Providing an IS Strategy and Governance for business digitalization is critical for contemporary organizations and competitive positioning. The aim of this course is to discuss and understand approaches to develop effective IS strategies and provide the required level of governance to maximize value from business digitalization.

The course will offer theory and a project to cover the following topics:

- IS strategy principles and processes

- IS governance principles and processes

- Organizational requirements

- Challenges, risks, and critical success factors

- Frameworks and methodologies including valuation and selection,  and performance optimization

The course not only builds on current research findings in particular from the Institute of Information Management and Control, but also on best practice frameworks including ITIL and COBIT among others.

By the end of this course students should be able to:

- understand what an IS strategy is

- define how value from IS is evaluated and delivered

- appreciate methods to identify opportunities to provide IS services and exploit them

- understand IS service provision models

- evaluate the organizational capability to deliver the IS strategy

- consider the role of digital resources or assets

- understand the required processes needed to achieve the IS strategy

- design and interpret selected IS strategy performance models

Each unit involved theory presentations, working on, presenting and discussing questions and cases from methodological viewpoints. This course involves private study including guided reading associated with focus topics and independent small group work, and preparation for and production of coursework assignment.

Formative assessment will take place during each session when students will work on questions, cases or seminar papers in groups or alone for class discussion. Formal grading of work and learning outcome will include level and quality of active participation, two exams, and assignments.

The weights of these components are as follows:

First written exam: Worth 30% of final grade
Second written exam: Worth 30% of final grade
Assignments: Worth 30% of final grade
Active Course Participation: Worth 10% of final grade

The overall course participation includes quizzes and contributions to discussions, which are assessed throughout the course.

Only students who successfully passed the basic course (Course 1; GK1) of the specialization "IS Management and Control" are admitted.

A guided reading list will be provided and material will be uploaded to learn@wu.

Students are welcome to discuss course-related issues during weekly surgery hours or by appointment with the course lecturers