In setting the scene for this diploma, the central role of data and how it is leveraged (via the capabilities of technology) will be center stage in this first module. It will emphasize that digital transformation is not just about adopting new technologies; it’s concerned with reimagining business processes and the work of organizations, considering new digital business models, enhancing customer experiences, driving innovation, and leveraging data. These topics will be covered in depth in the remaining modules.

The broad question to be addressed in this module is “What are the implications of digital technologies for an organization's competitive strategy?” The module will explore the impact that digital technologies are having on competition, the new economics of value creation, and how the traditional boundaries between industries and sectors are being blurred. It will examine how digital technologies are affecting the traditional levers of strategy as well as how it is rendering competitive advantage temporary. It will emphasize that organizations cannot ‘opt out’ of considering technology when developing their strategy as, today, digital is a competitive necessity. As many traditional manufacturers shift from selling products to providing services, new digital business models will be studied.  In particular, the module will examine platform businesses that are at the heart of innovative business models, the creator economy, and end-to-end visibility for supply chains, supporting new opportunities, marketplaces, and growth. As ecosystems become increasingly central to economic activity, the shift from industry and domains will be examined and its significance surfaced.

The broad objective of this module is to give participants the knowledge, tools, and insights to demystify AI and analytics, and explore their potential in organizations, particularly in the context of digital transformation. Real-world examples will be presented to demonstrate the capabilities and limitations of AI and analytics, and to explore the opportunities provided by these technologies. Participants in the module also will discover how to leverage these technologies to create a competitive edge for their business and learn how to anticipate trends and outcomes and make informed decisions. Importantly, participants will study what it takes for success with AI and analytics and the critical role of data. The module will also address the ethical considerations for AI (fairness, transparency, accountability, etc.), the regulatory landscape for AI (GDPR, CCPA, etc.), and best practices for ethical AI development and deployment.

The focus of this module is to explore the application of digital technologies across demand and supply chains and the wider ecosystem. The objective is to expose participants to a variety of organizational contexts and application areas, and to surface commonalities that provide valuable learnings. These will include digital marketing, financial applications, and deploying technology in operations and the supply chain. The module will also introduce tools to aid in the process of identifying and analyzing potential applications, such as process mapping and customer journey mapping. These will become part of the tool kit for building the digital strategy.

Innovation is at the core of digital transformation. It is through innovating with digital technologies that new or improved products, services, processes, unique customer experiences, and business models are created. Innovations are also what shape an organization's digital strategy, as it is through new innovations that both operational and strategic opportunities emerge. The module will first explore innovation, the innovation process, and the key tools and frameworks of innovation. The content and process of the digital strategy will then be examined to draw out a guiding framework. The module will also examine how an organization can foster an innovation ecosystem, work with start-ups, incubate ideas, and scale innovations.

The capabilities of digital technologies provide the opportunity to re-imagine the concept of an organization and how we arrange people for work. Indeed, digital technologies challenge the very essence of industrial organization, hierarchy, and bureaucracy, which have dominated thinking. The module will explore the purpose of organizing, the organization structure, and present the fundamental principles of organization design. In today’s digital-first world, the limitations of contemporary models will be explored, particularly their impact on agility, and newer models will be presented and critiqued. The building blocks of a digital enterprise will be presented. The module will examine how pioneers are organizing and managing in a fundamentally different way than most contemporary organizations. It will draw out lessons and insights from organizations such as Amazon, Spotify, Otto, DPG Media, DBS Bank, Haier, and ING Bank. The utility of the IT department will be questioned. The important role of culture will be stressed, and what having a digital mindset really means in practice.

The goal really isn’t digital transformation but rather business and organizational transformation — using digital capabilities to transform a traditional enterprise into a top performer in the digital economy. But as organizations strive to achieve this, research reveals that digital transformation is less a technology issue than it is a leadership one. This module will explore both the transformation and leadership dimensions of digital transformation. It will examine the challenges associated with realizing expected business outcomes from technology investments before elaborating on what can be done to overcome these. One leadership role is to determine which pathway to pursue — and how aggressively to move. The module will explore the four viable pathways for transformation, examine their pros and cons, and look at the various organizational “explosions” that companies are likely to encounter and will need to manage as they transform. A practical approach will be presented to map out a digital transformation journey or pathway that clearly shows the linkages between technology investment and business outcomes. Best practice guidance that has been distilled from research to improve the success of digital transformation will conclude this module.

Professor Joe Peppard is Academic Director at UCD Smurfit Executive Development. Previously, he was a faculty member at MIT Sloan School of Management, ESMT Berlin, and at Cranfield School of Management, UK. A leading authority on digital transformation, his research studies contemporary issues and challenges that managers face in an environment of accelerating technological change. While academically rigorous, with his research he seeks to steer a pragmatic path. He recognises that managers want frameworks and models to help them understand their own predicaments, insights to figure out options and consequences, and clear actionable advice and guidance. In his writings and teaching, Professor Peppard seeks to help the busy manager to be successful. Last year, The Wall Street Journal cited his research on digital transformation as one of “10 tech events that will shape the future.”

Associate Professor Ciaran Heavey joined the UCD College of Business in 2009 as an Assistant Professor in Strategic Management. He completed his PhD at the University of Connecticut. His research interests are focus on strategic leadership leadership, strategic entrepreneurship, and the interface of strategic leadership and digital technologies. His research on these topics has appeared in the Academy of Management Journal, the Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Management, and Journal of Management Studies among others. He currently serves on the editorial board of Journal of Management Studies, and he also serves as a Guest Editor for two special issues. He is currently editing a volume that examines the intersection of Strategic Leadership and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Professor Michael O'Neill is Full Professor of Business Analytics in the UCD School of Business, and a founding Director of the UCD Natural Computing Research & Applications Group. He is currently Subject Area Head of Management Information Systems in the UCD College of Business, and has previously served in a number of senior leadership roles including Associate Dean - Director of the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Vice-Principal UCD College of Business (Research, Innovation & Impact), and Director of UCD's Institute for interdisciplinary research, the UCD Complex & Adaptive Systems Laboratory (CASL).

Dr. Marius Claudy is an Associate Professor of Marketing at UCD College of Business. His research is concerned with the adoption, diffusion and marketing of innovation, which he investigates in consumer as well as organizational contexts. His research has received several awards and prizes and attracted significant amounts of public funding. He is also passionate about teaching, for which he received the UCD College of Business Teaching and Leaning Award for Teaching Excellence. As an educator, Marius strives to enable students and executives to understand and critically evaluate the underlying assumptions and motivations behind business decisions and strategies, and to assess the economic, social and ecological impacts of these decisions.

Brian is lecturer of Competitive Strategy and Strategy Execution on the Smurfit School’s MBA programmes. He has previously held roles within the School as Academic Director of MBA Programmes and Academic Director of Overseas Programmes (Singapore and Hong Kong). His current research interests are in the areas of organizational inertia and entrepreneurial persistence. He has presented his research at leading international academic conferences such as the Academy of Management annual meeting, the European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) annual colloquium, and the Strategic Management Society’s annual conference. Brian’s previous work with clients include IDA Ireland, ICON plc and Bostik.

Ian Kierans (BA, MA, MBA, PhD) trained as an organisation psychologist, before becoming a management consultant at Accenture (Atlanta) and Diamond Technology Partners (New York), helping businesses shape and implement strategies for a digital era. In 2005, he co-founded Advanced Organisation—a consultancy and capability development firm specializing in strategy, innovation, and change. His PhD, at Cranfield School of Management, focused on a crucial topic: how businesses can succeed at business model innovation. He is co-author of Innovative Growth - The Journey from A to B while Building C (2023) - see www.innovativegrowth.com