Task 1: Developing your IS Digital Portfolio (3 blogs)
You will be conducting the blog, which should be uploaded to online platforms (e.g. WordPress, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.) for sharing before the final submission.
The 3 blogs should be based on given case study, linking to scholar research are welcome but these should be your own précis with referenced quotes, and careful referencing should be adhered to throughout, along Harvard Referencing guidelines or hyperlinks in blogs to referenced websites.
Your blog should cohere around the themes/topics discussed in the lecturers. Detailed requirements are as below:
1 blog (600 words) on business analysis on given case study. You are required to indicate the digital transformation goal of the business, with SWOT or PESTLE analysis and a Business Process Model to demonstrate your understanding of their existing business (now) status.
1 blog (600 words) on discussion of the three options provided by business owner Peng. You should relate your discussion to horizon scan of fast food sector in the UK (e.g. customers/market, business/society drivers for sector change, key players/emerging techs in the sector etc.), undertaking gap analysis to understand the key challenges and benefits of each option to achieve their desired transformation goal.
1 blog (600 words) on your suggestions to the case study business on digital transformation option and process (e.g. roadmap), including consideration of proposed solution to potential challenges ahead, so that the proposed strategy can be effectively implemented. Include another Business Process Model in the blog to indicate what the business will look like after the transformation is completed. The arguments and statements in this session should be driven by your analysis and research in previous relevant blogs.
Case Study Brief: Digital Transformation of Fast Food in the UK
Peng started a Chinese takeaway in Newcastle 10 years ago. Like other traditional takeaways, he takes order face-to-face or by phone. Then his customers can collect the food themselves or ask the food to be delivered to their address if it is within 2 miles and the order is greater than £12.00.
The business expanded quickly in these 10 years and Peng opened another 7 takeaways in different regions of England, such as Northumberland, Devon and Durham. This ad hoc growth strategy has led to accelerating volume of required labour and sales. Accordingly, the traditional business model is difficult to manage and is not meeting enhanced customer expectations in this current digital age when completing against other fast food businesses who are working with giant food-delivery companies, like Deliveroo and UberEats.
As a result, Peng plans to transfer his business digitally by embedding digital technologies within the business model. He is thinking about three potential transformation methods:
Join a 3rd party platform (such as Just-Eat) to approach to the new markets online. In order to be a member of Just-Eat, the shop needs to sign a contract and pay 10% commission of each order to Just-eat. In return, Just-eat will put the shop menu into their website database and make it searchable to customers by postcode. Just-Eat will also provide a device to the shop so that the take-away can be noticed of any order placed through the website. The shop can accept or deny any order. Just-eat will refund money to the shop (after 10% commission) monthly or bi-weekly.
Build up digital presence (e.g. website or mobile app) to take orders and promote the shop to the new markets. As long as the order is place on the website or through mobile app, the shop counter will receive a message containing all order details on the shop Point of Sale system so that orders can be dealt with in the traditional way.
Implement ‘Virtual Counter’ system to reduce human resources required in each shop. According to Peng’s expectation, the Virtual Counter system should be designed to replace the physical counter in shops and serve as a ‘call centre’ to take orders by phone. The system includes database of each shop’s details and menu. Customers will place order by call a specific shop’s telephone number which will be dealt with Virtual Counter system. After receiving the order, the system will send the order to POS computer in the shop which will then print out the order in the kitchen automatically. The food is delivered and customers make the payment directly to the driver when they receive the food.
With all these ideas, Peng is struggled at choosing which method (or combined methods) to go ahead. He also needs advice on how to transfer this traditional business routine steadily and how to cope with challenges in the digital transformation process. As a result, he is looking for a digital specialist to develop a digital strategy consistent with its business strategy.
The blog should present your research, understanding and reflections on themes learned during teaching weeks, in the blogging style. So, engaging your audiences (e.g. ‘chatty’ tone, ‘call for action’ etc.), mixed-using multimedia elements (e.g. hyperlinks, pictures etc.), are all good techniques.
Introduction
Main body
Conclusion/summary
Reference
Your blog would be marked in terms of Presentation (communication, using of multi-media elements, 30%), and Contents (required tasks, knowledge, analysis, referencing and using evidence, 70%). Good academic conduct includes the use of clear and correct referencing of source materials. Here is a link to where you can find out more about the skills.
Task 2: Using of online Collaborative Technologies and Reflective Summary
Submit a 500-word reflective summary on both your 5 blog writing and online discussion forum experiences, accompanied by evidence support of your contribution to the online Discussion Forum throughout this module.
Focuses on BOTH Online Discussion & Blogging Practice during your module study;
You should use Gibbs’ Reflective Model as framework. (refer to “Reflect Writing.pptx” and the video “Introduction to Reflective Writing.mp4“)
Some evidence support (e.g. screenshot for your online participation) would be useful;
No reference is needed in the writing of Reflective Summary
The reflective report should include your detailed reflection on your online experience in this module . In this section you should reflect on the items as follows.
how blogging has impacted your own understanding of taught themes?
how this might impact your future practice as digital business professionals?
has your use of blogging and discussion forum given you ideas of how they might be used in learning and practice in the future?
Module Aims
1. to equip students with a theoretical, practical and systemic understanding of knowledge for the needs of organisations when strategically planning, re-engineering, and integrating Information Technology/ Systems (IT/S) in the context of Digital Transformation of Businesses
2. to provide a holistic knowledge of the critical role of current problems and /or new insights of IT/IS both at corporate and business level so students are ready to provide capability in, IT/IS, together with understanding of professional, ethical and legal issues for IT/IS implementation at functional and strategic levels of transforming businesses
3. to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable both in business and IS/IT alignment in the context of current research and emerging trends.
Last Completed Projects
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