Emerging digital technologies are playing a major role in improving business efficiency and the quality of firms' offering. Organizations collect, store and manage massive amounts of data from the installed base of physical products and from users accessing their services, having to deal with the security risks and threats that digital technologies inevitably bring to the table. Undoubtedly, the digital transformation is exposing an increasing number of industries to new fragilities and risks, and requires the development of new competencies in the fields of IT governance and the development of advanced technological solutions related to cybersecurity. Emerging technological solutions in cybersecurity have a key role in protecting organizations internally (access control systems, internal monitoring, support to decision-making processes) and in their interaction with the external environment (secure communication networks and protocols, cryptography, solutions for data protection and privacy compliance, authentication systems). Such technological solutions are based on system architectures with core technological standards and hardware and software components subject to high rate of technical advancement and a continuous change in offerings. These conditions of high technological turbulence determine the continuous entry of new players and discontinuities in the technological landscape. From the demand side, turbulence also determines difficulties in the process of technology diffusion and on firms’ decision-making about technology adoption. Based on this vision, and in line with the evolutionary theory if the firm, the course has the objective of providing students with an academically-grounded and managerially-oriented understanding of processes and dynamics related to technology management, innovation and governance of information systems in the field of cybersecurity. The first part of the course will be dedicated to a discussion of the main concepts underlying such processes and dynamics (internal and external to the firm), which will be followed by an in-depth discussion of the processes of management of information systems, with an emphasis on strategic planning and decision-making processes in the adoption of emerging cybersecurity technological solutions, or the development of internal innovative solutions. Lectures will be accompanied by practical case studies as examples of specific contexts where such decisions are taken, aiming at helping students understand the application of concepts to management practice. Students will be organized in groups and required to carry out a project work aimed at studying real-life cases and at outlining potential technology management practices and their strategic and operational impact.

At the end of the course, students will have acquired a basic competence in analyzing and managing business decisions related to information systems and cybersecurity in both strategic and operational terms. Specifically, students will understand how management decisions concerning information systems and cybersecurity can fit within the firm’s corporate and innovation strategy and will be able to analyze and orient business decisions related to such technologies. Moreover, the thorough discussion provided on strategic planning and decision making will enable them to understand which specific approaches are more suitable to develop or acquire the resources and competencies needed.

For an easier acquisition of the course content, it might be useful for students to know the fundamental of Economics and Business Organizations, as well as the basics of Business strategy.

The course will comprise both theoretical and practical lessons in English and will be composed of two main sections: Section I –Technology and Innovation Management - Fundamentals of the theory of the firm - Fundamentals of the economics of innovation: the linear model of innovation, the actors involved in the innovation process, technological trajectories and paradigms, taxonomies of innovation and their impact on industries - Dynamics of innovation: technology cycles, dominant designs and standards - Innovation strategy and Open Innovation Section II – Management of information systems - From information technologies to information systems: the role of general/functional managers - Decision making processes in cybersecurity (Make or buy & business cases) - Strategic and financial planning - Creating information systems Section III – Technological solutions for cybersecurity The second part of the course, running in parallel with the first part, will consist of a set of lectures, talks and laboratory activities focusing on specific technological domains that will be vertically aligned with the theoretical concepts and management implications described in the main part, with the aim of linking students’ technological skills to managerial practices.

The course will consist of interactive lectures, with extensive use of examples, case studies and integrative reading materials. Company testimonials may be invited as part of the course for practical lessons based on real-life cases. Moreover, students will be required to carry out a group-based project work aiming at examining practical cases and outlining the economic relevance of cybersecurity technological solutions.

Shilling, M. Strategic Management of Technological Innovation McGraw-Hill Education Piccoli, G., Pigni F. 2019. Information systems for managers with cases. 4.0 Edition. Wiley Presentations and other reading materials will be uploaded during the course

Slides; Libro di testo;

Modalità di esame: Prova orale facoltativa; Elaborato progettuale in gruppo; Prova scritta in aula tramite PC con l'utilizzo della piattaforma di ateneo;

Exam: Optional oral exam; Group project; Computer-based written test in class using POLITO platform;

... Written test The written test will evaluate the degree to which students have learned and understood theoretical concepts. It will be based on a mixture of closed questions, open questions and a short commentary to a test. The written exam will lead to a score of 20/30 Group project work The group-based project work will allow to evaluate the degree to which students are able to apply theoretical concepts in practice. It will lead to a score of 10/30, based on the following evaluation dimensions: theoretical soundness, internal coherence, business acumen, presentation quality.

Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.