Information Systems Strategy and Sustainable Growth under Project Galaxy at Market Dojo Assessment

Assessment

Executive Summary: Strategic Value of Project Galaxy

Market Dojo has transitioned via "Project Galaxy" from consultant-led auctions to a self-service Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, targeting cost-sensitive SMEs in a commoditized e-procurement market. This shift centralizes information systems (IS) as the primary driver of value and competitiveness. This strategic plan evaluates how Market Dojo can reinforce its focused differentiation through effective IS management. It explores leveraging emerging eCommerce trends to modernize the platform and examines the organizational structures required for scalability. The report concludes that growth depends on deepening the strategic role of IS to enhance accessibility, trust, and agility.

Introduction: The Strategic Evolution of Digital Procurement 

Digital technologies have transformed information systems from operational support tools into strategic assets. In the e-sourcing sector, providers face hyper-competition characterized by low switching costs and rapid innovation cycles. Market Dojo responded through Project Galaxy, shifting from labor-intensive managed services to a scalable SaaS model. By offering professional sourcing without the complexity of legacy enterprise systems, Market Dojo positions IS at the core of its business model. This consultancy report develops a growth plan across three areas: evaluating how IS adds value to the existing strategy, leveraging eCommerce trends for modernization, and defining knowledge management arrangements to sustain competitive advantage.

Section 1: Infrastructure Analysis

Analysis of Focused Differentiation and the SaaS Business Model

Market Dojo’s existing business strategy is defined by Project Galaxy, which represents a deliberate transition from labor-intensive, consultant-led managed e-auction services towards an off-the-shelf, self-service Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) procurement platform. This shift addresses the scalability, cost and market-reach limitations associated with consultancy-driven delivery models. As highlighted in the lecture material, Project Galaxy is characterized by pay-as-you-go and annual membership pricing, the removal of formal training requirements, and a strong emphasis on usability within the commoditized e-procurement software sector.

The Market Dojo case illustrates that the e-auction market comprises large enterprise platforms, boutique consultancies, tailored software vendors and commoditized SaaS providers. Market Dojo is explicitly positioned within the commoditized SaaS segment, prioritizing accessibility, transparency and scalability over extensive customization or consultancy support (Market Dojo presentation, 2015). This positioning enables the organization to serve SMEs and cost-sensitive organizations that require professional sourcing capabilities without the complexity or financial commitment associated with enterprise procurement systems.

Value Creation via Cloud-Based Scalability and Automated Sourcing

The value of Market Dojo’s IS infrastructure lies in its ability to operationalize and sustain the "Project Galaxy" strategy. Rather than redefining strategic positioning, the infrastructure enables professional sourcing outcomes at scale while preserving simplicity and affordability.

Market Dojo’s cloud-based SaaS architecture facilitates scalability, accessibility, and cost efficiency. By removing dependence on customer-side IT, the firm expands its customer base without proportional increases in operational costs—a critical capability in commoditized markets. Similarly, the core auction engine enables real-time bid processing and transparent price discovery. By automating previously manual, consultant-led management, the IS infrastructure enhances speed, consistency, and scalability within a disciplined procedural framework.

Beyond auctions, modular software embeds professional expertise directly into workflows. Features like weighted scoring and audit trails allow non-specialists to conduct compliant sourcing without consultancy support, reinforcing the firm’s objective of delivering expertise through technology. Usage tracking and automated billing further enable the pay-as-you-go pricing model, reducing financial risk for SMEs and lowering switching barriers. Finally, digital knowledge dissemination and data capture enhance trust, transparency, and managerial oversight, supporting continuous governance improvements.

Section 2: Modernization & Growth

Modernizing the Platform: eCommerce Trends and Strategic Impact

Building on the findings of Question 1, this section examines how Market Dojo (MD) could modernize its online platform in line with emerging eCommerce trends. The objective is not to alter Market Dojo’s existing focused differentiation strategy, but to extend and strengthen it by enhancing accessibility, responsiveness, and decision support through advanced Information Systems.

Market Dojo operates within a hyper-competitive and commoditized digital procurement environment where platform usability and speed are the primary determinants of competitive advantage. The objective of platform modernization is to look beyond the technical implementation of new features and identify the 'So What?' the tangible business value and strategic impact created for the end-user. This requires moving from a purely technological perspective to an analytical evaluation of how information systems can solve specific procurement challenges and provide a sustainable edge over legacy competitors.

Enhancing Visibility through Touch and Location-Based Commerce

• Touch Commerce:Developing mobile-first functionality allows users to monitor auctions and approve bids in real-time. This increases Visibility (one of the 4 Vs), ensuring that procurement managers are never "offline" during critical bidding windows.
• Location-Based Commerce:Integrating geographic context into sourcing events improves relevance for categories where logistics costs are high. This reduces supplier search costs and enhances the quality of the "Managed Auction Service" by identifying local niches.
• Online-to-Offline (O2O) Integration:Strengthening the transition from digital sourcing to physical contract execution ensures continuity. This positions Market Dojo as a comprehensive procurement partner, rather than just a software provider.

Brief Summary of Assessment Requirements

This assessment evaluates the strategic role of Information Systems (IS) in supporting organizational growth and competitive advantage, using Market Dojo’s Project Galaxy as a case study. Students are required to demonstrate an understanding of how IS contributes to business strategy, platform scalability, and long-term sustainability within a commoditized SaaS and e-procurement environment.

Key Pointers Covered in the Assessment

• Analysis of Project Galaxy and Market Dojo’s transition from consultant-led services to a self-service SaaS model
• Evaluation of focused differentiation strategy supported by IS infrastructure
• Examination of cloud-based scalability, automation, and value creation
• Identification of eCommerce trends relevant to platform modernization
• Strategic impact of IS on accessibility, trust, visibility, and agility
• Consideration of organizational and knowledge management arrangements for sustainable growth

The assessment is structured as a consultancy-style strategic report, including an executive summary, introduction, infrastructure analysis, and modernization strategy.

Academic Mentor’s Step-by-Step Approach

The academic mentor guided the student through a structured, analytical, and outcome-focused process, ensuring alignment with both assessment criteria and learning objectives.

Step 1: Understanding the Case Context and Assessment Scope

The mentor first helped the student clearly understand:

• Market Dojo’s business model evolution under Project Galaxy
• The role of IS as a strategic asset, not just a technical enabler
• The consultancy-style tone and analytical depth expected in the report

This ensured the student framed the assessment from a strategic management and IS perspective, rather than a purely descriptive one.

Step 2: Structuring the Executive Summary and Introduction

The mentor guided the student to:

• Clearly summarize the strategic challenge and opportunity in the executive summary
• Position Project Galaxy as a response to hyper-competition and low switching costs
• Define the three focus areas of the report: IS value, modernization through eCommerce trends, and organizational scalability

This step ensured clarity of purpose and logical flow from the outset.

Step 3: Infrastructure Analysis and Strategic Alignment

In Section 1, the mentor emphasized:

• Linking focused differentiation directly to the SaaS business model
• Explaining how cloud-based IS enables scalability, affordability, and accessibility
• Demonstrating how automation replaces consultant-led processes while maintaining professional sourcing standards

The student was guided to critically explain how IS operationalizes strategy, rather than merely supporting it.

Step 4: Value Creation through Information Systems

The mentor encouraged the student to:

• Identify tangible value drivers such as automated auctions, audit trails, usage tracking, and digital knowledge embedding
• Connect IS capabilities to SME needs, including reduced costs, ease of use, and transparency
• Highlight how IS enables trust and governance in procurement processes

This step reinforced analytical depth and real-world relevance.

Step 5: Platform Modernization and eCommerce Trends

For Section 2, the mentor focused on moving beyond technology description to strategic impact by:

• Applying relevant eCommerce trends (mobile-first design, location-based sourcing, O2O integration)
• Using the “So What?” approach to explain business value
• Linking modernization initiatives to enhanced visibility, responsiveness, and decision-making

The student was guided to evaluate how these trends strengthen Market Dojo’s existing strategy rather than changing it.

Outcome Achieved

• A well-structured consultancy report aligned with academic and industry expectations
• Clear demonstration of how IS underpins Market Dojo’s competitive positioning
• Strategic evaluation of modernization initiatives with practical business relevance
• Logical progression from strategy to infrastructure to future growth

Learning Objectives Covered

Through this guided approach, the following learning objectives were achieved:

• Strategic analysis of Information Systems within a SaaS business model
• Application of IS theory to a real-world organizational case
• Critical evaluation of infrastructure, scalability, and digital transformation
• Understanding of eCommerce trends and their strategic implications
• Development of professional consultancy-style academic writing skills

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