Course Topics
M1: In recent years, advancements in ICT have had a massive impact on the way that business operates, creating a huge number of new challenges and opportunities for organizations. New emerging digital technologies have become important factors that enable new types of products and services as well as new forms of business models. With the advent of the Internet and the ubiquity of mobile devices, new business models are emerging that use data to personalize the user experience and deliver services that take into account individual preferences based on personal data. Digital technology is becoming increasingly business critical the deeper it is embedded in the organization, and it becomes increasingly clear that without new business models, companies cannot remain competitive. To understand this emerging digital business environment better, this course will offer a broad range of topics ranging from the definitions and foundational concepts of Business, Management and Corporate Strategy in general over to more digitalization-oriented concepts within Management, such as e.g. Business Model Innovation, Digital Entrepreneurship, Digital Leadership, Digital Marketing, Digital Disruption, Digital Transformation, Managing Technology Innovation, or the Sharing Economy. By undertaking this course, you will acquire the basis strategic and digital skills for acting entrepreneurially in a digitizing world. M2: In the last decade, technological advancement (such as digitalization and the introduction of new digital technologies), increasing competitive pressures, changes in the boundaries of organizations, the development of new organizational forms, merger and acquisition initiatives, regulatory reforms and globalization gave rise to opportunities and threats that organizations need to address to survive and succeed. These factors are increasingly pressuring organizations and change management is of paramount importance in this context, today more than ever. Not only managers have to be competent at identifying the need for change, but they also have to properly manage change: all organizational levels – even if involving different roles and responsibilities – have to deal with the high degree of complexity imposed by each change management initiative. In other words, managers, professionals and employees have to be able to act in ways that will secure change, understanding that there is no single solution that can be applied to all organizations at all times. Change management requires change agents to coherently manage the various dimensions of the organizational functioning. Therefore, this course is intended to give students a broad overview of the theory and practice of the main aspects pertaining change management, to the final aim of allowing students to learn and apply management principles, tools, and methods to successfully implement an organizational change, in general and in a digital environment in specific. The course covers a variety of topics organized around six theoretical modules, which mimic the key steps of a change management process: • TM1. A process perspective of managing change. • TM2. Recognizing the need for change. • TM3. Diagnosing what needs to be changed. • TM4. Leading and managing the people issues. • TM5. Planning and preparing for change. • TM6. Implementing change, reviewing progress and learning. Theoretical lectures on these modules are alternated with lectures dedicated to in-class case study analysis and discussion.

Teaching format
Frontal lectures, readings, in-class group case study analysis and discussion sessions

Educational objectives
The course belongs to the type "attività formative affini o integrative". The main objectives of the course are: (1) to provide an overview of selective areas of activity within the strategic management of digital transformation, and (2) to demonstrate that successful digital businesses are subject to continuous change processes with constant renewal and innovation. The philosophy of the course will be to integrate real world understandings with those more theoretical ideas found in the academic literature, and to use key analytical templates to throw light on the practice and experience of organizing and managing for digital business. As such, it is aimed to provide a general overview of scientific contents as well as for acquiring professional skills and knowledge through the analysis of real-life business cases. Knowledge and understanding • D1.15 - Know the basic concepts of organization and management of enterprises and economic units. • D.1.18 - Understand the interdisciplinary approach to IT projects that takes into account technical foundations, business needs, social and dynamic aspects and the regulatory framework. Applying knowledge and understanding • D2.3 - Ability to analyze business problems and to develop proposals for solutions with the help of IT tools. • D2.4 - Ability to formalize and to analyze procedures and operational processes, to recognize and use optimization potentials. • D2.6 - Ability to design, describe and present IT solutions to policy makers. • D2.9 - Ability to support the management of IT departments and software companies by providing information as needed. Making judgments • D3.3 - Ability to compare and evaluate different IT solutions based on their technical characteristics and key business figures. Communication skills • D4.2 - Ability to use modern means of communication also for remote interactions. • D4.3 - Ability to negotiate with people with different professional experiences the definition and requirements of corporate information systems. Learning skills • D5.2 - Learning ability to carry out strategic and IT project activities in corporate communities, also distributed.

Assessment
M1 (“Strategic Management and Digital Business”) - 50%: • Midterm: Oral presentation and discussion of a case study at the end of semester 1 M2 (“Change Management”) - 50%: • Group case study analysis and discussion - 40% • Individual written final exam at the end of semester 2 - 60% Students who do not pass the Midterm at the end of the 1st module or do not participate in it, will have to take also this part during the final exam at the end of the 2nd module. Modalities for non-attending students: Written case study exam for M1 and written final exam for M2.

Evaluation criteria
Basic knowledge of central definitions and terms in connection with important theories, concepts and methods of business administration and the application of basic methods, instruments and tools Relevant for assessment of M1: ability to work in a team, creativity, skills in critical thinking, ability to summarize, evaluate, and establish relationships between topics. Relevant for assessment of M2: clarity of answers based on the knowledge provided during lectures and in slides, ability to summarize, evaluate, and establish relationships between topics, ability to critically analyze change management issues, and ability to work in a team.