Executive MBA students enjoy interactive online Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation courses

From 18 until 25 April, 42 MSM Executive MBA students took part in their first online classes in Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation. A busy 8-day schedule with lectures, breakout sessions, group work and presentations was completed.

The context of new business venture creation
The first distance learning session of the Executive MBA was Entrepreneurship and taught by David J. Dingli, MPhil/MBA The 4-day course was aimed at the concept of entrepreneurship in the context of a new business venture creation. The students learned about identifying opportunities, the direction and the financing of a new company, business modelling, mobilising resources, recruitment, value creation and the realization of growth.

One topic in the entrepreneurship course was particularly an eye-opener for Executive MBA student Rajinder Kumar: “The topic about ‘stupid innovation” he says, “how ‘silly’ innovation can also be very successful”.

Besides lectures there was also room for group work. Through breakout rooms in Zoom, the students were able to closely work together on business cases and developing an innovative business ideas by identifying an opportunity and tackling it with an entrepreneurial mindset. Every group presented their innovative idea on the last day of class. This entrepreneurial idea could be something completely new or an innovative way to improve something that already exists. The groups applied the gained knowledge through the lectures on lean start-ups, the business model canvas, and a business plan to name a few directly to their group work.

Due to the diversity of backgrounds and cultures in the Executive MBA, every group presented an innovative and entrepreneurial business plan.

An interactive course where everyone could learn from each other
Without the technology we have available these days, quickly switching to distance learning might not have been possible. Adjusting the normal course structure and the possibilities that online platforms offer for moving online, is a great example of digital transformation, which was taught by Dr. Khaled Wabha.

The 4-day Digital Transformation course was taught in a very interactive way on the basis of case studies, group discussions and presentations. During the course the Executive MBA students worked on well-known case studies that covered various aspects of the digital transformation starting from strategic roadmap formulation and development up to the barriers and the challenges of deployment of the relevant digital technologies. Furthermore, various digital transformation enabling, and disruptive technologies, innovations and business models were discussed such as platforms, social media, analytics, apps and blockchain.

Every day Dr. Khaled Wabha opened the breakout rooms in Zoom for students to discuss cases that were then discussed with the whole group to talk about the findings on the cases. To end the April module, on the last day all groups presented on a topic linked to digital transformation such as mobilizing the organization, building leadership capabilities, sustaining the digital transformation and framing the digital challenge.

Rajinder found the Digital Transformation program very refreshing and motivating: “This is the era of Artificial Intelligence, self driving cars, so a lot of focus on data analytics and concerns over cyber security. In the short span of time of the course I learned how digital transformation can be implemented in any organization.” he states.

Following the Executive MBA courses online instead of on-campus provides a different dimension to the learning experience. “I enjoyed both courses, which were insightful and interactive. All the presentations were interesting, good slides and videos that kept us as students engaged. “The knowledge I gained from both courses I will certainly apply in my working life. However I prefer to follow the courses on campus, as I missed the ‘live’ conversations and networking opportunities with my fellow students during coffee breaks”, Rajinder concludes.

The next Executive MBA course
In July 2020 the business research tools module will take place for the Executive MBA students with the courses Research Methods and Decision Making Tools.