The digital economy and the convergence of new technologies have rendered many traditional business models obsolete, creating opportunities not only for new products and services but also for entirely new industries. In the internet age, firms must understand business as part of larger social and natural ecosystems, and it is important for organisations to create value for diverse types of stakeholders. How a business operates will determine its success or failure, and both social licence and the ability to respond to client needs and expectations are as important as financial and economic factors. Operating models must evolve quickly in response to rapidly changing customer behaviours, emerging technologies, and societal demands.

In this unit, students will develop skills in operating model design and create Target Operating Models for case study organisations. The focus will be on identifying services that deliver value to clients and the operating models that allow the business to provide those services. How, and how effectively, businesses transform their operating models will determine their place in the digital ecosystems of the future.