DIGITAL BUSINESS ORGANIZATION

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

DBORG21

Academic Year of enrolment:

2021

Year of supply:

2021/2022

Type of Course:

Characterising

Degree:

Course of 2nd Cycle Degree in DIGITAL MARKETING

Disciplinary Sector:

Business Organisation

Location:

PESCARA

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

ZA STEFANO

Cycle:

Second four months

Hours of classroom activity:

Individual study hours:

114

Prerequisites:

None

Objectives

In the current information society, the digitization of organizational processes is constantly evolving. This process of change fostered by digital technologies, especially those supporting the Industry 4.0 paradigm (e.g. Big data, cognitive computing, machine learning, cloud and fog computing, IoT and cyber-physical systems), involves different actors, whether individuals and organizations.
The objective of this course is to support the student in understanding the organizational dynamics that govern this change, emphasizing not only the benefits but also its main critical issues.
In addition to the theoretical aspects, the use of some tools (such as software applications) useful (i) for modeling and analyzing the processes and workflows as main object of change will also be illustrated (to support automation and redesign of processes and in general the Business Process Management - BPM), and (ii) to govern and manage projects (e.g. Project Management tools).

At the end of the course the student must possess knowledge and skills to be able to interpret and evaluate the digital innovations and their effects in the organizational and social context, and students will be able to manage the development of a digital transformation project within the organizational system, as well as analyzing, describing and rethinking the business processes influenced by digitization phenomena.
The objective is to train and develop professional figures able to manage and govern the digital transformation processes and the digitization projects within the organizational context.
The general objectives of the course are therefore aimed at making the student acquire the knowledge / skills necessary to:
- apply the principles of systems theory in the analysis of digitalization processes
- analyze, design and redesign the business processes affected by the digital transformation, using specific formalisms (such as the Business Process Model and Notation - BPMN)
- plan and manage projects for the development of organizational change fostered by the digitization process, using the main tools typical of project management field, with particular reference to the development and promotion of products and services

To this end, the course proposes to develop the following skills and knowledge focusing on the following particular objectives:
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND
At the end of the course the students will be able to:
- recognize and apply the principles of systems theory in studying the organizational implications connected to digital transformations
- discuss and understand the structural, causal and evolutionary aspects of the digital transformation process as a phenomenon of socio-technical interaction
- distinguish the different levels of abstraction of an organizational process, the main and secondary actors, the different levels of interaction within the process and between different processes, as well as the resources and information involved in the phenomenon of digital transformation
- distinguish the different phases of the design and evaluate the progress of a project in terms of time and costs.

ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course the students will be able to:
- use analytical tools to understand and interpret digital transformation;
- propose strategies for fostering digital transformation.

AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT
At the end of the course the students will be able to:
- critically interpret and analyze the digitization processes (and related documentation) that take place within the organizational system and which also cover specific functions (e.g. sales and promotion of products / services) in different sectors (industry and services)
- read and critically examine the project documentation related to the implementation of digital transformation processes

COMMUNICATION SKILLS
The resulting multidisciplinary communication skills are the main result of teaching. The student will indeed be able to
express in an oral form analytical, critical and summary considerations on the main aspects concerning digital transformation processes

Contents

- Information systems (organizational perspective) and the systemic view of an organization.
- Digital ecosystems and industry 4.0: challenges and opportunities
- Digitization and redesign of organizational processes
- Manage projects for the development and promotion of products and services

Extended Syllabus

Introduction to the course; analysis of some organizational and social changes fostered by digital technologies, in particular those characterizing the industry 4.0 (e.g. Big data, cognitive computing, machine learning, cloud and fog computing, IoT and cyber-physical systems;)
Introduction to information systems, definition of digital platforms and information infrastructure and their role in the development and promotion of products and services (e.g. customer data platform - CDP - and systems for marketing automation)
Organizational change enabled by IT; IT from a strategic point of view;
Introduction to business processes and their management and analysis (Business Process Management - BPM); the BPM lifecycle
Introduction to process modeling; some formalisms of representation of processes, such as EPC and BPMN
Examining in depth the BPMN; use of software applications for process analysis and modeling; Some examples and good practices.
Introduction to project management and IT projects
Planning, management and supervision of IT projects
Presentation and discussion of group work; Conclusion and recap of the course.

Recommended Bibliography

Baltzan, P. (2021). Business Driven Information Systems 7ed, McGraw Hill
Further suggested textbooks:
Dumas, M., La Rosa, M., Mendling, J., Reijers, H. (2018). Fundamentals of Business Process Management 2ed, Springer-Verlag http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783642331428
Gündüz, U., Öncü, H. (2021). An Introduction to Project Modeling and Planning, Springer-Verlag, https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-61423-2

Methods of Provision

Conventional

Teaching Methods

The following teaching methods will be used during the course:
- classroom teaching
- practice sessions
- seminars

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

The assessment will be based on two parts: practical and theoretical.
- The practical component is assessed through group-work presentations in the last session of the course, in which the participants show the correct application and usage of the tools presented during the course.
- The theoretical component is assessed either via oral or written (on the basis on the number of students) format. It aims to evaluate the comprehension of the theoretical concepts presented during the course.

Contacts/More Information

ERASMUS students are invited to contact the teacher for confirming their program.

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree