. R1913593T

KAREN. NYOKA. R198890C

LlOYD. WILSON. R193833E

LINETT C. MAMBUDZI. R1913706C

MELYN T SHORI. R199642A

YVETTE MARIE U. R1910924V

Choose any 3 e-commerce models, examine them and show how they are used in Zimbabwe.

A business model is a conceptual structure that supports the viability of a product or company stating
ow the company operates, makes money & how it intends to achieve its goals. It’s a framework for how
a company creates value. It encapsulates how a company plans to generate profit by selling services or
products. The business processes and policies of a company are premised on a business model. Before
the initiation of a new company becomes full throttle, due and adequate, thought must be given so as
to ensure that the appropriate business model is adopted.Three e commerce models are business to
business B2B, Business to Consumer B2C,and Business to Government B2G.

To commence with,Business-to-business (B2B) as one of the ecomerce model ecommerce describes

online transactions between businesses. Organizations involved in the B2B model are mainly
wholesalers, manufacturers, and distributors. A B2B model is used by a business that offers products or
services to other businesses.The B2B industry is flooded because for business to stand it must do
branding well. Upstream B2B model is the opposite of the vertical. The upstream model is when a parts
or raw materials supplier forms a relationship with a manufacturer, a good example is when a paper
mill forms a relationship with a bookbinding company to supply it with paper for the books it produces.

Sill on the same aspect, the horizontal B2B model involves products and services that do not involve
parts or raw supplies but are used by the company in other ways. These are the products and services
that are used in maintenance, repair, and operations, and an example of a horizontal B2B model is when
a supply company sells cleaning supplies to another company for the cleaning of its production floors,
restrooms, and other areas.In Zimbabwe eCommerce trends, online B2B still has a little catching up to
do with regards to the traditional B2B model. The problem lies in price negotiation and collaboration.
While many businesses appreciate the simplicity of ordering online, they are used to working with sales
representatives who often give special discounts for ordering in bulk. A potential solution is a hybrid
model where relationships are built with sales reps, but customers also have the ability to order online
and get the same prices by entering special codes.. Starting a branding company is a strategic idea
because many local businesses aren’t properly branded.

More over,Business to Consumer B2C is also another e commerce model.B2C ecommerce is a more
traditional ecommerce model that most are familiar with. In B2C, online retailers market and sell
products directly to end consumers. While B2B can be more complex, B2C business is as simple as
ordering a book online.B2C online retailers serve a wide audience and prioritize modern marketing and
sales strategies like ads-based marketing and social media. B2C ecommerce business owners spend
more time on optimizing traffic, promoting campaigns, and sales conversions than on negotiating quotes
and terms or managing order production and fulfillment. B2C is easy to understand for example,
purchasing food from a grocery store, eat dinner at a restaurant, watch a movie at a theater, and get a
haircut. Consumers are the end user of the products and services these companies sell.In Zimbabwean
eCommerce, there are five different B2C models: direct sellers, online intermediaries, advertising-based,
community-based, and fee-based. Direct selling is the most common model. It is when consumers buy
products from online retailers. Online intermediaries are online businesses that bring sellers and
consumers together and take a cut of each transaction made.
Still on the same aspect, In the advertising-based model, information is given away for free and money
is made from advertising on the site. Facebook is an example of a community-based site that makes
money from targeting ads to users based on their demographics and location. Finally, the fee-based
model involves companies that sell information or entertainment to consumers for a fee, like Netflix or
subscription-based newspapers.Another trend in B2C is the hybrid model where companies have both a
traditional brick-and-mortar presence and an online shopping platform. Many companies in Zimbabwe
are combining elements of the two business models to maximize the customer experience. For example,
some companies now let you order your products online and pick them up at one of their local stores.
Many companies also allow customers to return products they bought online to local stores for a quick
and easy refund or exchange.

In addition , Business to Government (B2G) is also another ecommerce model.Business to government

(B2G) is when a company markets its products and services directly to a government agency. This
agency could be a local, state, or federal agency . For example, when a private engineering company
sells its engineering services to a county government to develop a new water and sewer system for the
community. In B2G, companies in Zimbambwe typically bid on projects when governments announce
Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Interacting with government agencies is very different from working with
other businesses or consumers. Due to having to deal with bureaucracies, business deals tend to move
at a much slower pace than in other sectors.

Ecommerce companies can definitely bid on government contracts, the same as other companies.
Unlike many B2C transactions, however, many government agencies will not go directly to an
eCommerce website and place an order. There are exceptions to this, of course. A local government
agency could, for example, place an order directly from an eCommerce company for a part to repair a
piece of equipment. It depends on a variety of factors including the size of the agency and the need.
Another very good example of the B2B is when producers of army regalia sells them to the Zimbabwean
Army which is the Government itself. This works more appropriately contextually.

To conclude the above discussion, the three different types of modules are very much applicable in
Zimbabwe. This is because most businesses operate within the spheres of consumers as well as the
government itself, hence there is the formulation of the B2B, B2C and B2G models.
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