In 2017, Amazon.com made a number of acquisitions to help achieve its ambitions. Among the firms acquired by Amazon.com are the following:
1. Whole Foods
2. Zappos
3. Kiva Systems
4. Elemental Technologies
5. Lovefilm
6. Souq.com
7. Quidsi
8. Audible
9. Annapurna Labs
10. Twitch
You are required to research on these firms and report on the following:
1. Conduct a Five Forces Framework analysis for Amazon.com (customers, current competitors, potential entrants, substitute products, and suppliers)
2. What is the objective of Amazon.com?
3. Describe the background of each firm acquired.
4. For each firm, explain what strategy does Amazon.com intend to accomplish.
5. Discuss how each firm can help Amazon.com achieve its objective.
6. What was the price of each acquisition? Do you believe that Amazon.com had overpaid the firms acquired?
7. What is the type of diversification does each acquisition involve?
8. Do you believe that these acquisitions will help Amazon.com achieve its goal?
9. What further acquisitions do you suggest that Amazon.com should undertake to achieve its objectives?
10. What other restructuring activities do you suggest that Amazon.com should undertake to achieve its objectives?
Remember to thoroughly explain the logic behind all your answer.