Digital Business Models

Digital business models are disrupting 50-year old companies in telecommunications, transportation, advertising, e-commerce, automotive, insurance and many other industries. This course will explore the business models of software disruptors of the west such as Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon, and the east such as Xiaomi and weChat. The class uses a structured framework for analysing business models with numerous examples so that students can apply it to their own business or case study. We will explore how software developers are not just the innovators but also the decision makers in modern competitive battles from mobile to cloud, and from consumer goods to enterprise software. And we will also explain how developers are the engine of digital business models, using examples from diverse industries – from healthcare to aviation

• Understand digital business models of Western software disruptors such as Apple, Google, Facebook
• Recognize Eastern digital business models like Xiaomi and WeChat
• Apply a structured framework to analyze business models with practical examples
• Explain the role of software developers as innovators and decision makers in digital competition
• Analyze digital business models across diverse industries including healthcare and aviation

• Basic computer and internet skills
• Ability to read English instructions and complete short practice activities