Case Study Getting a hostel at the beginning of the academic year for many UPSA students is a huge challenge. Pearl is a former student and currently doing her national service on campus at the student service centre where she attends to new students by providing answers to their enquiries on payment on fees, booking of UPSA hostels, and course registration, among others Over the years as a student, Pearl observed the high demand for private hostel services due to the limited UPSA hostel facilities Many private hostel facilities and private homes scattered all around the environs of the university and adjoining towns have taken advantage of the situation to rent out rooms to students. Even then, many students find it hard to find a hostel. The private hotels and house owners rely on "knock on the door and individuals called "room agents to meet potential customers. The room agents charge "walking fees" before they link a potential customer to where rooms are available regardless of the fact that the customer may find the room, conditions or the environment unsuitable. When eventually a student takes a room, he or she pays ten percent of the cost of rent to the agent as service charge in addition to the walking fees", Private hostel services for UPSA students run into the thousands Yet, this service sector is highly fragmented. Demand outstrips supply. As a result, many house owners are either extending and conditions are inconstant. Rent costs soar at will. House rental laws are simply not applied. Room agents do not formalize their business. They reach students largely by word- of-mouth or by posting their phone numbers on walls in sheer disregard for permissibility. Pearl has started playing some room agent roles by linking students to some private hostel service providers. Now she wants to apply her academic training in business to start up a full-time room agent business leveraging the internet. As an e- commerce student, provide online strategies to build Pearl's business. Specifically: 1. Describe the cight ingredients of an e-commerce business model that Pearl has to consider before going online 2. What are the sets of benefits (value) that Pearl can offer students on the one hand and private hostel and house Owners on the other? 3. What revenue models can be applicable when Pearl creates a website for her business? Explain how they can be applied 4. What are the challenges that Pearl would encounter in running an e-commerce business, and how can she overcome these challenges? 5. How can Pearl make her online room agency service competitive? 6. Describe the five steps the Pearl will take in developing a website based on the SDLC. 7. What are the web interface strategies that Pearl must consider to make her website user-friendly? 8. Develop an online advertising strategy for Pearl. 9. How can Pearl use social network to promote her business? 10. Develop a business model diagram to depict the process in Pearl's e-marketplace. Case Study Getting a hostel at the beginning of the academic year for many UPSA students is a huge challenge. Pearl is a former student and currently doing her national service on campus at the student service centre where she attends to new students by providing answers to their enquiries on payment on fees, booking of UPSA hostels, and course registration, among others Over the years as a student, Pearl observed the high demand for private hostel services due to the limited UPSA hostel facilities Many private hostel facilities and private homes scattered all around the environs of the university and adjoining towns have taken advantage of the situation to rent out rooms to students. Even then, many students find it hard to find a hostel. The private hotels and house owners rely on "knock on the door and individuals called "room agents to meet potential customers. The room agents charge "walking fees" before they link a potential customer to where rooms are available regardless of the fact that the customer may find the room, conditions or the environment unsuitable. When eventually a student takes a room, he or she pays ten percent of the cost of rent to the agent as service charge in addition to the walking fees", Private hostel services for UPSA students run into the thousands Yet, this service sector is highly fragmented. Demand outstrips supply. As a result, many house owners are either extending and conditions are inconstant. Rent costs soar at will. House rental laws are simply not applied. Room agents do not formalize their business. They reach students largely by word- of-mouth or by posting their phone numbers on walls in sheer disregard for permissibility. Pearl has started playing some room agent roles by linking students to some private hostel service providers. Now she wants to apply her academic training in business to start up a full-time room agent business leveraging the internet. As an e- commerce student, provide online strategies to build Pearl's business. Specifically: 1. Describe the cight ingredients of an e-commerce business model that Pearl has to consider before going online 2. What are the sets of benefits (value) that Pearl can offer students on the one hand and private hostel and house Owners on the other? 3. What revenue models can be applicable when Pearl creates a website for her business? Explain how they can be applied 4. What are the challenges that Pearl would encounter in running an e-commerce business, and how can she overcome these challenges? 5. How can Pearl make her online room agency service competitive? 6. Describe the five steps the Pearl will take in developing a website based on the SDLC. 7. What are the web interface strategies that Pearl must consider to make her website user-friendly? 8. Develop an online advertising strategy for Pearl. 9. How can Pearl use social network to promote her business? 10. Develop a business model diagram to depict the process in Pearl's e-marketplace