BSc Information Technology Management for Business / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Digital Transformation

Course unit fact file
Unit code BMAN24642
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 2
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Digital transformation is the process of identifying, formulating and executing on digital opportunities to increase competitive advantage. Most IT strategies treat technology in isolation. Today’s business driven solutions rely on pervasive digital connection in which individual technologies merge and our understanding of how we interpret the resultant amalgamation. This course unit will consider a digital strategy and transformation, which is characterised by the application of new technologies to existing business activity (where technology is a composite of hardware, data, telecommunications, Internet, etc.) and the abilities these technologies create for business with particular focus on how they can support a transformative undertaking. 

This course unit combines a mix of lectures, interactive discussions and group work in small teams. Lectures will focus on the key steps in formulating and implementing digital strategies in organisations. The course will explore the development and implementation of digital strategy across diverse industries. This places the students in a unique position to learn about the opportunities and challenges  towards the deployment of digital strategies for devised scenarios. The course unit concludes with a group presentation where teams will pitch their digital transformation strategies to address a real-life challenge facing the business and organisation.

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Integrative Team Project 2 BMAN24650 Co-Requisite Compulsory

Core for ITMB and ITMB with IE 

Aims

This course unit addresses the impact of digital strategy and transformation on organisations. In particular it aims to address the recent opportunities and challenges of various technologies in supporting the formulation of strategy and how we are able to identify digital initiatives that leverage transformative power and provide organisations a competitive edge. 
Students undertaking this course unit gain skills to develop and implement a digital transformation strategy within an organisation. Drawing on insights from faculty, practitioners, academic literature, consultancy reports and their peers, students will develop a robust understanding of digital cultures and frameworks to create digital transformational strategy.
 

Learning outcomes

•    To understand how technologies can become enablers to driving strategy;
•    To understand the transformative impact of digitisation;
•    To understand the key challenges that can help and hinder a successful digital transformation strategy;
•    To understand how digital strategy and transformation can support organisation success;
•    To understand how digital strategy impacts organisational processes, products and services;
•    To understand the building blocks of digital strategy;
•    To understand how to organise the effective implementation of digital strategy;
•    To understand how to sustain competitive advantage through digital strategy and transformation; and
•    To understand how to measure and evaluate the success of digital strategy and transformation.

Syllabus

1.    Introduction to digital strategy and transformation
2.    Impact of digital transformation
3.    Digital strategy models and frameworks
4.    Leading and managing digital strategy
5.    Understanding technology’s role in strategy 
6.    Innovative technologies that support digital transformation
7.    Learning through failure
8.    Identifying information requirements for strategic decision making

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures
Independent study 
Case discussion groups

Employability skills

Other
On the successful undertaking of this course students will have worked on an industry sponsored project where they will have proposed a feasible solution using tools and strategies to their client. The skills obtained can be applied to supporting the delivery of digital transformation projects across diverse industries.

Assessment methods

Formative:
Group case presentation
 
Summative:
Group project case presentation (100%)

Feedback methods

 
  • Feedback for formative and assessed coursework will be feed-forward.
  • Informal advice and discussion during the lectures and with regard to group work. 
  • Responses to student emails and questions from course coordinator including feedback provided to a group via an online discussion forum. 
  • Written and/or verbal comments on assessed or non-assessed coursework. 
  • Generic feedback posted on Blackboard regarding overall performance.

Recommended reading

Gupta, S. (2018). Driving digital strategy: A guide to reimagining your business. Harvard Business Press.

Wirtz, B. W. (2021). Digital business and electronic commerce: strategy, business models and technology. Springer.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 22
Independent study hours
Independent study 78

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Kam Ho Chan Unit coordinator

Additional notes

This course was devised in consultation with ITMB students, industry panel and the ITMB working group.

For Academic Year 2023/24

Updated: March 2023

Approved by: March UG Committee

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