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Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title Managing Change & Digital Transformation
Module Code MNA1098 (ITS: MT339)
Faculty DCU Business School School DCU Business School
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Description

This module provides student with a strong conceptual foundation that will enable them to identify the potential within specific digital technologies to transform organisations and to understand how those opportunities and challenges can be successfully managed. Students will learn the key concepts of digitalisation and how organisations can proactively manage the transformation process, so as to grow and compete in a sustainable way during periods of change and uncertainty. In Industry 4.0, technology is disrupting, advancing and challenging business in new ways. This module addresses contemporary management challenges, emerging trends and the role of technology in shaping both industry and the future of work. Participants will examine traditional and emerging barriers to change, whilst also developing their knowledge of diagnosing and managing change using existing frameworks. A focus of the module is on the disruptive role that technology plays in shifting organisations’ structure, strategy and ability to better leverage opportunities made available by better understanding the role of interpreting and analysing data for decision making. Critically, this includes addressing the role of design and planning in technology-supported strategic action.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically analyse how current issues and emerging trends are impacting management and the implications for creating an agile organisation.
2. Demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of digital transformation in an organisation.
3. Critically assess both the forces of change and the typical barriers to change that exist within organisations.
4. Assess the role and impact of current and emerging strategies that can be employed to diagnose and manage change.
5. Demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the digital security and risk management challenges facing contemporary organisations, and propose innovative, sustainable and practical-led solutions for their management.
6. Critically evaluate the ethical, social and political issues surrounding digital transformation, assess their organisational implications and leverage digital technologies, tools and solutions to address these issues.
7. Understand the significance of management tools and techniques to analyse case studies and provide suitable recommendations including understanding the role of interpreting and analysing data for decision-making.


WorkloadFull time hours per semester
TypeHoursDescription
Lecture22Formal Lectures
Group work33Working within group on assignment
Independent Study60Independent study and study for MCQ
Independent Study10Assigned readings / case studies
Total Workload: 125
Section Breakdown
CRN11090Part of TermSemester 1
Coursework0%Examination Weight0%
Grade Scale40PASSPass Both ElementsY
Resit CategoryRC1Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorFabrizio AmarilliModule TeacherRegina Connolly
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Group assignmentGroup assignment allocated30%n/a
AssignmentIndividual case study50%n/a
Loop QuizMCQ20%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Change and Digital Transformation
Surviving the 4th Industrial Revolution: Understanding change & key challenges

Differentiating between digitization, digitalisation and digital transformation

How digital disrupts: The lifecycle of a technology; Implications for services

The five domains of digital transformation: Customers, competition, data, innovation and value.

Framing the Digital Challenge: The agile organisation:
The agile context model and operating in the ambiguity zone

Building velocity through continuous innovation

Using the Matrix of Change tool to plan cohesive digital transformation

Models of change and accountability (e.g. Lewin’s / Greiner’s model

Digital-native processes: Design thinking, agile and lean

Developing a learning culture: Fixed and growth mindsets.

Reinventing the organisation’s business model
New approaches to digital business model development

Digital transformation analysis of business processes

How to adapt your value proposition and create a disruptive business model.

Developing a Digital-Inclusive Business Strategy.
Framework for developing and executing a digital-inclusive strategy.

Velocity of Change: How to define opportunities and leverage resources.

From opportunity to action: The planning pyramid.

Challenges associated with digital inclusive strategy formulation.

Using digital technologies to know your market
The role of data in decision making. Using digital technologies to undertake market research. Modelling online consumer behaviour and the changing nature of exchange; Online consumers: understanding online purchasing decision making; Using technology to better create a compelling consumer experience.

Implementation and Alignment
Managing people to ensure benefit realization, governance and alignment challenges, organisational capital and complementary innovations.

Challenges: Security and Risk Management
The scope of the digital security problem, the tension between security and other values, main security threats. Risk analysis of assets, impacts and threats; Developing a risk management policy; Vulnerability management: people controls, logical access control, network security, response controls; Auditing and post audit improvement, Risk Management paradigm and best practice.

Ethical, social and political issues related to digital transformation.
The changing landscape of cybercrime, morality and ethics; Protecting personal information and the privacy paradox; Desirable practices for privacy policies; Privacy by design; Core ethical foundations related to analytics and data science work; Collection and usage of data and data science processes; Ethical frameworks and their practical application in a digitized context; Ethical guiding principles for decision-making.

Indicative Reading List

Books:
  • Siebel, T.M. (2019).: 0, Digital Transformation: Survive and Thrive in an Era of Mass Extinction, Rosetta Books, United States.,
  • Laudon, K., and Travers, C.G. (2021).: 0, Electronic Commerce 2021, Pearson.,
  • Rodgers, D.L. (2016): 0, The Digital Transformation Playbook: Rethink your Business for the Digital Age, Columbia Business School,
  • Senior, B and Swailes, S (2020): 0, Organizational Change, 6th Ed. Edinburgh: Pearson/Prentice Hall.,
  • Myers, P, Hulk, S, and Wiggins, L. (2012): 0, Organizational Change: Perspectives on Theory and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.,
  • Kane, G., Phillips, A.N., Copulsky, J.R. and Andrus, G. (2019),: 0, The Technology Fallacy: How People are the real key to digital transformation, The MIT Press.,
  • Westerman, G., Bonnet, D. and McAffee, A. (2014): 0, Leading Digital, HBR Press.,


Articles:
  • Further reading material will be provided as the course progresses.: 0, To be assigned by lecturer.,
Other Resources

None

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