About the course:
Technology is changing every aspect of how businesses and services, whether public or private, operate – a process known as digital transformation.
On this free online course, you will explore the impact of digital transformation and the issues arising from it, and learn how to implement digital transformation in your organisation, especially where to begin.
Implement digital transformation in your organisation
By the end of the course, you will:
- understand the tools and methods that you can use to initiate digital transformation, beyond the purely technical aspects;
- have an idea of the new jobs, roles and responsibilities created by the digital transformation of services and businesses;
- develop a digital strategy and business model for your digitised service offering;
- understand the evolution of marketing in the digital age;
- know how to industrialise services, by integrating digital and human aspects;
- and understand the good and bad sides of digital transformation, remaining critical and conscious of the balance between humans and technology.
Learn with digital transformation experts and case studies
The course has been developed by Grenoble Ecole de Management – one of the best French and European business schools. You will learn with a range of educators with experience of the digital transformation of businesses and services, and follow a realistic case study documenting digital transformation in the world of retailing.
What topics will you cover?
Following this course learners will:
- have an overview of the tools and methods that, beyond the purely technical aspects, initiate a digital transformation around your service offering
- get an idea of new jobs, roles and responsibilities induced by the digital transformation of services and businesses
- develop a digital strategy and business models for your digitized service offering
- understand the evolution of Marketing impacted by the digital
- know how to industrialize services by integrating digital and human aspects
- understand the good and bad sides of the digital transformation remaining critical and conscious of human and technical balance
What do people say about this course?
This course has been an eye-opener and my gratitude goes to all who were involved in compiling the coursework. Above all, the discussion forum has been such a big help. I learnt a lot from individuals who were active on the discussion forum who shared unobscured work experience and knowledge. I say to you thank you. My advice to you all is dont forget to create a copy of the discussion forums. It containts a wealth of practical information that you might not get anywhere else.
Lloyd Mwaluku
One of the best courses I’ve taken with FutureLearn. There’s a lot more that could be expanded on but I now have some new areas to investigate. This is a good companion course to The Internet of Things.
Brian Hunt
Videos about the course:
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/digital-transformation/2/steps/266160
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/digital-transformation/2/steps/266233
Essay Criteria – Personal & Career Development
| Criterion | Better / Poor + / – | Checklist |
| General information | 1. Your name
2. The title of the event 3. The date of the event 4. The organiser & presenters of the event 5. The location of the event |
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| Description | Details of the event/development activity
1. What happened 2. What was the experience 3. What was your role 4. What did other people do/What did you do 5. What was the purpose |
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| Self-analysis | Your thoughts before the event (YOU)
1. What were you thoughts/feelings/values/attitudes/reactions/assumptions 2. What was the reason/thinking behind you taking part in this activity 3. Why is it of relevance to your personal development- YOUR PDP? MUST LINK TO PDP 4. Assumptions on Self-Assessment Tests prior to completing them – Post analyses – Changed Opinion Positive/ identified weaknesses of test & researched same 5. Reactions – Do not agree with result. Justify using examples as this could reflect weakness of test or lack of self-awareness – Agree with result. Provided example/story to explain own ability to relate result to life example |
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| Analysis of learning
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The learnings from the event or activity
1. What did you learn? 2. What generalisations/conclusions (about your learning) can you draw from the experience? 3. Use literature to derive understanding Tip: Keep a learning log if the event is over a time period (6 week course, Day 1/Day 2/ Day 3) |
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| Application in context | Those learnings relevant to you (YOU)
Application in Context- General 1. How does it link to previous knowledge, experience, learning, assumptions 2. How does it link to theory, frameworks? 3. How and why you think there is a link. The importance of the link. Show that you understand the relationships you perceive to exist- it can’t be implied or superficially done, it must be articulated in detail 4. How does it help you explain or understand (or not) previous knowledge, experiences? Personal, Career, Professional Development/Goals 5. Link to previous knowledge, experience, learning, assumptions. Link to theory, frameworks? How does it help you explain or understand (or not) previous knowledge, experiences? 6. What about your current context e.g. looking for job, in transition, new career? How do results reflect this context? What does literature/studies say you should have done/should do (using test results/POD’s) given this context? 7. What is your career goal? Is there a connection made between results/analyses & these goals? |
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| Evaluation
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Critical analysis of those learnings
1. Evaluate/discuss/debate the learning 2. Critically evaluate area (both sides or angles) – Was the experience/event/learning good or bad? – Did you agree/disagree and why? – What are your conclusions or constructive criticisms? – How does it test or require you to re-interpret or re-consider what you already knew/previously did know |
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| Reconstruct self-concept
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After evaluation, how do those learnings change you (YOU)
1. What changes can you make 2. What changes will you make or what has changed 3. What would you do differently or will you do differently next time as a consequence of this event? |
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| Action | As a result of those learnings/ change in self-concept, what have you done or plan to do to put that into practice (action/application)
1. How did you apply that learning 2. Give an example/evidence of i) understanding the learning from the activity and ii) you putting the learning into practice 3. What worked/ what didn’t work in your efforts to put the learning into practice and why 4. What are your plans for future actions to apply this learning |
Essay Example:
Date: 16/08/2017
Organiser: Google LLC
Location: Online
POD weight: 2 Points
Description
This activity involved me taking AdWords Fundamentals and Search advertising exams as well as being a “Strong Performer Team” in the 2017 Google Online Marketing Challenge. A great achievement when my team and I were one of the top teams out of the thousands who competed worldwide. This challenge is a professional authorisation that Google offers to individuals who prove expertise in advanced aspects of AdWords. Furthermore, individuals who certified, Google recognises them as experts in online advertising.
This activity is about maximising the marketing presence for business owners and give the student the opportunity to explore critical digital marketing tools in order to be consultants for assigned clients. Nowadays, the most efficient way of doing online marketing is to implement a strategy to attract customers. My role was the team leader in this challenge and assisted a board games creation company known as Rock.Paper.Scissor who are struggling in operate their online marketing, besides getting AdWords certification in the purpose support my expertise with a strange evidence.
Self-analysis
I concerned about this course because small and medium enterprises these days needs innovative processes to be competitive in the market and expand its field. In the current economic recession in Saudi Arabia and the need for SMEs for stability, minimising costs with highest possible quality led to focus on e-marketing and the “word of mouth”.
I thought about improving my knowledge and recognise the importance of having an effective online marketing plan, could lead me to better engagement with the business world in future. As I’m planning to be in a managerial position, planning effective strategies is a desirable competency in future managers. I assumed this experience is going to develop my expertise in advertising at a higher level while I incorporated my theoretical and practical approaches at the same time.
The reason of taken this activity and being certified is that I interested in learning more about running Google AdWords campaigns for my digital marketing assignment in NGM Module this semester. In this world-class competition where we got a real amount of money and choose a suitable client, I needed to develop technical skills in e-marketing as well as planning competency which are points to enhance in my PDP.
Analysis of learning
- Set The Goals First for Marketing Plan:
When we want to start a plan for online marketing or determine what we want from our audience, we should know what the purpose of the strategy. Are we tend to increase brand awareness through getting on our web page, attracting the potential customer to visit a local store, or buy online now? Answering these questions required to create a SMART goal(s) and not be distracted, that’s will leads to explore what the ideal way to build steps with budgeting for each one.
Nothing from the former cannot be applied online through social media which no longer just for communicating with friends. These days, organisations sharing information and using promoted ad via Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. and the popularity of using social media is rapidly increasing. Social media researchers began to take an interest in 2007, and it became known as the height in 2010, this is due to the amount of content created by users and their association with it more (Nascimento and Silveira, 2016).
- The Audience Behavior Before Buying Decision:
Studies indicate that 97 of people searching online before the buying decision (Danconia Media, 2010). Subsequently, as a business owner should take advantage of the consumer changed behaviour towards social media. The product/ service description needs to be ready when the potential customer is looking for similar needs. Do not hide the call to action from the consumer. Inevitably will affect his/her reaction positively if the advertisement showed the right messages for example “call out hotline for more information”, “visit our near store from you”, or “buy online now”.
Steve Marshall, BIA/Kelsey’s director of research, explains how necessary is the balance for businesses between real life marketing and e-marketing (Danconia Media, 2010). However, e-marketing is an opportunity to show how the product is highly unobtrusively recommended for potential customers and clarify more than a face-to-face buyer meeting. Thus, social media can correctly use as an empowerment tool for the business to exchange Medias as photos video ads with the public audience or one-on-one privet messages (Arnaboldi and Coget, 2016).
- Smart Online Marketing Strategy:
After the rapid change in economic conditions in Saudi Arabia and facing an economic crisis. Businesses need to these tools to take advantage of the lower cost advertisement. The opportunity to increase their promotion presence to potential customers is on hand and facilitated more than previous. The proficient way to grasp customers and reach them much closer is to implement a smart online marketing strategy. Our client was struggling to perform any e-marketing as they do not have the expertise. This experience with them helps to understand what e-marketing involves and how to plan the most suitable online marketing strategy. It shows me how to run campaigns, promote ads, and improve website landing pages forget customer conversion rates.
- Others Supportive Tools For AdWords Campaigns:
I learned in detail how to use Google marketing tools such as Google Analytics and Google AdWords in order to implement Rock.Paper.Scissor marketing campaigns. I learned how to set up a Google AdWords account and online budget advertising.
Application in context
Looking to myself before this activity, I lack the knowledge to implement an e-marketing strategy, but now I recognise the position of having an active marketing campaign that serves the business goals and helps for the continued success of the business. Now I understood these key learnings became a great interest after it was an unknown aspect for me and I had no knowledge in this field. The most significant expertise in this experience that I attend this online activity to understand how to add value to customers and practically learn more about Google online marketing tools such as Google Analytics and Google AdWords.
I need to take advantage of learning how to set up a Google AdWords account, write ads, choose the right keywords, and budget for your online advertising. I attend to be a leader in the business field so I should be familiar with developments to transfer my experiences to my subordinates in the future.
Evaluation
The value of the understandings driven by the experience was very high. I never run a campaign before or taken an online certification in digital marketing. The interaction with the client was apparent besides their cooperation was very obvious. What they shared was so valued and necessary for the marketing operations that we did.
Overview, the distribution of the teamwork were sequential. Each one explored a particular aspect of essential data to analysis. In general, distribute the workload equally was a necessary step for actual findings.
Reconstruct self-concept
Having these learnings in my pocket, ready to implement them in my work in future, I still wondering where to start, so I need to organise my thoughts professionally this period. However, I have significantly improved my understandings of Google tools for business and marketing, but I still insist on the necessity of involving more activities to get the best results as I can. On the other hand, I must personally read recent research about technology and e-marketing to pave the way for myself now and get to what I want in future as a future businesswoman. I see myself weak in technology which is a new way of influencing people and reach costumers. I realised writing ads that attract customers and choosing the right keywords are critical to developing. I felt that I knew this information before and not all of it is new for me. So, to be at a higher level as I planned previously, being certified is not enough, it is just the beginning of a long road of experiences
Action
I’m a new employee in the marketing team at a medium enterprise that working in stationery and office supplies field when it plans to go online in marketing after years of traditional marketing.
I intend to implement an e-marketing plan for the company that I work in and activate marketing campaigns within social media networks which support the company’s goal. Find an opportunity to learn more about issues that faced e-marketing to develop my skills and influence costumers via social media is a new corporate orientation.
First, I’m going to use Google AdWords tools for the company. Then I’m thinking to expand my expertise to a more extensive range such as learning how to activate Twitter marketing campaigns and Instagram promotions. But what worries me most, is targeting the wrong audience besides on false expectations and forecasting, I should be aware how to deal with that in future.
Bibliography
Arnaboldi, M. and Coget, J. (2016). Social media and business: We’ve been asking the wrong question. Organizational Dynamics, 45(1), pp.47–54.
Danconia Media. (2010). Study: Nearly 100 Percent of Consumers Research Online Before Purchasing Locally. [online] Available at: http://www.danconia.com/2010/03/study-nearly-100-percent-of-consumers-research-online-before-purchasing-locally/ [Accessed 15 Apr. 2017].
Nascimento, A. and Silveira, D. (2016). A systematic mapping study on using social media for business process improvement. Computers in Human Behavior.
