E-BUSINESS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION-1

The course E-Business, Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation is part of the second year of the Bachelor in Digital Management. It builds on foundational knowledge developed in the first year and integrates strategy, entrepreneurship, and innovation with a strong focus on the digital transformation of businesses. The course equips students with both conceptual frameworks and practical tools to understand and lead digital innovation in modern organizations, preparing them for advanced topics in analytics, software, and digital business design in the third year.

Module 1 – Key Contents (THIS COURSE)
Module 1 introduces students to the fundamentals of strategic management, including how to build competitive advantage and how to design effective business strategies. It also covers entrepreneurship, with a focus on developing a business plan and delivering a compelling entrepreneurial pitch. Through group work, ethical reflection, and applied in-class labs, students gain both theoretical insights and hands-on experience.

Module 2 – Key Contents
Module 2 focuses on the impact of digital technologies on business strategy, emphasizing concepts such as disruptive innovation, digital transformation, and the organizational change it requires. Students explore frameworks for driving innovation (e.g., value proposition canvas, jobs-to-be-done, business model canvas) and learn how to apply value-based and strategic pricing models. The module combines theoretical insights with real-world case studies to develop practical skills in implementing digital transformation initiatives.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Understand and apply the fundamental concepts of strategic management, including the differences between market-driven and market-driving approaches, and the key steps in the strategy development process.
Analyze and develop competitive advantages by identifying strategic resources and capabilities that support long-term positioning and value creation.
Critically evaluate sustainability and ethical considerations in strategic and entrepreneurial decision-making, integrating responsible management principles into business practices.
Demonstrate entrepreneurial thinking by designing a business plan that includes opportunity recognition, value proposition development, and implementation planning.
Effectively communicate and pitch entrepreneurial ideas, using structured frameworks to prepare and deliver persuasive business presentations.
Collaborate in teams to solve real-world business problems, applying strategic and entrepreneurial tools in the analysis and presentation of a case study.

No further prerequisites are required, other than those eventually envisaged by student's study plan.

Introduction to strategic management
Market driving versus market driven strategies
The process of strategy development
Understanding and developing a company's competitive advantages
Sustainability
Introduction to entrepreneurship
Developing the entrepreneurial business plan and preparing the pitch
Ethical aspects of management
Group work (case study presentation)
In class lab (preparing the entrepreneurial pitch)

Slides and reading material distributed in class

Compulsory written exam with 20 multiple choice questions.

Exam material: Textbook + articles (moodle)+ slides.

Optional: group work (bonus points).

written

Exam
The exam consists of a single written test. The test is graded on a 30-point scale, corresponding to the standard grading system in thirtieths. A minimum score of 18/30 is required to pass the exam.

Structure of the Written Test
The exam consists of 10 multiple-choice questions, to be completed in 20 minutes:

Each correct answer is worth +3 points, each incorrect answer has a -0.6 point penalty

The questions are designed to assess:
Knowledge of the concepts and models presented during the course
The ability to apply these concepts to real-world cases and examples
Critical understanding of the course content

Bonus Points for Group Work (Case Study)
Students who participate in the group project (case study) may earn up to +3 bonus points on the final grade, based on the quality of the case study presentation.

Final rrade criteria (applicable to all students)

Grade range 18–22
Sufficient knowledge and applied understanding of the course content
Limited ability to apply knowledge and make independent judgments
Sufficient communication skills, particularly in the area of strategic management and digital transformation

Grade range 23–26
Fair knowledge and applied understanding
Fair ability to make independent judgments
Fair communication skills and use of relevant technical language

Grade range 27–30
Good or excellent knowledge and applied understanding
Good or excellent ability to make independent judgments
Fully appropriate communication skills, with accurate use of specialized terms

Honors (cum laude)
Excellent knowledge and applied understanding of strategic management and entrepreneurship.

Frontal lectures and lab activities.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Circular economy, innovation, work" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development