Master’s Course in Management of Digital Economy
Speed, interconnection and immateriality are the converging powers of the new economy that are revolutionising patterns and boundaries of any business by affirming the birth of an economic system based on principles that are radically unlike those of the old market economy. The changes produced by the new information and communication technologies (ICTs) lead to deep analysing of methods, strategies and resources with the only objective of: rethinking company economics in the digital era. The introduction and development of technology, which is at the basis of digital economy, changes our way of designing and carrying out many of company activities. Such unprecedented changes are of surprising rapidity and in the next years will involve sectors and activities that have been unthinkable up to now.
Knowledge and inventiveness are excelling on physical assets; in order not be overwhelmed and succeed in valorising one’s one competitive advantage the opportunities offered by these revolutionary trends, we need to be able to understand the dynamics of the new economy and the management principles, models and strategies applicable to this new economy.
What features do company have to possess to be working? Which levers can assure success in this new economic environment made of bits?
Whether they are digital-based companies (resulting form the digital revolution) or traditional (digital related) companies open to the new economy the determining factor is knowledge.
The new technologies are based on economic information and rules that regulate their application; they do not resemble the economic technologies and rules of the industrial era. At present, the Web represent a communication medium that, more then others, can enhance the effectiveness of company action, widening the visibility of brand, promoting communication with its stakeholders, developing an innovative commercial channel, apart from the traditional ones. The Internet, as sale channel, represents a big opportunity for companies, above for the small and medium ones, that can find in the Web an opportunity for growth and visibility, promoting the company’s competitiveness, developing suitable synergies with operators of the same industry. The Internet, offers not only the possibility to sell products, but it is also a concrete occasion to propose the company’s value and a true amplifier of the (marketplace, relational) B2B relations. Digital economy favours also consumers who now can dispose of unprecedented information potentials (info commerce), they can interact with other consumers following their recommendations and suggestions; the can affect service and products price fixing (dynamic price: auctions, consumers’ group), they contribute to the customisation of consumption (prosumer).
In addition, the new technologies give some solutions to companies’ business problems by promoting networking, encouraging cooperation and information exchange, integrating company processes along the whole value chain. Whereas the planning of traditional environments involve the adoption of strict and specialised strategies, planning in a digital environment requires flexibility and experimentation. However, given this scenario, which are the opportunities and the threats for companies? Which strategies company management must adopt?
Aims
The Master’s Course in Management of Digital Economy is a training project that aims at supplying participants with the answers and tools they need to understand the main issues of management according to an innovative perspective, guiding them to learn about the principles and mechanisms resulting from the digitisation of the economy.
The project represents the managerial answer to the demand for young and qualified resources with professional skills that can be marketed in New Economy. The training project provides an integrate study path and a learning that is characterised by the cross-disciplinarity of contents and by a multidisciplinary approach, oriented to the understanding of new scenarios and by the powers of changing in Digital Economy.
From the company-system to the company economics, from business management strategies to the impact of ICTs, from new marketing to the Web 2.0 to the business models in the digital era. The study programme of the Master’s course was designed to condense all the main issues that are required to understand company dynamics in the delicate phase of transition towards new economic models. An educational focus, instead, is devoted to the issue of convergence and emergence of mobile services.
The professional profiles that this Master’s course intends to train be enabled to play managerial or consulting roles in all the settings where these governance models have been or are being reformulated as a consequence of mechanisms of digital innovation. We refer in particular to experts and consultants in:
- Digital economy and eBusiness models;
- Enterprise 2.0 models;
- eStrategy and Internet Strategy;
- Start-up of Digital Economy companies;
- Experts in Digital Marketing;
- Experts in Web 2.0;
- Experts in Digital Communication;
- Experts in digital innovation and B2B and B2C services;
- Experts in eGovernment and in eHealth.
Teaching programme
The study path envisages an active involvement of participants, the monitoring of their learning progress and a constant feedback on the issues being dealt with.
The Master’s courses includes the following modules:
I The Company system
II Company Economics
III The Internet and the Web
IV How to design an e-commerce website (*)
V Computer Security (*)
VI Digital Economy Management
VII Digital Economy Marketing
VIII Web 2.0 & Social Network
IX Mobile Marketing & Service
X Digital Communication & Web Content Management
XI Start-ups in Digital Economy
XII E-Government & E-Health
XIII Digital Economy Regulations
XIV Business & Web English
Teaching model
This Master’s course follows a multidimensional teaching model, structured in three main sessions:
- Classroom training (Let’s share knowledge): it is the phase of “theoretical” framework setting, in which the traditional and advanced, administrative, finance and control methods and tools are illustrated to the participants; in this phase lecturers, managers, company law experts will share with participants the goals (what is the use of’) and utilisation modes (how to use them’) of the tools being described; 600 hours out of a total amount of 1.500 made available by the Master’s course will be devoted to this phase;
- Project Work (Let’s try to do it): the aim of this training phase is to accompany the participant in under standing how what he/she studied as “theory” can be translated into practice in a company setting of one of the businesses that will participate in the Master’s course training project, The participants, divided into small groups, will develop projects and simulations, with the constant support of one of the lecturers; the time devoted to this specific training session corresponds to 280 hours among the 1,500 made available by the Master’s course on the whole;
- Training period (Let’s try it on the field): the training period will represent for many of the participants the time to enter into the company, the time when “they start doing something” testing the skills acquired during their university career and (obviously) during the Master’s course; we are firmly persuaded of the fact that this training period represents an essential moment along the training path envisaged by the Master’s course; in this phase the participant has to go on on learning, of course in different way compared to what he/she did in the past; for this reason we think that it is of vital importance to support the participant, by the help of a specific teacher, in all the phases of his/her training (selection, carrying on, follow-up).
The Master’s course will last on the whole 1,500 hours divided into: 600 hours of face-to-face training activities, 280 hours of project work and 620 hours of training).
The starting of the training project is envisaged in March 2010 and it will end on January 2011.
Target group and requirements
This Master’s course is aimed at all graduates, also to those who got a degree in humanistic disciplines, willing to play managerial roles in companies highly oriented to the use of the new digital technologies.
Venue
This Master’s course will be run at an institution that is partner of the University.
How to enrol
Enrolment can be carried out directly on the Internet filling in the online form.
The online administrative form manages all administrative activities. The Secretariat will confirm the enrolment by sending an e-mail including matriculation number, User ID and Password.
Enrolment fee
The overall enrolment fee to the Master’s course is € 11,040 which includes:
- Participation in the classroom lessons that are listed in the presentation of the train project;
- Support by a teacher via e-mail along the whole course duration;
- Training materials;
- Multimedia lecture notes.
Admission to the course is dependent on passing a preliminary selection test.