Digitalization at WHU –

Available within the General Studies module, WHU has launched a cooperation with coding school Le Wagon. These online courses are targeted at UX and UI Design, web development, programming, and APIs. WHU students also have the option to participate in the Le Wagon coding bootcamp which can be recognized as an internship as part of their WHU studies.

Delivering insights into the main aspects of web development, students learn the basics in various technologies widely used in web programming such as HTML, CSS, MySQL database, PHP, and JavaScript. Students are able to then apply this knowledge, practice their programming skills, and finally build a functional website for a fictitious start-up company, as a basis for future leadership decisions.

Integrated into General Studies and organized by WHU student initiative Business Meets Tech, 'Applied Data Thinking' is taught by data expects aiming to train participants how to discover data driven questions, uncover large amounts of data, and how to use data inputs best. Students solve real-life business challenges in teams using concepts learnt in class that enable them to solve problems in the wider business world.

'Applied Digital Product Development' is integrated into the General Studies module and organized by Business Meets Tech, a student initiative at the WHU. Taught by industry professionals, the aim of this course is to communicate the concepts of Design Thinking and Lean Startup. The course presents the participants with a broad challenge that they have to solve using concepts learned in class and pitch it at the end of the course. Specific methods of user exploration, ideation, prototyping, iteration and pitching are focused upon.

Providing an initial introduction to Blockchain Technology, students have the opportunity to develop an intuition for what sets this new technology apart and the applicability for real-world usage. Students are also introduced to cryptocurrencies and smart contracts, as well as the Solidity programming language, while creating and launching their own cryptocurrencies and smart contracts. The course itself is split into lectures and labs, approaching the overarching concepts alongside practical methods.

This tutorial is structured to act as a thorough introduction to programming in Python. It teaches the concepts behind and the syntax of the 'core' Python language as defined by the Python Software Foundation in the official language reference. The course is taught in a tutorial style with dives into theoretical concepts where applicable. The main goal is to prepare students for further studies in the young field of data science such as courses on data engineering, data visualization, machine learning, and optimization. All materials for the course are available for free and as open source at Github.com.

Aiming to identify the core topics involved in the effective management of digital marketing, the course provides a framework, provides analytic tools to manage customer experience, fosters an understanding of relevant economic principles, outlines changes in business models, and finally discusses possible processes of digital transformation.

Through a partnership with leading coding school Le Wagon, WHU sponsors ten selected students to attend Le Wagon’s renowned nine-week bootcamp program. Fitting seamlessly into the Master in Entrepreneurship Program, participants learn about software engineering, database architecture, technical workflow used in start-ups, and gain experience with developer tools.

An elective created specifically to address the need for software development and coding skills vital to the entrepreneurs of the future. With a special partnership with leading coding bootcamp Codecademy, Master in Entrepreneurship students have the opportunity to take Le Wagon courses in addition to WHU lectures, allowing them to learn the programming languages and IT skills that meet the needs of today’s entrepreneurs and managers.

Focusing on applications in different business areas including procurements, production, and distribution. The elective introduces core technologies in the context of IoT and Cloud computing, explores distribution logistics, complex resource planning, and the functioning philosophy of approximation algorithms.

The course addresses how a digital strategy in firms should not treat technology as a separate component of IT or marketing operations, but how it can actually reshape the company’s relationships with customers, employees, and with the market as a whole. Questions that are addressed include: (i) How to identify valuable digital technology opportunities? (ii) What is the role of internal and external strategies in implementing digital transformation? (iii) How can I create and appropriate value from digital transformation?

The course addresses how a digital strategy in firms should not treat technology as a separate component of IT or marketing operations, but how it can actually reshape the company’s relationships with customers, employees, and with the market as a whole. How can I identify valuable digital technology opportunities? What is the role of internal and external strategies in implementing digital transformation? How can I create and appropriate value from digital transformation? 

Led by experts and coaches in the respective areas from etventure, a company founded in 2010 with offices all over the world including Berlin, London, Paris, and New York, and with over 200 entrepreneurs and digital experts as part of their team. Etventure identifies means of innovative new business models and positions itself as a leader in the execution of digital transformation. Within the scope of the one-day workshop the topics of digitization strategies, execution approaches and best practices are addressed. The course equips the participants in innovative methodologies and tools and shows the necessity to constantly innovate and adapt to changing business environments.

In order to seek a competitive advantage in business, managers should develop an understanding of the potential that can be found in large amounts of data, using techniques such as Data Mining and Machine Learning. The aim of this course is to provide a technical background for data handling, cleaning, and preparation, using Machine Learning algorithms to assess managerial applicability. The theoretical content is complemented by hands-on activities for processing and analyzing real-time data from social networks and other databases.

As the rise of digital technologies increases, so does the need for transformation within different industries. While this does offer challenges for companies, it also opens up opportunities to innovate in terms of new products, processes, and business models. This module addresses three key perspectives: strategic, organizational, and innovation. Participants receive advanced knowledge related to these issues and use novel tools and methodologies to execute assignments on how to successfully innovate for digital transformation.

Led by an expert with more than 20 years of experience in management consulting as well as a founder of various successful start-ups, Mr. Hosseini has been advising companies since 2013 on digital issues. The workshop addresses and analyses platform economy as a new market mechanism over the course of two days, examines experiences and pitfalls, approaches to building a platform economy business, along with insights and expert knowledge throughout.

For senior managers to have trust in their analytics team to reveal solutions that encompass a competitive edge, this is encouraged by first-hand experience with analytical tools and the decisions based on the results. As it becomes more imperative to understand what tools are available to gather data, to aggregate and use it to its full potential, equally important is it to understand the legal implications of collecting data for businesses.

After completion of this course, students will have a basic understanding of confidence intervals and hypothesis tests. They will be able to compute such intervals and p-values for tests on a single mean or proportion and interpret multiple linear regression equations and use them for forecasting.

An optional course taught in Toronto as part of the EMBA global electives, students have the opportunity to define the skills and competencies needed to succeed in a rapidly changing working environment characterized by digital disruption. The course explores the organizational transformation needed to take advantage of new digital opportunities, neutralize digital threats, and how to apply digital leadership skills to drive a successful strategy within organizations. 

A program consisting of two modules, the CIO Leadership Program provides a platform for senior professionals to lead transformation in a digital and global environment, enhance an entrepreneurial mindset, and broaden a profession network.  With one module held in Düsseldorf and the other abroad in India, China, the U.S. or Israel, the program takes senior executives in IT and digitalization, and works to enhance current capabilities in order to transform organizations for a digital, globalized economy.  In partnership with WHU, IDG Business Media GmbH, and DXC Technology, executives participate in sessions at large online marketing companies such as Facebook, Google, Salesforce, Citi Ventures, Samsung Ventures, and German Chamber of Commerce.

Focusing on the use of Digitalization techniques, ‘nudging’ is the influence of decision-making in favor of a desired societal outcome. Using a concept and analysis, the course focuses on the use of digital tools and technologies to gain insights, and the methods in how one can determine the behavior of people in a predictable way.

This program equips participants with insights, skills, and tools to generate game changing innovations and create an innovation powerhouse.   During the program, participants will experience learning in different formats: lectures, group work, case studies, and simulations.  Renowned WHU faculty members will share the latest research results and practical tools and encourage participants to exchange experiences and ideas with peers. Participants will gain extensive insights into using emerging technologies for innovation and will learn how to master operational excellence for innovation.

The seminar provides an in-depth understanding of the nature of management accounting as well as the counterpart role in the finance function, i.e. the role of controllers, financial directors, and chief financial officers. In a second step, the impact of digitalization is discussed.

Every paper is presented by a “seller”, i.e. a person who does not present the paper in detail, but that sets the hook, tries to sell the contribution and relates it to other literature (approx. 10 minutes). The presenter is then followed by one or two particpants who act as “challengers”, i.e. persons who try to find the weaknesses of a paper and bring forward open questions (approx. 10-20 minutes). Those talks are followed by a Q&A and a hopefully intensive discussion between all doctoral students and faculty.