Peer Review

Managing the Digital Enterprise

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: May 10, 2003 by Business

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: "Managing the Digital Enterprise" is designed to guide managers through
challenges faced in the digital realm. This site includes 15 modules, 30 case
studies, 100 web pages, and over 1,000 links to outside readings. The materials
are robust and comprehensive. An instructor will not be able to use the site
as his/her course but there is ample material around which an instructor can
shape his/her own course. The site also provides good structure for the course
as well as supporting materials.
Type of Material:: The site is divided into fifteen "modules" that cover topics in the following
sequence:
1. Introduction
2. Navigating the Web
3. Digital Design
4. Web Metrics
5. Business Models
6. Digital Markets
7. Inelligent Agents
8. Auctions & Dynamic Pricing
9. Channel Conflict
10. Trust in Cyberspace
11. Security & Encryption
12. Internet Privacy
13. Intellectual Property
14. Internet Governance
15. Web Ethics
Recommended Uses:: This material is designed for self-study whereby "the web is used to study the
web." Traditional structures found in powerpoint slides are not found within
this site. Rather, course modules are designed to generate discussion and
foster dialog without classroom meetings. The 15 modules can be used especially
well in distant learning environments.
Technical Requirements:: This site, containing text, audio, and video, is made available to the public as
an open courseware resource and can be adopted by other instructors to teach
courses of their own. Browser and plug-ins for streaming video (Real Player
and/or QuickTime) are needed for guest lectures
Identify Major Learning Goals:: This site covers such topics as:

- how to design virtual spaces that rival physical spaces in terms of ease of
use;
- how to measure the performance and effectiveness of the digital enterprise;
- how the digital enterprise can alter or extend an organization's business
model;
- how markets change as more consumers migrate online;
- how the automation of digital processes can change market dynamics;
- how trust can be fostered in computer-mediated intereaction;
- how to securely manage the digital enterprise; and
- how to protect digital intellectual property.
Target Student Population:: The author originally developed this site to be used in conjunction with a
graduate course he teaches. Graduate students are the primary target audience
for such a site, but motivated undergraduate students can be engaged as well.
The site can accommodate beginner students to experts.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Students should have knowledge of business core topics or be able to "ramp
up"
to those levels of business core concepts quickly.Graduate students from
different areas will be able to utilize this material, they will be able to make
off-site readings (provided by links from the course page). Undergraduate
students should not be expected to seek additional outside readings,
undergraduates in MIS (IS students in the business school) would have the
prerequisite knowledge.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: With over 100 web pages and over 1000 external links to openly available
resources on the Internet this site certainly does not lack content.
Additionally, the content is extremely comprehensive and covers introductory
basics as well as more advanced concepts. Instructors who have taught
e-commerce courses will be pleased with the timeliness of articles for reading
and the guest lectures.
Concerns:: The instructor using the materials will need to evaluate which materials will
best suit his/her own class.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: The 15 modules contain a variety of tools to aid in student learning. Some of
the major tools include the following:

1.) Readings (listed in order of importance),

2.) Review Exercises (multiple choice questions from the readings),

3.) Case Studies,

4.) Videotaped Guest Lectures by Industry Leaders,

5.) Student-led Expert Interviews of Academics and Industry Leaders,

6.) Links to Advanced Readings for "hungry minds",

7.) Radio Broadcasts of Current Topics, and
8.) Questions to Ponder in the online discussion forum.

This website is absolutely amazing in terms of content.
Concerns:: Few instructors will be able to assemble the scope of materials much less
provide them in such a comprehensive and coherent manner

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: A major strength of this web site is the consistent structure for all 15
modules. Each module includes a description of the topic, a summary of
associated issues at hand, and sub-sections with links to a variety of
educational resources. Another strength is that each module is updated on a
continuous basis with new resources added and out-dated materials removed.
Faculty and students can count on finding up-do-date information on each module.

This is a professional site of quality higher than most instructors have the
time or resources to create.
Concerns:: None.

Other Issues and Comments:: Faculty who wish to use "Managing the Digital Enterprise" are encouraged to take
note of the information located at:
http://digitalenterprise.org/instructor_note.html prior to use.
Creative Commons: