Essential Business MOOCs for September

Surviving Disruptive Technologies

 

School: University of Maryland

Platform: Coursera

Registration Link: Surviving Disruptive Technologies

Start Date: September 29, 2014

Workload: 7 Hours Per Week

Instructor: Henry C. Lucas, Jr.

Credentials: Lucas teaches in the University of Marylandā€™s Robert H. Smith School of Business, including an MBA course on Strategic and Transformational IT. Lucas, who holds a Ph.D. from MIT, has authored over a dozen books and various articles on ā€œthe impact of technologyā€¦in organizational design and, the return on investments in technology, implementation of information technology, decision-making for technology, and information technology and corporate strategy.ā€

Graded:Ā After completing the course, students can earn a signed Statement of Accomplishment from the instructor.

Description:Ā The 21st century has been dubbed the ā€œage of disruption,ā€ as new business models, technologies, and distribution models have forced established firms to either adapt or die. In this course, Lucas will examine how firms like Kodak, Borders, and Blockbuster were outflanked by competitors and subverted by changing customer expectations. Along with specific companies, the course also examines the impact of innovation and disruption on government and specific industries like publishing, postal delivery, and education. Each week, students will view short videos, with their performance evaluated by quizzes and research-based essays.

Review: ā€œThere were some real problems with this course. The video presentations were dull, I found little practical value in the theories and practice pointers offered, and students really aren’t challenged enough. I worked for years in a business that was disrupted by technology, so I’ll admit there was a large measure of “been there, done that, knew that” in the course for me, but the lectures present an array of facts and fairly commonplace, vague conclusions with no connective process in between. If you’re interested in this topic, I’d suggest reading “The Innovator’s Dilemma” and looking elsewhere for practical instructionā€ For additional reviews, clickhere.

Additional Note: To get the most from the course, Lucas suggests students read his book (The Search For Survival: Lessons From Disruptive Technologies) or Clayton Christensenā€™s The Innovatorā€™s Dilemma.

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