Media and Communication Research

Media and Communication Research

An Analysis of the Rise and Fall of Internet Business Models in Iran over a Five-Year Span (2016-2021): Opportunities, Challenges, and Digital Strategies

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
رضا بنی اسد 1
mahdi bagheri meybodi 2
Abbas Rahimi 3
1 Associate Professor, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran
2 PhD student, Organizational Behavior and Management of Human Resources, Department of Human Resource Management, College of Islamic Studies and Management, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran
3 PhD student, Business Policymaking, College of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/mcr.2024.412337.1043
Abstract
In today's global landscape, electronic commerce and online businesses have achieved widespread prominence and expansion. Iran, too, has seen significant development in this realm, witnessing the emergence and decline of numerous businesses, each with its unique model tailored to its respective sector. This research aims to analyze the trajectory of internet businesses and their models in Iran over a five-year period. By leveraging Alexa rankings, insights into the strategies of the top one hundred businesses in Iran from 2016 to 2021 can be gleaned, offering valuable lessons for these enterprises. Employing an online qualitative research approach, this study draws upon web-based experiences, analysis of online documents, and content analysis to dissect the landscape. After identifying the leading online businesses, we categorize and analyze their diverse business models, scrutinizing the opportunities and challenges faced by these enterprises and their models. Subsequently, digital strategies are formulated based on our findings. The results underscore the pivotal role of business models in determining the growth or decline of internet businesses. Consequently, it is imperative for each segment of the internet business sector to discern its unique opportunities and challenges and devise strategies to fortify and enhance its strategic position. Key strategies include fostering essential competencies, expanding the provision of digital products to global clientele, prioritizing contemporary content, bolstering mobile technology tools and infrastructures, enhancing content management systems, leveraging the rapid growth of social networks, and increasing the production of video content.
Keywords
digital strategy
online research method
digital business
business models
internet businesses in Iran
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Media and Communication Research
Volume 1, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
March 2024
Pages 249-292