Digital Business - Understand the digital world (Coursera)

This MOOC provides a knowledge toolkit for the ongoing digital revolution. You’ll discover 10 concepts that are essential for understanding the new mechanisms of digital business and innovation.

Each concept is explained in its own beautifully designed, content-rich instructional video, along with additional resources for you to explore. The ideas are illustrated with up-to-the-minute case studies and examples from a wide range of industries.

This MOOC is ideal for learners from a wide range of backgrounds. It is brought to you by three expert professors and researchers from IMT - Telecom Paris, a leading European graduate school in the field of digital technology and social science.

This MOOC is supported by the Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation.

Course 1 of 4 in the Digital Business Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Why Digital Changes Everything

Many people have yet to realize just how rapid and profound the current digital revolution is, or how quickly it’s breaking down old institutions. Yes, we’re always hearing about Google, Uber, and all those “pirate entrepreneurs.” Yes, we know technology has something to do with it. But the future is approaching even more quickly that we think. Right now, all the pieces are in place to completely change the face of products, technologies, organizations, and entrepreneurship over the next few years. This module will tell you how and why.

WEEK 2

Creating Value in a Digital World

Once upon a time, the rules of the game were simple. People worked away in their offices to develop and sell products or services, and shared the margin between price and cost. But now this product-based way of competing is all but gone – wiped out by the new principles of value creation. Going digital means playing by new rules, powered by network effects and system goods, that radically changed the fundamentals of business. Now, people create value outside their offices by connecting in third places, and the best way to turn a profit can be to give your products away, or share your knowledge, for free. Across the board, old-style value chains are being completely disrupted by new business ecosystems.

WEEK 3

Thinking and acting differently

Going digital is a bit like emigrating to another country. To succeed digitally, people and firms need to adopt a whole new mindset. Entrepreneurs should forget about building the perfect business plan, and instead put the focus on “trial and learn” processes. And companies should forget about long-term strategy, protecting their IP, product planning, and entry barriers, and concentrate on running instead of defending. This is true in every area from strategic decision-making through to getting the most from the assets that firms own, control, or use – knowledge assets in particular.