The title of the course (Technology Strategy) is unfortunate. This is a hold-over from an era when the study of strategy in the context technology change was a special topic – only relevant to a small number of industries for which R&D was a basis of competition (e.g., Pharma, Computing, and certain electronics industries). That era is over. We are now in an era of broad-based technological change driven by digital technologies (broadly defined). In this so-called “digital revolution,” we’re not just seeing the emergence of new products and services. The traditional structure of industries, and the dominant business models in those industries are being completely disrupted. While traditional concepts from competitive strategy still apply, these concepts need to be supplemented with additional concepts and frameworks. For example, thinking it terms of a relatively stable industry structure will not work. We now need to think in terms of more fluid “industry ecosystems,” which is an inherently fuzzy concept that we will formalize in the class. More importantly, we need to be able to take a much more dynamic view of strategy. We have to assume that the context we are competing in today may be quite different than the competitive context 2 years from now – not ten years from now. This requires that we incorporate identifiable patterns of technological change directly into our strategic thinking and strategy development process. This, in turn, requires that we understand the functional performance capabilities emerging from new technologies and how these capabilities will impact competition today, and in the near future. For example, we know (it’s obvious) that every industry will be impacted by emerging AI capabilities. However, the question is how? Where the specific dimensions of the how question depends on the specific “industry” context. This five-session class is designed to help you engage in this type of new and required strategic thinking.
Beyond exposing you to fundamental concepts in technology strategy, the ultimate objective of the course is twofold: (i) For you to develop an understanding of how new technology impacts the structure and competitive dynamics of an industry, and (ii) For you to understand the long-term strategy development process in the context of significant technology-driven industry change.
Prereq: Cannot enroll if 39101 taken previously.
Summer 2024 Dates: 8/5, 8/6, 8/8, 8/9, 8/10
