MSc in Business Administration HWZ | Major in Digital Strategy

Exponential technologies

Exponential technologies accelerate change through enhanced computing power, bandwidth and data storage. The exponential growth of technologies will result in interactions between different technological subgroups, creating new business opportunities. Early computers had such limited power that the initial doublings in computing performance had little impact. However, the doubling of computing power has continued steadily. This can be illustrated by the legend of the chessboard and the grains of wheat: If you start with one grain on the first square of the chessboard and double it for each subsequent square, the total amount of grain is initially quite modest. This changes once the second half of the chessboard is reached. In the second half, the exponential growth becomes significant. By the 64th square, the amount of wheat grains is 703 billion tons. Technologically, we are currently in the second half of the chessboard.

Sample topics in this module:

• Artificial intelligence / machine learning

• Cloud computing

• Blockchain

Data-driven business

Data is the most important asset of a digital enterprise. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a foundational technology – comparable to the steam engine, electricity or the internet – that enables this data to be utilised. This means that the use of AI in business environments will continue to increase. In addition, applications will improve exponentially while also providing the basis for further innovation. The challenge for organisations lies in not simply applying these new technologies to existing business logic. In the past, foundational technologies have only made companies successful when they have understood how to translate the unique features of these technologies into new business processes and models.

Sample topics in this module:

• Big data

• Hyperautomation

• Robotic process automation

AI marketing

Do we really know who our customers are and how they behave? Unless we can answer this question with certainty, we cannot create an outstanding customer experience. We must make effective use of the information available to us. This enables us to take the effectiveness of marketing to a new level. Data and algorithms support us in this process. For the first time, companies have the opportunity to systematically embed customer orientation within their organisation, rather than leaving it to chance – that is, just to a human.

Example topics in this module:

• Customer lifecycle and customer journey models

• Performance marketing, personalisation, ethics and data

• AI marketing canvas

New work: digital leadership & collaboration

In organisations where decisions are increasingly based on data and evidence rather than the HIPPO principle (highest paid person’s opinion), a new understanding of leadership is required. We are witnessing a shift in leadership from the ‘Great Man’ to the ‘Great Team’ approach. The era of heroic leadership (the ‘Great Man’) is over, as it disregards the collective intelligence of people and new technologies. We will examine what this means for different levels of leadership (individual, team, system) and which leadership approaches hold the promise of success in the era of digitalisation.

Example topics in this module:

• Humble leadership

• Shared leadership

• Complexity leadership

New Work: organisation, technology & trust

Digital transformation and disruption, Taylorism 4.0, or the automation of leadership – the list of buzzwords associated with New Work could be extended many times over. Despite this variety of terms, all these trends are ultimately concerned with better understanding the relationship between technology and people in the workplace. New technologies are changing both how we work and how work is organised. For New Work to succeed, it is essential to address these pressing questions. For example, how does technology influence employees’ mindsets, or what can organisations do to prevent employees from being reduced to mere data subjects or limbs of the machine? Resilient and agile organisations require a strong culture of trust. How can such a culture be established, and how can we resolve the tensions between the efficiency demands of technology and the need for freedom to make mistakes, learn, and be creative? Ultimately, dealing with technology in the workplace also raises ethical issues, namely the role of the employee in a technology-driven company and how it can be credibly lived and promoted.

Example topics in this module:

• Technology in the service of humanity

• Humanistic workplace

• Technology and trust

Culture & behavioural economics

Every organisation has its own culture. The key question is whether this culture supports the implementation of the desired strategy or whether it actually hinders it. A culture creates a sense of identification for employees, customers and suppliers. Many companies in the new economy cultivate their corporate culture very deliberately and strategically. They recognise that this can be a unique competitive advantage that cannot be imitated. We shape organisational culture through our values, norms and behaviour. It is no longer surprising that our behaviour is not always rational. The situations in which people act irrationally and hence emotionally are currently being researched at a breathtaking pace. Understanding how people think allows us to understand and respond to them better. But the journey doesn't end there: Behavioural Economics is the alchemy of perfect user experiences and optimized conversion rates.

Example topics in this module:

• Competing values framework

• Nudging

• Prospect theory / cognitive biases

Digital business in society and state

Technological change is having a significant impact on our society. On the one hand, there is an ongoing technological arms race between the US and China. It is important to understand the objectives pursued by these major powers and what this means for businesses. On the other hand, the central role of predominantly personal data in new business models raises important questions about how such data is handled. How can companies work with this data and ensure that it generates benefits for society? Issues of regulation must be reassessed and discussed. The goal must be to optimize both the social and economic benefits of technological advancement.

Sample topics in this module:

• Geopolitical situation: USA vs. China

• Regulation

• Corporate digital responsibility

Digital strategies & business models

Traditional approaches to strategic management, which define the sectors in which a company should operate and how it can position itself within its respective business areas, are increasingly reaching their limits. This is because competition now extends beyond traditional industry boundaries. When the introduction of new value propositions influences competition across sectors, blurs boundaries and overturns established structures, this is referred to as disruption by ecosystems. Ecosystems follow their own logic and appear in various forms (for example, platform ecosystems). In the past, companies used expensive facilities to manufacture physical products. Digital companies, on the other hand, don't always need to own physical assets to make money. Historically, companies also focused heavily on internal resources. Now, they are discovering the advantages of a vast, global, digitally connected pool of talent. In many cases, collective intelligence surpasses internal expertise.

Sample topics in this module:

• Ecosystems

• Platforms

• Open Strategy

Digital design

To understand new technologies, you must put them to the test. Only then can groundbreaking products and services emerge. These experiences are further enriched by knowledge of design methods and tools. A deeper understanding of design enables you to align technology with human needs. Technology is not an end in itself: it should serve humanity. This module is delivered in collaboration with Zurich University of the Arts.

• Design methods and tools

• UX design

• FabLab

Study week: Darden School of Business, University of Virginia

The Darden School of Business is ranked among the top 10 business schools worldwide. It is renowned for its exclusively case study-based teaching approach. During this week, critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills are developed through illustrative case studies, delivered in a typically American style that is both engaging, entertaining and academically rigorous.

Sample topics in this module:

• Digital business models

• Strategic thinking

• Creating value for stakeholders

AI-powered digital transformation

Innovation is a reflection of adaptability. Only those who continually reinvent themselves can remain competitive. Ultimately, innovation is a matter of numbers. The company with the largest innovation ecosystem has the greatest chance of achieving a breakthrough. The likelihood of a major success increases with the number of attempts. It’s that simple. Or is it?

Sample topics in this module:

• Innovation ecosystems

• Trend management

• Innovation processes and culture

Hackathon: digitalisation & sustainability

A strategy is always subject to increasingly shorter life cycles. One way to keep the momentum in strategy development high is through a hackathon. This format is no longer used solely in software development, it has also found its place in strategic management. Strategy hackathons are well suited to addressing one of the most pressing questions of our time: how can we, as a company, operate sustainably?

Sample topics in this module:

• Circular economy

• Organisational identity

• Strategic mindset

Advanced scientific skills

The aim of science is to generate new knowledge and insights, and to do so in a systematic and transparent manner. Those who are able to work scientifically gain a better understanding of cause and effect. Suddenly, vast amounts of data begin to make sense. With today’s information overload, scientific skills help individuals to find their bearings and to distinguish what is relevant from what is not. Scientific thinking enables people to view the world from multiple perspectives. It has been proven that this leads to greater success in a business environment.

Example topics in this module:

• Paper-writing workshop

• Scientific thinking

• Handling data