About the Activity

Our class will be divided into small groups. Each group will complete one group case study presentation. (Again, I expect everyone in the class to have read through and thought about each of the cases even when a case is not assigned to your group). All the cases are posted on the course website.

The specific question to be answered in preparing the presentation is provided below. The presentations will be given via pre-recorded videos that will be posted on the provided discussion boards. Groups that were not assigned to do a video presentation that week will respond to the videos that were shared. Then, in the Live Session, we will summarize the online discussion and highlight some key takeaways.

Following the first Live Session, each group must submit a preferred ranking of the cases for which they will be assigned to do a video presentation. I will use these preferential rankings in making assignments to groups on a first-come, first-served basis (i.e., groups that submit their list earliest will have more of their preferences met). Also, I will try to spread each group’s assignments over the course.

Groups are free to use whatever medium (power-points, screencasts, etc.) you feel is appropriate in addressing the questions.

Guidelines for the Video Presentation

Your group video should be roughly 5-10 minutes long. It's fine if you are a minute or so over/under. Your timing may depend on the nature of the case or the question you've been assigned. But please try to keep it succinct.
Again, do not waste time rehashing the case materials. You can assume that everyone is familiar with the case.
Please check the audio and video quality before posting.

Cases

Mrs. Fields (purchase from Harvard Business Review)
Zara (purchase from Harvard Business Review)
Maersk (purchase from Harvard Business Review)
- Includes Presentation & Discussion
Prosper
- Includes Presentation & Discussion
Lufthansa
- Includes Presentation & Discussion
Equifax
- Includes Presentation & Discussion

Case Presentation Questions

Introduction & Digital Strategies Fundamentals: Mrs. Fields (Harvard Business Review)
1. Describe Mrs. Fields Business Models.
2. How has technology given Mrs. Fields a competitive advantage?
3. What are the issues with how Mrs. Fields has employed technology?
Digital Strategies Fundamentals: Zara (Harvard Business Review)
1. Utilize the Zara case study to develop a detailed Porter’s 6-Forces breakdown of the organization. Be sure to explain the elements you have placed in each specific Force of your model. While there is no minimum regarding the number of elements you have for each force, be sure you have included what you consider to be all the key elements for each force.
2. From your examination of Zara’s strategic position (from question 1), what are the two most important strategies you would suggest Zara implement immediately?
3. Consider the question of IT upgrading. What is your group’s take on how technology should be maintained at Zara? Provide reasoning & justifications for your IT strategy.
4. The thought of don’t touch it if it isn’t broken has been utilized to justify not upgrading/updating I.T. hardward/software in many firms. What are some examples of this (you can consider your own experiences or what you’ve seen in the business press/news) & what have been the outcomes of these decisions for the firms you have brought to light?
Operational Information Systems: Maersk (Harvard Business Review)
1. How does blockchain work?
2. How did blockchain benefit Maersk? How did Maersk succeed in implementing blockchain using TradeLens, a blockchain-based platform for managing shipments involving multiple stakeholders?
3. Logistics platforms like TradeLens scale through a combination of Network Effects. As more fleets, port, warehouses, and containers use the platform, how do Network Effects create value for the partners?
4. What are the risks and obstacles to implementing blockchain?
Database and Database Design: Prosper
1. Describe the customer value proposition, profit model, core capabilities, and dynamic capabilities that underlay Prosper's business model. Note that Prosper's 'matching' service involves two sets of customers: borrowers and lenders. Address both sets of customers.
2. To what extent do Prosper's services exploit 'the long tail' of the money lending market (see Chapter 3)? Explain your answer.
3. Prosper's business model is heavily dependent on positive network effects. Illustrate this via an example, being sure to explain why your example represents a positive network effect. Are there any negative network effects? Describe them if you can think of any.
4. Is the P2P lending market a 'winner-takes-all' market? Answer 'yes' or 'no', and defend your answer.
Ecosystems & Strategic Utilization of Data: Lufthansa
1. Describe the customer value proposition, profit model, core capabilities, and dynamic capabilities that underlay Lufthansa's business model.
2. Assuming Lufthansa's "Amazon in the Air" strategy and Value Discovery processes are in place, characterize the maturity of Lufthansa's analytics capability (aspirational, experienced, transformed). Justify your characterization. How does the characterization affect how Lufthansa should manage analytics capabilities?
3. Recommend an additional analytics investment that could further improve profitability. Refer to the five recommendations in the reading to develop a plan for developing and overseeing the investment.
Cybersecurity: Equifax
1. Identify the potential consequences (financial loss, revenue loss, intellectual property loss, and reputation loss) facing Equifax as a result of a data breach.
2. Two IT risk areas involved in the security breach are Network Security and Information Privacy. Where does each of these fit within the Risk Assessment Matrix (Figure 8-3)? Justify your placements.
3. How should Equifax have responded to this crisis? Be sure to address IT management, disclosure, internal investigation, and recovery issues in your response.

Guidelines for the Video Presentation

Answer the assigned question in your group video.
Your group video should be roughly 5 minutes long. It's fine if you are a minute or so over/under. Your timing may depend on the nature of the case or the question you've been assigned. But please try to keep it succinct.
Again, do not waste time rehashing the case materials. You can assume that everyone is familiar with the case.
Please check the audio and video quality before posting.
Case Video Presentations are assigned to specific course groups. Case Video Presentations are due for the assigned groups by 12 PM (noon) Central two days before our Live Session.
All unassigned students will respond to Case Video Presentations in the discussion. Case Discussion Responses are due by all other class members by 12 PM (noon) Central on the day of our Live Session.

Resources: Video Recordings

Sharing Your Presentation

Share your presentation on the case discussion by using the MyMedia plugin in our Canvas course. You can learn how to access MyMedia and upload your video Using MyMedia in Canvas Guide. Then, you can post your video in the discussion.