Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module introduces the impacts that digital technologies e.g., artificial intelligence; cloud computing;  big data; virtual conferencing; databases; social media; are having on the board director, board dynamics and board governance. Digital technologies will be considered as hardware and software; tools and techniques that are influencing on the way that director and board work. Students will consider additional complexities such as how digital technologies may influence on the presented evidences; real-time and predictive information; issues of reliability; quality; data governance privacy and transparency; and trust for director understanding and board engagement. The module seeks to raise an awareness of factors that board-level (Chair; SID; CEO; CFO; NEDs; COoSec) should consider in relation to digital technologies.

 

What skills and awareness should board-member have? What questions should a board pose to management, investors and stakeholders? How do algorithms influence biases and fairness in board decision-making? Board responsibility and accountability will be considered in relation to technological variables; regulation and law; cyber-security; GDPR as emergent issues through real-world examples and cases. What are the associated risks with digital technologies for director and board? How should board steward its competitive position and strategize for sustainable organisation? This module combines academic frameworks and practical real-world learning across 2 days. Students will have opportunity to engage in role play through group case study. How should board engage with CEO; CTO; CMO? The simulated discussions will provide opportunities for assessing and evaluating potential risks (e.g. reputation/legal/financial) and value creation (e.g. innovation) as director/board digital judgements.

Aims:

• develop awareness of role and responsibilities of board member in handling digitalisation.


• appraise board effectiveness in decision-making for digital transformation and value creation.


• recognise key assumptions for board engagement with digitalisation.


• evaluate skills and abilities of high-performing digitally aware director/board.

Intended Learning Outcomes

• To understand and evaluate how director judgements and board stewardship are impacted by digital technologies in their decsion-making.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module, it is expected that the student will be able to:

• outline fundamental considerations digital technologies require from board members, including risk assessment, strategising, resource acquisition, allocation, and stewardship in digitalisation scenarios and automation of processes and workforce.


• recognise and attribute the implications for companies of current benefits and threats of digital technologies applications, potential risks, and value creation for businesses models.


• demonstrate capacity to strategize considering the potential risks and opportunities digital technologies offer to stewardship, resource attraction and acquisition, impacts on the workforce, and company's capabilities.


• expand critical assessment of the importance of board engagement with digitalisation to support competitive advantage, new business models, and sustainable practices.


• evaluate their board and organisation's readiness to evaluate, implement, lead, and govern digital transformation.


• be equipped to appraise the stewardship, monitor, resource attraction and allocation roles of a digital enabled board of directors.

Additional outcomes:

• understand how digital technologies can modify the way board of director work.


• reassess board member’s responsibilities, level of engagement, skills, and attitudes needed to exploit digital value creation and contributions to competitive advantage, new business models, and sustainable practices.


• reflection and assessment of their board readiness for digitalisation

Outline content:

This module provides an awareness and understanding of how director and board can engage or are impacted by digitalisation technologies. Students will benefit from academic frameworks, real-world case studies and and role-play scenarios as part of their learning. Further, students will enhance their understanding of broader regulatory, security, transparency issues related to digitalisation for organisations. These will be considered as potential risks and value creating opportunities.

Content

• To consider empirical evidence of digital technologies impacts on board dynamics e.g., changes and improvements in information flow. Digital technologies contributions to facilitate and fortify the role of the board when strategizing.


• Evalatuing changes promoted by digital technologies on board stewardship. Board strategic priorities in relation to advancements in digital technologies.


• Board level understanding of artificial intelligence e.g. through real-world examples such as scenarios and simulations.


• Board level awareness of cloud computing and big data: cloud computing models (Private, Public and Hybrid Cloud), and types of services (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS). Virtualisation (computer power and storage), data legacy, data preparation, data lakes, data governance (security and privacy).    


• Director appreciation of deep learning, convolutional neural network and recurrent neural networks.


• Opportunities for discussion on governance; regulation; risks and opportunities for organisations when engaging with digital technologies and automation.

Global context:

Cross-sector  relevance to Private, Public and Third sector boards;

Consideration of international governance (local / regional ) contexts.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module will be taught by practitioner and academic staff, reflective of their specialisms. The lectures/workshop will include:

 

• Powerpoint presentations


• Case-studies and real world examples


• Role play simulating board meetings with active engagement from students.


• Scenarios and/or simulations (for example) labs and/or experiments.

 

T&L approaches and exercises will cater to individual needs by including wide ability range Q&A as part of scaffolding, moving progressively towards more active learning for confident learners. Each student will also have opportunity to contribute to their diary as part of the learning experience.

 

Guided Independent Study includes preparation and planning for scheduled sessions, pre-reading, follow-up work, more extensive reading, prac tice or application to practice, understanding learning tools and techniques (e.g. technologies and software) - relevant to participants own area of interest or context of study.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		14
Practicals classes and workshops		6
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)		40
Wider reading (directed)		20
Peer assisted learning		10
Advance preparation for classes		20
Preparation for seminars		40
Preparation for performance		10
Group study tasks		40
Total hours by term	0	200	0
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	60
Report	40

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Individual written assignment (3000 words) (-10% / +20%) 

Group case study analysis report (1200 words) (-10% / +20%) 

Submission dates are in accordance with the programme schedule 

Formative assessment methods:

Engagement with class activities; interactive Q&A. 

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy “Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes”, which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A mark of 50% for each element 

Reassessment arrangements:

One resubmission of any element with a mark below 50% 

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

£60

Last updated: 30 March 2023