Examination arrangement

Course content

Digitalization is a term used in many contexts but often with different meanings and connotations. However, a recurring theme is that digitalization is connected with change, whether for different stakeholders such as individuals, businesses, industries, or at the societal level. This course provides an introduction to digitalization as a phenomenon and research topics related to information systems (IS) for businesses and industries. It deals with relevant theoretical terms and models to understand digitalization as a phenomenon, which is understood as the application of digital technologies in organizations.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, the following overall learning outcomes should be achieved:

Knowledge

Students should:

• Have in-depth knowledge of concepts and models of digitalization.
• Have an overview of key topics related to digitalization in information systems research.
• Have an understanding of digitalization as a historically contingent phenomenon.

Skills

Students should:

• Have a good ability to analyze and evaluate the impact of digitalization on various stakeholders, such as individuals, businesses, industries, and society as a whole.
• Be able to apply conceptual knowledge about digitalization.
• Be able to identify different perspectives on IS based on phenomena.

General competences

Students should:

• Be able to critically reflect on the application of digital technologies in organizations.
• Have research-based skills for finding, reading, interpreting, and referencing of academic papers within digitalization.
• Understand the role of digital technologies for sustainability and twin transition (digital-green).
• Be able to convey research results on digitalization both in writing and orally.

Learning methods and activities

The course will be held as a series of seminars. Every seminar examines a theoretical topic on digitalization from the syllabus. Students will present a scientific article in groups for each seminar, followed by a plenary discussion.

Compulsory assignments

• Exercises

Further on evaluation

Compulsory exercises: Participate in a minimum of 75% of the learning activities. The activities are announced at the start of the course. In special cases where 75% participation is impossible, the student can agree with the course supervisor about alternative learning activities.

Group-based presentations must be approved before the candidate get access to the final assessment.

Postponed assessment: Available the next time the course is completed.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge about the application and use of digital technologies in organizations.

Required previous knowledge

The course is reserved for students admitted to the Master's Degree Program in Digital Transformation, or the Master’s Degree Program in Archives and Collections Management.

Course materials

Course literature is determined at the start of the course. Possible research articles and books can be:

• Bailey, D. E., & Leonardi, P. M. (2015). Technology choices: Why occupations differ in their embrace of new technology. MIT press.
• Faraj, S., & Leonardi, P. M. (2022). Strategic organization in the digital age: Rethinking the concept of technology. Strategic Organization, 20(4), 771-785.
• Hirschheim, R., & Klein, H. K. (1989). Four paradigms of information systems development. Communications of the ACM, 32(10), 1199-1216.
• Orlikowski, W. J., & Baroudi, J. J. (1991). Studying information technology in organizations: Research approaches and assumptions. Information systems research, 2(1), 1-28.
• Wessel, L., Baiyere, A., Ologeanu-Taddei, R., Cha, J., & Blegind-Jensen, T. (2021). Unpacking the difference between digital transformation and IT-enabled organizational transformation. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 22(1), 102-129.