Managing Digital Transformation 2400-ZEWW1034

This course is devoted to the analysis of digital transformation in companies and other organizations in the context of the digital economy. Its main purpose is to show that digital transformation is not limited to the implementation of individual technologies, but involves a broader change in the way organizations operate, make decisions, organize processes, manage resources, and build competitive advantage. The course focuses on the role of data, automation, artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and related technologies in reshaping contemporary organizations and markets.
The objectives of the course are:
• to understand the key mechanisms of digital transformation in companies and other organizations
• to examine the role of data, automation, artificial intelligence, and digital platforms in changing organizational models and practices
• to analyze the impact of digital technologies on business processes, business models, work organization, and relations with customers and other stakeholders
• to explore examples of technology implementation across different sectors of the economy
• to develop the ability to assess the level of digital maturity of organizations using tools such as Assessment Tool
• to strengthen practical skills related to diagnosing organizational needs and designing directions for digital transformation
• to prepare students to develop a digital strategy for a selected organization
The thematic scope of the course includes in particular:
Introduction to digital transformation
Basic concepts, definitions, and approaches to digital transformation. Differences between digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation. The importance of data, process integration, automation, and organizational capabilities in the digital economy.
Mechanisms of change in the digital economy
Datafication, algorithmization, automation, and platformization as key processes shaping contemporary organizations. Discussion of how organizations transform activities, resources, and relationships into data and use them to support decision-making and value creation.
Digital technologies in organizations
Characteristics of selected digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, robotics, cloud computing, blockchain, and analytical systems. Analysis of their functions, potential, and applications across sectors.
Datafication of business processes
What datafication means and how it affects organizational performance. The role of data in process optimization, personalization, monitoring, resource planning, and the creation of added value.
Digital technologies across organizational functions
Analysis of the use of digital technologies in production, sales, logistics, marketing, human resource management, customer service, and knowledge management. The course emphasizes that digital transformation affects the entire organization rather than isolated departments.
Automation, artificial intelligence, and changes in work
The use of AI and automation in managing production, operations, and employees. The impact of these processes on employment structures, task composition, future skills, and the role of human workers in organizations.
Digital transformation of business models
How digital technologies enable new business models, revenue streams, and customer relationships. Analysis of organizations that have changed their logic of value creation through the use of data, platforms, or automation.
Digital strategies
How to build an effective digital strategy for an organization. Identification of goals, resources, barriers, stakeholders, and strategic priorities. The importance of alignment between technology, organizational strategy, and organizational culture.
Barriers and conditions of digital transformation
The most common obstacles to technological change, including skill-related, organizational, cultural, financial, and communication barriers. Discussion of the role of leadership, organizational readiness, and employee engagement in transformation processes.
Assessment of digital maturity
Introduction to the diagnosis of digital maturity using tools such as Assessment Tool. Analysis of selected dimensions of digital maturity, including strategy, processes, competencies, organizational culture, data management, and the use of digital technologies.
A central feature of the course is its practical orientation. It is delivered in a workshop-based format following the learning-by-doing approach. Students work on the analysis of a selected organization, assess its level of digital maturity, identify its key challenges and opportunities, and develop a proposal for a digital strategy tailored to its specific context. The final output is a team-based analytical report.
Teaching methods include:
• interactive lectures
• case study analysis
• workshops using digital maturity assessment tools
• team-based work on diagnosing and designing a strategy for a selected organization
• problem-oriented discussions based on examples from different sectors of the economy
The course also draws on the results of current research and applied projects concerning the level of digitalization in firms and the use of artificial intelligence in different sectors. Students will engage with practical insights from projects on the transformation of retail, hospitality, and other industries, as well as initiatives focused on mapping digital maturity and preparing organizations for the implementation of more advanced technologies. This allows students to connect conceptual knowledge with current empirical evidence and real-world transformation challenges.
The course is designed to develop both analytical understanding and practical skills. It helps students understand how organizations undergo digital transformation, what strategic decisions they must make, and which competencies are needed to design and support change effectively in the digital economy.
The course instructor is the Director of DELab UW and the author of academic publications and reports on the digital economy, digital transformation, and the impact of technology on organizations. She leads research and applied projects at the intersection of academia, business, and public institutions, which makes it possible to combine academic knowledge with practical experience.