Innovating in a Digital World

About this course: Facebook, AirBnB, Tesla, Amazon, Uber. In just a few years, companies like these have changed the face of the global economy. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of start-ups are disrupting old business models, taking on centennial industrial groups – and winning. It’s clear that the rules of business have changed forever. This MOOC provides a knowledge toolkit for the ongoing digital revolution. You’ll discover 15 concepts that are essential for understanding the new mechanisms of digital business and innovation. Each concept is explained in its own beautifully designed, content-rich instructional video, along with additional resources for you to explore. The ideas are illustrated with up-to-the-minute case studies and examples from a wide range of industries. Week 1 : Why Digital Changes Everything Week 2 : Creating Value in a Digital World Week 3 : Thinking and Acting Differently Week 4 : Entrepreneurship in a Digital World This MOOC is ideal for learners from a wide range of backgrounds. It is brought to you by four expert professors and researchers from Telecom ParisTech, a leading European graduate school in the field of digital technology and social science. This MOOC is supported by the Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation.

Created by:  Institut Mines-Télécom

• Taught by:  Rémi Maniak, Associate Professor

  Management Science

• Taught by:  Thomas Houy, Associate Professor

  Management Science

• Taught by:  Laurent Gille, Professor

  Economics

• Taught by:  Valérie Fernandez, Professor

  Management Science

Commitment 4 weeks of study, 2-3 hours/week Language English, Subtitles: French How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.6 stars Average User Rating 4.6See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from your peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Institut Mines-Télécom Institut Mines-Télécom is a public institution dedicated to higher education, research and innovation in engineering and digital technologies. Always attentive to the economic world, IMT combines strong academic legitimacy, close corporate relations. It focuses on key transformations in Digital Technologies, Production, Energy and Ecology and trains the engineers, managers and PhDs who will be tomorrow’s players in these key changes of the 21st century. Its activities are conducted in Mines and Télécom graduate schools under the aegis of the Minister for Industry and Electronic Communication, one subsidiary school and three strategic partners. The IMT’s schools rank among the leading graduate schools in France.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Why Digital Changes Everything



Many people have yet to realize just how rapid and profound the current digital revolution is, or how quickly it’s breaking down old institutions. Yes, we’re always hearing about Google, Uber, and all those “pirate entrepreneurs.” Yes, we know technology has something to do with it. But the future is approaching even more quickly that we think. Right now, all the pieces are in place to completely change the face of products, technologies, organizations, and entrepreneurship over the next few years. This module will tell you how and why.


5 videos, 12 readings expand

1. Reading: Let's break the ice!
2. Video: Watch the course video presentation (1')
3. Reading: Learning outcomes
4. Reading: Professors are there, but you don't see us!
5. Reading: Make the most of this MOOC (assessment, quizz, forums,...)
6. Video: How to harness the power of digital disruption?
7. Reading: Readings
8. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of Digital disruption
9. Reading: Video transcript
10. Video: Why the pace of technological change is faster than ever?
11. Reading: Readings
12. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of The pace of digital technological change
13. Reading: Video transcript
14. Video: Why digital opens up so many great opportunities for entrepreneurship?
15. Reading: Readings
16. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of The new entrepreneurial context
17. Reading: Video transcript
18. Video: How open digital innovation can unlock new growth?
19. Reading: Readings
20. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of Digital open innovation
21. Reading: Video transcript

Graded: Digital disruption
Graded: The pace of digital technological change
Graded: The new entrepreneurial context
Graded: Digital open innovation

WEEK 2


Creating Value in a Digital World



Once upon a time, the rules of the game were simple. People worked away in their offices to develop and sell products or services, and shared the margin between price and cost. But now this product-based way of competing is all but gone – wiped out by the new principles of value creation. Going digital means playing by new rules, powered by network effects and system goods, that radically changed the fundamentals of business. Now, people create value outside their offices by connecting in third places, and the best way to turn a profit can be to give your products away, or share your knowledge, for free. Across the board, old-style value chains are being completely disrupted by new business ecosystems.


4 videos, 8 readings expand

1. Video: Why externalities have become such a powerful lever for value creation?
2. Reading: Readings
3. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of The power of externalities
4. Reading: Video transcript
5. Video: How digital architectures are opening new business horizons?
6. Reading: Readings
7. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of Connecting products and businesses
8. Reading: Video transcript
9. Video: Why physical spaces are even more crucial in the virtual world?
10. Reading: Readings
11. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of Third Digital Places
12. Reading: Video transcript
13. Video: How to make a profit from free or no-margin products and knowledge sharing?
14. Reading: Readings
15. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of Digital business models
16. Reading: Video transcript

Graded: Externalities
Graded: Connecting products and businesses
Graded: Digital third places
Graded: Digital business models

WEEK 3


Thinking and acting differently



Going digital is a bit like emigrating to another country. To succeed digitally, people and firms need to adopt a whole new mindset. Entrepreneurs should forget about building the perfect business plan, and instead put the focus on “trial and learn” processes. And companies should forget about long-term strategy, protecting their IP, product planning, and entry barriers, and concentrate on running instead of defending. This is true in every area from strategic decision-making through to getting the most from the assets that firms own, control, or use – knowledge assets in particular.


3 videos, 6 readings expand

1. Video: Why pragmatism, not persistence, wins the digital race?
2. Reading: Readings
3. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of Strategy in the digital era
4. Reading: Video transcript
5. Video: How successful digital entrepreneurs make the most of what they’ve got?
6. Reading: Readings
7. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of Effectuation in a digital world
8. Reading: Video transcript
9. Video: How digital has changed the meaning of property and piracy?
10. Reading: Readings
11. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of Intellectual property in the digital world
12. Reading: Video transcript

Graded: Strategy in the digital era
Graded: Effectuation in a digital world
Graded: Property in the digital world

WEEK 4


Entrepreneurship in a Digital World



We usually think of the entrepreneur’s challenge as coming up with a “great idea.” But the new digital world doesn’t work on belief alone. Promises, and ideas’ potential, must be based on tangible facts. That’s why execution is so much more important than ideas. This module looks at the new context for entrepreneurs and the skills they need to succeed, including the supreme importance of execution, the key things every successful startup must do, and the essential skill of pitching ideas.


4 videos, 9 readings expand

1. Video: How to guarantee your digital startup fails first time?
2. Reading: Readings
3. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of The key factors of success for startups
4. Reading: Video transcript
5. Video: Why execution, not ideas, is the key to digital success?
6. Reading: Readings
7. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of The entrepreneurial epiphany
8. Reading: Video transcript
9. Video: What seed funds see when they look at a digital business?
10. Reading: Readings
11. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of The new rationality of seed funds
12. Reading: Video transcript
13. Video: Why pitching is a must-have skill for digital entrepreneurs?
14. Reading: Readings
15. Discussion Prompt: Your examples of The art of pitching
16. Reading: Video transcript
17. Reading: Tell us what you think

Graded: The key factors of success for startups
Graded: The entrepreneurial epiphany
Graded: The new rationality of seed funds
Graded: The art of pitching