Course Topics
Digital technologies are disrupting organizations of every size and shape all around the world. Assumptions about strategies, processes, operations, finance, and leadership all change. By exploring the what, how and why this course provides a general overview of the scientific contents of digital transformation in a first step. In a second step the course is designed for acquiring professional skills and capabilties. Following the idea of turning threats into opportunities the course develops a practical understanding of managing the digital transformation in order to help organizations to survive and thrive in the digital age. Given the multifaceted nature of digital transformation the course addresses managerial issues related to strategy, processes, technology, innovation, marketing, finance, leadership, and culture in a digitalized economy.

Teaching format
Frontal lectures and team-based project work (case-based)

Educational objectives
Knowledge and understanding The student acquires advanced knowledge and understanding of models for new product development and innovation management within companies. I/we acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of business analysis tools and solutions for the development of innovations and organisational knowledge I/we acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of innovation economics models and systems for regional innovation development The student acquires knowledge of quantitative models for the formulation of forecasts necessary to guide management decisions and to predict the life cycle of a product and a sector Ability to apply knowledge and understanding ability to acquire and select relevant information to frame cases of innovation (product, service, social, managerial organisational), also different from the contexts studied ability to select product development models, suitable to appropriately analyse a specific economic-productive context ability to classify, analyse specific innovations and assess their potential ability to select innovation management and organisational knowledge development models, suitable for a specific economic-social-productive context, such as digital transformation, resilience and sustainability ability to select the tools for innovation management and organisational knowledge development, consistent with the models deemed appropriate ability to propose and implement strategic and operational courses of action to foster the development of innovation by a company ability to assess the potential of an innovation within existing enterprises, with respect to the creation of a new enterprise (e.g. intrapreneurship, open innovation, etc.). Autonomy of judgement Acquire the ability to analyse complex entrepreneurial issues, such as the elaboration and evaluation of a business project (business plan) or the development of a new product. Acquire the ability to make predictions, such as analysing the future consequences of entrepreneurial, managerial and operational choices. Autonomy of judgement is developed in the training activities carried out for the preparation of the thesis, as well as in the exercises that accompany the lectures and that involve group discussions and the comparison of individual analyses carried out by students in preparation for the lecture. Communication skills Acquire the ability to describe and communicate in an intercultural context, in a clear and precise manner, problematic situations typical of the management of a new enterprise and the development of innovation, such as, for example, the conditions for the validation of a problem or solution, the prospects and risks associated with a business model or an innovation project. The development of communication competences assumes heterogeneous situations such as, for example, the presence of internal stakeholders (e.g. colleagues, managers, owners), or external stakeholders (e.g. potential investors, suppliers and other business partners) and the ability to sustain an adversarial process. The achievement of these objectives is assessed in the course of the training activities already mentioned, as well as in the discussion of the final thesis. Learning ability Acquire the ability to study independently, to prepare summaries. Acquire the ability to identify thematic connections and to establish relationships between different cases and contexts of analysis Acquire the ability to frame a new problem systematically and to generate appropriate taxonomies. Acquire the ability to develop general models from the phenomena studied.

Assessment
For attending students: The achievement of the learning objectives is assessed through three outcome measures: • Written exam (45%): A written exam is designed to measure the knowledge of the contents and their deeper comprehension. • Project work (45%): Students will directly apply the knowledge and skills acquired to tackle digital opportunities and transformation challenges through multiple case studies, with three of their choice being graded. The demands of this team-based project work go beyond the mere application of previously learned content. They require the development of a new mix of activities: transitioning from course-prepared to self-directed learning, mastering tools and their practical application, and exercising critical judgment in evaluating various approaches. The outcomes of the group project work will be presented and documented in written case analyses. • Class participation (10%): Assessment of participation in class and accompanying project units will relate to oral and written (e.g., team discussions) contributions by students. For non-attending students: The achievement of the learning objectives is assessed through a single outcome measure: • Written exam (100%): A written exam is designed to measure both the knowledge of the contents and their deeper comprehension as well as the application of what has been learned. NOTE: Project work and classroom contributions are valid for 1 academic year and cannot be carried over beyond that time-frame.

Evaluation criteria
For attending students: The final grade results from the addition of the following partial achievements (1) Written exam (45%), (2) Project work (45%), (3) Class participation (10%) The following evaluation criteria are essential for the assessment: • Correctness and reliability of the statements • Structure and clarity of the statements • Logic and coherence of the statements • Integration and interconnectedness of the learned content • Quality and extent of the research • Choice and application of the learned content • Quality, applicability, and innovativeness of the results • Activity and proactivity regarding the contributions For non-attending students: The final grade results from the (1) Written exam (100%). The following evaluation criteria are essential for the assessment: • Correctness and reliability of the statements • Structure and clarity of the statements • Logic and coherence of the statements • Integration and interconnectedness of the learned content • Choice and application of the learned content • Quality, applicability, and innovativeness of the results