Introductory description

This module focuses on designing innovative digital solutions with commercial value, exploring emerging technologies and their transformative potential. Through the lens of ethics and sustainability, students will create and market future-focused applications, developing strategies to foster connected communities and optimise digital platforms for business growth and effective online engagement.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Indicative content (content subject to change)

1. Assessment Overview & Introduction to Digital Platforms and Communities
   Overview of the assessments and introduction to digital platforms, communities, and their importance in business, trust, belonging, and user-centred design.
2. Key Concepts
   Exploration of concepts such as digital brand loyalty, sense of belonging, and the role of social media in community engagement.
3. The Role of AI in Digital Communities
   Discussing the impact of AI, generative AI, and automation tools on user interaction and community building.
4. Introduction to Design Thinking
   Introducing the Design Thinking methodology to help students develop innovative ideas for digital platforms and communities.
5. Hands-On Technical Part
   Practical sessions focusing on online service platforms (e.g., healthcare services) and social networking platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, StackOverflow).
   Students will gain technical knowledge to set up, manage, and assess digital communities.
6. Emerging Trends and Challenges in Digital Communities
   Exploration of emerging technological trends such as chatbots, automation, and the challenges of misinformation (e.g., fake news).
7. Group Work: Conceptualising a New Digital Community
   In groups, students will conceptualise a new digital community, applying design thinking principles, focusing on both commercial viability and social sustainability (creating a sense of belonging).
8. Developing Commercial and Social Sustainability Strategies
   Students will integrate strategies for digital marketing and engagement within their community design, considering long-term sustainability and user-centred design.
9. Individual Assignment: Conceptualising a Digital Solution
   Each student will conceptualise a digital solution (e.g., a platform, app, or service) for a business or social purpose, demonstrating their understanding of design principles and commercial potential.
10. Assessments
    Students will present their group projects and pitch their digital communities and solutions in the final week. The individual assessment deadline will be several weeks after the end of the module.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced understanding of theoretical and empirical approaches when solving complex problems and creating digital communities.
• Critically evaluate the commercial and social sustainability potential of digital communities and other digital solutions, and their role in achieving business objectives
• Analyse real-world case studies to identify opportunities and challenges in leveraging digital technologies for strategic business goals.

Indicative reading list

Allen KA, Kern ML, Rozek CS, McInereney D, Slavich GM. Belonging: A Review of Conceptual Issues, an Integrative Framework, and Directions for Future Research. Aust J Psychol. 2021 Mar 10;73(1):87-102. doi: 10.1080/00049530.2021.1883409. Epub 2021 Apr 30. PMID: 33958811; PMCID: PMC8095671.

Aral, S. (2020) “Can We Amplify the Good and Contain the Bad of Social Media?” (Interview)

Beane, M. I., & Leonardi, P. M. (2022). Pace Layering as a Metaphor for Organizing in the Age of Intelligent Technologies: Considering the Future of Work by Theorizing the Future of Organizing. Journal of Management Studies, https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12867

Beck, S., Bergenholtz, C., Bogers, M., Brasseur, T. M., Conradsen, M. L., Di Marco, D., ... & Xu, S. M. (2022). The Open Innovation in Science research field: a collaborative conceptualisation approach. Industry and Innovation, 29(2), 136-185.

Beck, S., LaFlamme, M., Bergenholtz, C., Bogers, M., Brasseur, T. M., Conradsen, M. L., ... & Xu, S. M. (2023). Examining Open Innovation in Science (OIS): what Open Innovation can and cannot offer the science of science. Innovation, 25(3), 221-235.

Collis, W. and Collis, D. (2020), "How to Build a Digital Brand That Lasters"

Dresner, S. (2012). The principles of sustainability. Routledge.

Fischer, I. (2024), Covelent: The balancing act of GenAI adoption in consulting. Journal of Information Technology Teaching Cases, 0(0), https://doi.org/10.1177/20438869241280977

Fischer, I. (2024), Evaluating the ethics of machines assessing humans, The case of AQA: An assessment organisation and exam board in England, Journal of Information Technology Teaching Cases, 14(2), pp 273-281, https://doi.org/10.1177/20438869231178844

Fischer, I., Beswick, C. & Newell, S. (2021), Rho AI – Leveraging artificial intelligence to address climate change: financing, implementation and ethics, Journal of Information Technology Teaching Cases, 11(2), pp 110-116, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2043886920961782

Gambardella, A., & Panico, C. (2014). On the management of open innovation. Research Policy, 43(5), 903-913.

Garg, R. and Telang, R. 2017. “To Be or Not to Be Linked: Online Social Networks and Job Search by Unemployed Workforce,” Management Science, 64(8).

Gegenhuber, T., & Mair, J. (2024). Open social innovation: taking stock and moving forward. Industry and Innovation, 31(1), 130-157.

Hautz, J., Seidl, D., & Whittington, R. (2017). Open strategy: Dimensions, dilemmas, dynamics. Long Range Planning, 50(3), 298-309.

Hollensbe, E., Wookey, C., Hickey, L., George, G., & Nichols, C. V. (2014). Organizations with purpose. Academy of Management Journal, 57(5), 1227-1234.

Khurana, S., Qiu, L., and Kumar, S. 2019. “When a Doctor Knows, It Shows: An Empirical Analysis of Doctors’ Responses in a Q&A Forum of an Online Healthcare Portal,” Information Systems Research, 30(3).

Kittur A, Yu L, Hope T, Chan J, Lifshitz-Assaf H, Gilon K, Ng F, Kraut RE, Shahaf D. Scaling up analogical innovation with crowds and AI. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Feb 5;116(6):1870-1877. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1807185116. Erratum in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Aug 13;116(33):16654. PMID: 30718420; PMCID: PMC6369801.

Leonardi, P. M. (2009). Crossing the Implementation Line: The Mutual Constitution of Technology and Organizing Across Development and Use Activities. Communication Theory, 19(3), 278-310.

Leonardi, P. M. (2009). Why Do People Reject New Technologies and Stymie Organizational Changes of which They Are in Favor? Exploring Misalignments Between Social Interactions and Materiality. Human Communication Research, 35(3), 407-441.

Mazzella, F., Sundararajan, A., D’Espous, V. and Möhlmann, M. (2016): How Digital Trust Powers the Sharing Economy, IESE Insight, Third Quarter(30), 24-30.

Moravec P. L., Minas, R. K., and Dennis, A. 2019. “Fake News on Social Media: People Believe What They Want to Believe When it Makes No Sense At All,” MIS Quarterly, 43(4).

Prahalad, D, and Ananthanarayanan V. (2020) “4 Questions to Boost Your Social Media Marketing”

Sætra, H. S. (2023). Technology and Sustainable Development: The Promise and Pitfalls of Techno-Solutionism (p. 287). Taylor & Francis.

Schumacher, E. F. (2011). Small is beautiful: A study of economics as if people mattered. Random House.

The Oxford Open Innovation Handbook: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-open-innovation-9780192899798?cc=gb&lang=en&#

Yan, L. and Tan, Y. 2014. “Feeling Blue? Go Online: An Empirical Study of Social Support Among Patients,” Information Systems Research, 25(4).

Research element

Apply appropriate theories, concepts and research to the identification, formulation and solution to solve commerical and/or sustainability-related problems.

Subject specific skills

Design and propose innovative digital platforms, applications, or solutions, including in one instance a digital community, demonstrating its commercial viability and ability to foster connected communities.
Apply appropriate theories, concepts and research to the identification, formulation and solution of digital platforms, applications and communties.
Apply and critically evaluate concepts, theories and methodologies in contemporary social media practices and their management, with digital communities being an integral part.

Transferable skills

Demonstrate communication skills (including group working skills)/ academic writing by communicating and pitching digital solutions effectively to diverse audiences, showcasing leadership and teamwork in collaborative environments.
Demonstrate problem solving skills