Programme

PGPX

Term

V

Academic Year

2021-22

Course title

Digital Products, Platforms, Disruption and Transformation

Area

Information Systems

Credits

1.00

Instructor(s)

Prof. Sanjay Verma

Course Description & Objectives

Description: The objective of the course is to provide an overview of the key business issues in the information economy and develop frameworks for analysing strategies and business models for Internet-based online businesses.  Objectives: Platform businesses either as a part of an existing business or as new ventures are becoming an increasing part of the economy. The Internet and developments around it have created the information economy. Information based businesses have distinctive strategies and economic imperatives. Information goods are characterized by high sunk costs and near zero marginal costs. These aspects have significant influence on the market structure and hence corporate and competitive strategies. These arise from the technological developments and inherent network characteristics and the consequent role of platforms.  In Platform-based businesses, generating revenues from users is a challenge as information is commoditized and appropriate business models need to be developed. While on one side the presence of large incumbents such as Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft create challenges for new players in on-line markets, on the other side, these incumbents have created significant challenges for established brick and mortar businesses. Valuation in such a context is extremely difficult. This is accentuated by the convergence of Information technology, media, broadcasting industries on one hand and the increasing digitalization of all sectors of the economy. Thus competitors (and collaborators) may not be players from the same industry. This makes it difficult for firms to design winning strategies. On another dimension, in the ensuing hyperconnected world, issues of trust, privacy, security and legal jurisdictions have become critical for businesses. This course will cover understanding the genesis of the Platform business, types and strategies of such businesses, and the challenges that such businesses face

Pedagogy

Case discussion, Workshops, Simulation