Abstract

eBay, the world's largest on-line auction business, serves more than a hundred million registered members around the world. Much of eBay's success is attributed to the leadership of its Chief Executive Officer, Margaret C Whitman. Under Whitman, eBay's revenues have grown from US$5.7 million in 1998 to US$3.2 billion by 2004, making eBay the fastest growing company in history. Whitman believes that eBay's success depends heavily on keeping customers happy. Many times Whitman has stepped into the shoes of customers by buying and selling on eBay so as to gain first hand experience of the company's services. Whitman has also looked at eBay more as a brand and less as a technology company.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

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Keywords

eBay, Meg Whitman, Leadership, Strategy, Asia, Acquisitions, Brand building, On-line auctions, Internet, Auctions