| Unit name | Digital Business |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MGRCM0047 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Seepana |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Digital technologies and digitalisation are playing a significant role in transforming product/service design, development, and consumption and thus affecting the way businesses operate in the 21st century. Therefore, it is becoming essential for students as anticipated future business leaders to develop knowledge of the digital environment within the context various industries and businesses. This unit intends to introduce students to the digital environment in which it aims to provide a holistic understanding of what systems have changed and will change the way we produce, buy and sell goods and services digitally? How do innovative organisations use digital applications to gain competitive advantage? What business models are used in digital businesses, what are their key components? To address these broad questions, we will cover concepts of digital business models, business processes for digital applications, innovative digital systems, digital risks, and emerging digital applications in developing countries. The learning from the unit likely equip students with skillsets needed to prepare themselves to work in digitally enabled business environments.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
With rapid adoption of emerging technologies by firms across industries to develop products/services/innovations and delivery of their innovations to customers and end users, it has become imperative for students as well as practitioners of all backgrounds to learn to understand the significance of the emerging technologies such as blockchain, AI and bigdata and their applications in a wide range of product/service/innovation developments of various industries. This makes the learnings on the unit not only relevant and useful to students of all backgrounds but importantly equip the students with essential knowledge and skills that can be incorporated in future employment or entrepreneurship.
An overview of the content
The unit analyses various concepts and frameworks and their real world applications for digital businesses. The taught content reviews existing digital business models and applications, compares digital to traditional forms of commerce, describes digital’s major opportunities, limitations, issues and risks. It also provides a more nuanced knowledge and understanding of some of the successful business and revenue models of digitally enabled businesses. Specific concepts covered on the unit also include Digital Strategies, Digital value creation, Digital platforms, Digital services, Markets and Data, Distributed ledgers/Blockchain, Digitisation of transactions, Emerging digital economies, Digital Ethics, Security and Risks. Finally, special attention will be given to the application of these concepts, models, and technologies to emerging markets to enable innovation and societal benefits.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit 
Learnings on the unit equip students with skills of contextualising and visualising products/services development in digital environment and subsequent business models and technologies needed to transform such products into real world use. Students will be in a position to comprehend various sets of processes, tools, frameworks such as business model and value proposition canvases, and techniques that are essential in the development and delivery of a digital products or services. Together with the knowledge and applications of tools and frameworks and their potential implications for digital business environments of various industries, the overall learnings on the unit will benefit students in their preparation towards future employment or startup careers.
Learning outcomes
On completion of the unit, the student will be able to (ILOs):
1. Recognise and learn to apply the key concepts and theories of digital business.
2. Employ value propositions and propose business and revenue models for digital businesses.
3. Appraise and contrast service and business process interactions for digital interactions.
4. Interpret existing digital business strategies, emerging technologies and models, and develop innovative digital business models.
5. Develop proposals and implementation plans for digital applications in emerging economies, markets and developing countries.
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions including in-person lectures and tutorials, drop-in sessions, discussion boards and other offline and online learning opportunities
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
The unit consists of one planned formative session on one of the important topics (e.g., Big data and analytics) leading up to the summative session which involves Big data and other alternative technologies, and application of various business model frameworks. The formative session provides opportunity for students to work in groups to make a presentation and deliver the presentation within a dedicated seminar post the reading week. Tutors will utilise this opportunity to provide feedback on the content, help develop linkages between learnings of the formative session to the expectations of summative presentation session. Tutors will provide further directions on areas of improvement in preparation for the summative presentation which would be some Three weeks away from the day of formative presentation. In addition, weekly in-person seminars will provide numerous opportunities for students to seek feedback from tutors on both the group as well as individual assessments so as to make better preparation towards both the components of assessment.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
Summative assessment consists of Two components: Summative 1 is a group presentation which carries 40% weight while Summative 2 is an individual report which consists of 60% weight. Both the group and individual assessment requires students to choose a digital product/service company from the list provided in the assessment brief and work towards addressing each of the questions asked in the brief.
Summative 1: Equivalent of 1500 word group coursework assignment (40%) which covers ILOs 1, 2, 4.
Summative 2: 2000 word Individual Coursework Assignment (60%) which aims at addressing ILOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
When assessment does not go to plan
Re-assessment will consist of two components. Summative 1 requires students to deliver a pre-recorded presentation. In the case of more than 1 student to submit reassessment, such students will be put together in re-assessment groups and encouraged to contribute towards the group work in equal proportions. For instance, if there are three students for reassessment group presentation, each one will be contributing 500 words of work while working in a group. Summative 2 component will be an individual report submission. Students on re-assessment will be asked to choose a digital product/service company that is different from the one they have chosen in their first attempt of presentation and report submissions.
Summative 1: Equivalent of 1500 word individual pre-recorded presentation which covers ILOs 1, 2, 4.
Summative 2: 2000 word Individual Coursework Assignment (60%) which aims at addressing ILOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MGRCM0047).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
