Read the Case Study 2-2, Zipcar. Respond to the subjoined questions:

• Analyze      the interest example of Zipcar using Porter’s five forces example.
• Discuss      the synergy betwixt the interest temporization of Zipcar and notification      technology.
• What      network property are size of the temporization of Zipcar? How do they add      value?
• As      the CEO of Zipcar, where is your most foreboding two-of-a-trade? What would      you do to stay a competitive utility?

CASE STUDY 2-2 Zipcar

Zipcar is an repartee for customers who shortness to laceration a car for a few hours in their settlement city rather than for a few days from a transmitted lacerational performance. Car retentions are for a unfair choose-up opportunity and residuum environing the city, repeatedly in neighborhoods so the customers need barely to step to choose up their cold car. Customers direct for a Zipcard, which enables them to coyness a car onverse and unlock their car when they land at its residuum. The concourse operates relapse a very paltry staff compared to transmitted lacerational agencies. Very trivial cosmical interaction is required betwixt the customer and Zipcar for a occurrence. A customer coynesss a car online, enters into the cold car by curved the RFID-enabled Zipcard counter the card reader mounted following the driver's edge windshield, avail the car to the identical residuum, and is billed on the protection card already on improve. The customer can hinder all lacerational registers and stereotype avail from the onverse retention method. The method as-courteous has a color-coded opportunity chart showing the availability and residuum of all lacerational cars in the neighborhood. This transpalaceration notification substitute allows a customer to choose the car he or she shortnesss, if available, or relapse the retention until that car is returned by another customer. Zipcar as-courteous created and domiciled a GPS-enabled wireless plan in each car, which allows members to ascertain and coyness a walk neighboringby using a cell phone. Customers as-courteous can use an iPhone or Android app on their iPhone or Android fickle plan to ascertain and coyness a Zipcar on a 24/7 foundation. Zipcar sends quotation alerts neighboring the end of the lacerational date, and customers can quotation tail if they shortness to augment their lacerational opportunity. All cars were outfitted relapse patented wireless technology. Zipcar's proprietary IT platform carries notification run betwixt customers, walks, and the concourse. It is used to instructor car protection, purport retentions, chronicles hourly exercitation, and hold mileage notification. The platform as-courteous relays inseparable technical notification such as battery voltage and fuel equalize. It level informs the convenient method if a customer forgot to depend off headlights, which can straightway parch battery authority. This interest example provides matchless utilitys aggravate transmitted car lacerationals. Customers do not bear to remain in verse or satisfy out papers to laceration a car. They perceive precisely which reach and example they get be getting. Unlike most off-airport lacerational performance residuums, which are disclosed barely during interest hours, Zipcar residuums are disclosed 24 hours. The concourse's rates as-courteous comprise the require of gas and prophylactic as courteous as cold parking spots at some residuums. Additionally, the concourse uses collective networking technologies to enunciate an onverse fraternity of Zipcar members—Zipsters. It encourages Zipsters to dialogue about their Ziptrips (i.e., portion-out their separate experiences relapse Zipcar). Thus, notification technology is not barely the key enabler of this interest example but as-courteous a facilitator in creating a buzz and inspiriting fraternity enunciatement environing the concept. Zipcar alterable the rules of the lacerational car activity by bringing the new Web 2.0 mind-set of focusing on automation, customer empowerment, transparency, and fraternity. Zipcar is very successful; as of August 2015, its Website boasts aggravate 900,000 paying members and lacerationing aggravate 10,000 walks in 30 important metro markets in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as courteous as 400 seed-plot campuses and 50 airports.