Platforms

The course is a compulsory course in Digital Leadership Master's Programme (N2DGL).

Bachelor’s degree 180 credits including an independent project (degree project) of at least 15 credits or equivalent and English 6/English B from Swedish Upper Secondary School or equivalent.

Capitalizing on the rapid ICT development, and growing digitalization of all aspects of our lives, digital platforms have become dominant. Today, the list of the largest companies is dominated by companies that built their business models around digital platforms. Billions of people interact with at least one digital platform daily (e.g. payment systems, smartphone content markets, social networks, seach engines). While digital platforms have been successful, this success does not come without its challenges to the platform owner and to the society at large.

Digital platforms are at the heart of this course. The course focuses on three major issues: 1) the key developments that enabled proliferation of digital platforms; 2) fundamental mechanisms behind digital platforms, including multi-sided markets, network effects and open innovation; 3) contemporary developments in digital platforms, including platformization impact on the society and growing role of data. The course provides students with skills to analyze, develop and evaluate alternative strategies and approaches for building sustainable digital platforms.

The course builds on the foundations of the course TIA315 Technology. During the course the students explore how digital technology properties shape digital platfoms. The course also introduces new concepts, such as, digital ecosystems, network effects, platformization, servitization and economies of data.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• describe and explain fundamental principles behind digital ecosystems; 
• describe and explain key properties of digital platforms and how these properties shape platforms, organizations and markets;
• explain the role of data in contemporary digital platforms;

Competence and skills

• choose suitable strategies for new and existing digital platforms;
• choose suitable digital servitization approaches for traditional products and services;
• assess platformization and servitization potential for traditional products and services;

Judgement and approach

• critically appraise impacts of digital platforms on individuals, organizations, industries and society at large;
• analyze digital ecosystems and recognize roles of various members within an ecosystem;
• interpret practical examples of platformization in terms of established concepts, frameworks and theories.

The course is delivered in form of lectures, seminars, and workshops. A blend of inperson and online teaching is used.

The course aims at delivering extensive formative as well as summative assessment. To this end students are expected to actively participate and contribute to their own and other students' learning.

Language of instruction: English

An overall assessment is made based on three components:

1. Weekly tasks - Students will be given tasks to complete related to the content of the week. The aim of such tasks is to test student knowledge and judgement, and produce input for formative assessment.
2. Participation in seminars - Every student will be assigned responsibility to organize and facilitate a seminar during the course. Seminars are designed to test students knowledge and understanding, as well as ability to apply said knowledge to the real-life examples. Students will analyze existing platforms, identify challenges, and develop a plan for action to resolve these challenges.
3. Individual oral exam performed in groups - Students will be tested in groups of 4-5. The exam aims at testing students' knowledge, understanding and ability to make judgements related to the core concepts of the course. 

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

The grading scale comprises: Pass (G) and Fail (U).

In order to pass the course, students are required to pass each of the three components.

After completion of the course the students are to be given the opportunity to participate in a course evaluation electronically. The result of the course evaluation is to be made accessible to the students. The next time the course is given the processed result of the course evaluation is to be presented to the students including possible changes brought about as a result of the course evaluation.

The course cannot be included in a degree together with the course TIA302 Platforms, 7,5 credits.