Digital Business Strategy

Overview

Class Central Tips

Develop your ability to design and implement strategies that will help your company prosper in the digital age. In this course, developed by the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, Professor Mike Lenox will help you understand the critical function of strategic thinking in the digital age, the role of data and analytics in creating value, the challenge of establishing a dominant platform, the impact of digital technologies on competition, and the importance of appropriating value from innovation.

Syllabus

Rise of the Digital Age

We live in a fast-moving world where the start-of-the-art technology of today could be obsolete by next year and the pressure for organizations to digitally transform impacts virtually every industry and company. This week, we’ll explore the critical role of strategic thinking and the challenges and opportunities today’s organizations face with the rise of the digital age.

Platforms in the Digital Age

Platforms have been transformational in the digital age as they enable value-creating interactions between external producers and consumers. This week, we’ll explore the challenges presented by the rise of platforms, the ubiquity of network externalities, and the frequent presence of winner-take-all markets.

Competing in the Digital Age

Competing in the digital age can often seem like a battle to be the last platform standing. However, the impact of digital technology is often subtler and more far-reaching. This week, we’ll explore new ways of creating and capturing value in a world where digital technologies are helping deconstruct value chains and creating new opportunities for organizations to compete.

Appropriating in the Digital Age

The digital age has spawned a dynamic, hypercompetitive environment that places a primacy on innovation. However, successful organizations must be able to nimbly adjust to an every-changing competitive environment. This week, we’ll explore the importance of appropriating value from innovation by leveraging your organizations unique complementary capabilities and resources.