Student guide Faculty of Engineering A.Y. 2011/12

This course introduces the main concepts and analytical tools concerning:
- new economy dynamics and trends, figuring out competitive forces shaping global markets;
- key strategic, policy and economic aspects of e-business;
- impact of technological innovation on organizational forms, structures and practices (business model), deepening competitive strategy in various organizational settings for creating business value and getting performance gains;
- overview of most relevant technologies (RFId, NFC, UWB, e-SCM, …), understanding and challenging the applicability;
- tools and frameworks shaped on individual cases and problems, handling the complex and systematic relationships of various functions and issues (feasibility study, business process modeling,…).;

The course is divided in two parts: (1) e-business: market trends and new business models, (2) Enterprises and e-business tools and technologies.
The first part of the course is focused on the analysis of dynamics and trends of new economy, aimed at understanding main forces shaping global markets and breakthrough strategies to improve companies’ competitiveness. To this aim, some relevant analysis methodologies will be introduced and used to discuss case studies of start-up and growth strategies regarding high-tech business located in worldwide technology centers (e.g. Amazon, Apple, Google and eBay).
Then, the classes will deal the impact of e-business on organizations, the development of new business models and new market positioning of enterprises.
The second part of the course aims at introducing and using tools to enhance distributed collaboration and problem solving methodologies enabled by Cloud Computing and Web 2.0 tools.   In particular will be introduced concepts of social networking in business organizations, crowdsourced organizations, predictive and behavioral markets, adaptive models….ecc…In parallel, students will considered the different approaches enabled by technologies: eSourcing, eDistribution, eProcurement and eSupply Chain Collaboration.  

The final evaluation will be based mainly on assignments given during the course and in class participation. A possible final written exam will be worth no more than 30% of the final grade. The different parts will weight as follows:
- in-class participation (at least 25% of the final grade);
- assignments (at least 45% of the final grade): discussions and/or short project works about mini-cases and/or short articles; one final larger assignment to groups of 2-3 students;
- final written exam (no more than 30% of the final grade – optional).

Readings and material will be distributed by the lecturers.
Further recommended readings: G. Piccoli, Information Systems for Managers: Texts & Cases, John Wiley & Sons, 2007; Turban, Volonino, McLean, Wetherbe, Information Technology for Management (7th ed.), John Wiley & Sons, 2010.