Leading a Technology-Driven Organization

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Course Dates

STARTS ON

May 9, 2024

Course Duration

DURATION

6 weeks, online
4–6 hours

Course Fee

PROGRAM FEE

US$2,600 US$2,392 and get US$260 off with a referral

Course Information Flexible payment available
Course Fee

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program fee

US$2,600 US$2,392

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Guide your tech-driven organization through uncertainty toward profitability

Tech-driven organizations—those for which technology is a fundamental part of their operation—are known for their ability to move quickly and innovate. Unlike other sectors, those who lead tech-driven organizations also face unique challenges, from the characteristics of their workforce and culture to the uncertainty created by the technology itself, which they don’t typically own or have the ability to contain internally. As such, effectively leading a tech-driven organization requires an external focus in terms of how employees and teams operate.

As participant in this program, you’ll explore an outside-in approach to leadership that is particular to tech-driven companies, which encourages organizational leaders to think like a customer to meet the demands of the marketplace. Guided by a prestigious team of Wharton faculty and industry experts, you’ll learn to lead your tech-driven company through disruption, build an organizational culture capable of attracting and retaining top talent and find new opportunities through innovation.

Discover the essentials that a leader must bring to the table in a technology-driven organization across functions—and learn how to become that leader.

76%

of tech leaders named balancing business innovation and operational excellence as a major issue for 2022.

SOURCE: State of the CIO, 2022

84%

of CIOs see themselves more and more as changemakers who are leading business and technology initiatives.

SOURCE: State of the CIO, 2022

76%

of global business leaders believe that “technologically informed” leadership is driving business success today.

SOURCE: CEO Today

Key Takeaways

  • Identify the successful characteristics of leaders in a technology-driven organization
  • Learn to innovate strategically to find attractive opportunities and achieve organic growth
  • Drive your organization toward profitability by countering technological challenges and uncertainty with vigilance
  • Guide your organization through unavoidable technology disruptions and transformative advances
  • Learn how to assess the financial implications of adopting and implementing new technology
  • Create an effective organizational culture and hiring practices to attract and retain top talent
  • Lead your technology-driven organization as a team player

Who Is This Program For?

The program is designed for leaders in technology-driven organizations who are looking to create new opportunities and shape the future of their organizations and industries. It is ideal for:

  • C-suite/senior leaders who are new to the leadership role and seeking vigilant strategies to steer through turbulent times and towards growth, with people always at the center
  • Mid- to senior-level functional managers from any department looking to explore the 360° of leadership beyond their current functional expertise and develop the confidence to demonstrate their skills to lead
  • Management consultants in technology and IT who are aiming to provide their clients with tested frameworks of strategy formulation and leadership skills

Program Modules

Module 1: Leadership Challenges:

Analyze various leadership capabilities and how they help guide a tech-driven organization and its employees, including how technology leaders think strategically, choose decisively, and communicate persuasively.

  • Build a leadership checklist to identify mission-critical principles for tech leaders
  • Explore IBM’s acquisition of Red Hat, imagining yourself as IBM’s CEO and demonstrating how you would lead the integration

Module 2: Thinking Strategically:

Analyze the attributes that are necessary to think strategically as a leader in a technology-driven organization.

  • Evaluate unmet needs within your tech organization and identify fulfillment strategies to discover new opportunities
  • Identify the effective elements that made Steinway and Sons’ strategy successful and what strategic ideas you could glean for your tech-driven organization

Module 3: Profiting from Technology Turbulence and Uncertainty:

Explore examples of vigilant and vulnerable organizations and strategies that you can use to prepare your tech-driven organization for unexpected challenges and opportunities via this interview with guest speaker Professor Paul Schoemaker.

  • Reflect on a surprise experienced by your organization, subsequent resulting changes, and whether your organization could have prepared for it in hindsight
  • Consider the scenario planning process, how it can benefit your organization, and how to prepare for a scenario planning workshop

Module 4: Understanding Financial Realities:

Evaluate financial resources to assess a tech-driven organization’s value and performance and understand the resource prioritization and financial implications of adopting and implementing new technology.

  • Analyze the value of an organization based on profit, reinvestments, rate of return, and cost of capital
  • Discuss how an organization must show a positive Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) on technology acquisition as well as its long-term sustainability

Module 5: Accelerating Growth and Innovation:

Examine four key drivers that promote innovation within organizational leadership in this guest speaker interview with Professor George Day, and learn how you can enhance the innovation narrative to accelerate your tech-driven organization’s growth potential.

  • Examine the benefits of collective curiosity within an organization
  • Describe how innovation aligns with incentives and rewards in an organization

Module 6: People Are Paramount:

Examine the unique characteristics of tech workers and leadership approaches to building a workplace culture that supports innovation and teamwork in a technology-driven organization.

  • Describe how to create a culture that supports innovation within a technology-driven organization and how to track the progress of that innovation
  • Discuss the best practices that you believe will benefit you most in leading science and tech workers

Module 1: Leadership Challenges:

Analyze various leadership capabilities and how they help guide a tech-driven organization and its employees, including how technology leaders think strategically, choose decisively, and communicate persuasively.

  • Build a leadership checklist to identify mission-critical principles for tech leaders
  • Explore IBM’s acquisition of Red Hat, imagining yourself as IBM’s CEO and demonstrating how you would lead the integration

Module 4: Understanding Financial Realities:

Evaluate financial resources to assess a tech-driven organization’s value and performance and understand the resource prioritization and financial implications of adopting and implementing new technology.

  • Analyze the value of an organization based on profit, reinvestments, rate of return, and cost of capital
  • Discuss how an organization must show a positive Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) on technology acquisition as well as its long-term sustainability

Module 2: Thinking Strategically:

Analyze the attributes that are necessary to think strategically as a leader in a technology-driven organization.

  • Evaluate unmet needs within your tech organization and identify fulfillment strategies to discover new opportunities
  • Identify the effective elements that made Steinway and Sons’ strategy successful and what strategic ideas you could glean for your tech-driven organization

Module 5: Accelerating Growth and Innovation:

Examine four key drivers that promote innovation within organizational leadership in this guest speaker interview with Professor George Day, and learn how you can enhance the innovation narrative to accelerate your tech-driven organization’s growth potential.

  • Examine the benefits of collective curiosity within an organization
  • Describe how innovation aligns with incentives and rewards in an organization

Module 3: Profiting from Technology Turbulence and Uncertainty:

Explore examples of vigilant and vulnerable organizations and strategies that you can use to prepare your tech-driven organization for unexpected challenges and opportunities via this interview with guest speaker Professor Paul Schoemaker.

  • Reflect on a surprise experienced by your organization, subsequent resulting changes, and whether your organization could have prepared for it in hindsight
  • Consider the scenario planning process, how it can benefit your organization, and how to prepare for a scenario planning workshop

Module 6: People Are Paramount:

Examine the unique characteristics of tech workers and leadership approaches to building a workplace culture that supports innovation and teamwork in a technology-driven organization.

  • Describe how to create a culture that supports innovation within a technology-driven organization and how to track the progress of that innovation
  • Discuss the best practices that you believe will benefit you most in leading science and tech workers
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Program Experience

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Led by Wharton Experts

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Program Workbook

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Case Studies and Leadership Examples

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Live Office Hours

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Live Session with Faculty

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Interactive Survey

Industry Examples

This online program features real-world case studies and leadership examples to help you understand the essentials of leading a tech-driven organization.

Image of a scaled down shopping cart on a keyboard relating to the Amazon case study

Amazon

Understand Amazon’s “Working Backwards” process of creating a future press release at the beginning of the conceptual process that announces a new innovation as though it were ready to be launched.

Image of a piano relating to the Steinway & Sons study

Steinway & Sons

Examine the successful market strategy of Steinway & Sons, which has resulted in 98 percent of concert pianists worldwide using Steinways.

Image of light equipment relating to the Phillips and LED Lights case study

Phillips and LED Lights

Recognize how vigilant leaders are attuned and open to new technologies, even if only a small minority of individuals see the possibilities and make adjustments in the marketplace.

Image of medical equipments relating to the DuPont case study

DuPont

See how leaders (such as DuPont’s CEO) maintain vigilance by paying attention to anomalies and developing a portfolio of strategic options that allow them to win even amid crisis and uncertainty.

Image of chemical equipments relating to Henkel case study

Henkel

Examine how Henkel attempted to use technology to change and reformulate the supply chain.

Image of medicines relating to the Merck case study

Merck

Explore Merck’s pioneering efforts in pharmaceutical industry.

Image of executives discussing a business plan relating to ING's case study

ING

Analyze ING’s implementation of the agile project management approach.

Program Workbook

Use your program workbook to complete leadership activities within each module and reflect on your past, present, and future experiences. Sample activities include:

  • Share leadership experiences and positive/negative influence that leaders have on an organization
  • Answer questions from employees as a CEO
  • Share examples of successfully and unsuccessfully implemented strategies
  • Discuss problem-solving strategies that require significant risk or investment
  • Refer to Warren Buffett’s “toll bridge” analogy to assess the unmet needs of an organization that provide a strategic opportunity
  • Evaluate your organization's talent investment
  • Evaluate how organizations respond to failure (well-intentioned disappointments)

Faculty

Faculty Member George Day

George Day

Geoffrey T. Boisi Professor Emeritus

Emeritus Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He was previously the executive director of the Marketing Science Institute and the founder and co-director of the Mack Institute for Innovation Management... More info

Faculty Member Mike Useem

Mike Useem

William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management; Professor of Management; Director, Center for Leadership and Change Management; Editor, Wharton Leadership Digest

Michael Useem is faculty director of the Leadership Center and McNulty Leadership Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of several books, including The Leadership Moment, Leading Up, The Leader’s Checklist, and The Edge: How Ten CEOs Learned To Lead. More info

Faculty Member Sonia Marciano

Sonia Marciano

Clinical Professor, Stern School of Management

Sonia Marciano has been a clinical professor at the Stern School of Management since July 2007. She is currently the Stern academic director for TRIUM, a joint executive MBA program that includes Stern, LSE, and HEC. Professor Marciano teaches core strategy at Stern as well as advanced strategy and a consulting project-based course. More info

Faculty Member Paul Schoemaker

Paul Schoemaker

Author, Educator, Researcher and Entrepreneur

Paul Schoemaker, PhD, is an author, educator, researcher, and entrepreneur in strategic management, decision making, innovation, and leadership. He was among the first to combine the practical ideas of decision theory, behavioral economics, scenario planning, and risk analysis into a set of strategic tools and methods for managers. More info

Faculty Member David Wessels

David Wessels

Adjunct Professor of Finance; Director of Executive Education

David Wessels is an adjunct professor of finance and a director of Executive Education at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as the academic director for Wharton’s CFO program on strategic leadership. More info

Faculty Member Peter Cappelli

Peter Cappelli

George W. Taylor Professor of Management; Director of Wharton’s Center for Human Resources

Peter Cappelli is the George W. Taylor Professor of Management at the Wharton School, the director of Wharton’s Center for Human Resources, and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. More info

Certificate

Certificate

Upon successful completion of the program, you will earn a digital certificate of completion from the Wharton School.

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Note: After successful completion of the online program, your verified digital certificate will be emailed to you in the name you used when registering for the program. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of the Wharton School. This online certificate program does not grant academic credit or a degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

FAQs

  • How do I know if this program is right for me?

    After reviewing the information on the program landing page, we recommend you submit the short form above to gain access to the program brochure, which includes more in-depth information. If you still have questions on whether this program is a good fit for you, please email learner.success@emeritus.org, and a dedicated program advisor will follow-up with you very shortly.


    Are there any prerequisites for this program?

    Some programs do have prerequisites, particularly the more technical ones. This information will be noted on the program landing page, as well as in the program brochure. If you are uncertain about program prerequisites and your capabilities, please email us at the ID mentioned above.


    Note that, unless otherwise stated on the program web page, all programs are taught in English and proficiency in English is required.


    What is the typical class profile?

    More than 50 percent of our participants are from outside the United States. Class profiles vary from one cohort to the next, but, generally, our online certificates draw a highly diverse audience in terms of professional experience, industry, and geography — leading to a very rich peer learning and networking experience.


    What other dates will this program be offered in the future?

    Check back to this program web page or email us to inquire if future program dates or the timeline for future offerings have been confirmed yet.

  • How much time is required each week?

    Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page.


    How will my time be spent?

    We have designed this program to fit into your current working life as efficiently as possible. Time will be spent among a variety of activities including:



    • Engaging with recorded video lectures from faculty
    • Attending webinars and office hours, as per the specific program schedule
    • Reading or engaging with examples of core topics
    • Completing knowledge checks/quizzes and required activities
    • Engaging in moderated discussion groups with your peers
    • Completing your final project, if required

    The program is designed to be highly interactive while also allowing time for self-reflection and to demonstrate an understanding of the core topics through various active learning exercises. Please email us if you need further clarification on program activities.


    What is it like to learn online with the learning collaborator, Emeritus?

    More than 300,000 learners across 200 countries have chosen to advance their skills with Emeritus and its educational learning partners. In fact, 90 percent of the respondents of a recent survey across all our programs said that their learning outcomes were met or exceeded.

    All the contents of the course would be made available to students at the commencement of the course. However, to ensure the program delivers the desired learning outcomes the students may appoint Emeritus to manage the delivery of the program in a cohort-based manner the cost of which is already included in the overall course fee of the course.

    A dedicated program support team is available 24/5 (Monday to Friday) to answer questions about the learning platform, technical issues, or anything else that may affect your learning experience.


    How do I interact with other program participants?

    Peer learning adds substantially to the overall learning experience and is an important part of the program. You can connect and communicate with other participants through our learning platform.

  • What are the requirements to earn the certificate?

    Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week, so you can gauge what will be required before you enroll. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page. All programs are designed to fit into your working life.

    This program is scored as a pass or no-pass; participants must complete the required activities to pass and obtain the certificate of completion. Some programs include a final project submission or other assignments to obtain passing status. This information will be noted in the program brochure. Please email us if you need further clarification on any specific program requirements.


    What type of certificate will I receive?

    Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a smart digital certificate. The smart digital certificate can be shared with friends, family, schools, or potential employers. You can use it on your cover letter, resume, and/or display it on your LinkedIn profile.
    The digital certificate will be sent approximately two weeks after the program, once grading is complete.


    Can I get the hard copy of the certificate?

    No, only verified digital certificates will be issued upon successful completion. This allows you to share your credentials on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.


    Do I receive alumni status after completing this program?

    No, there is no alumni status granted for this program. In some cases, there are credits that count toward a higher level of certification. This information will be clearly noted in the program brochure.


    How long will I have access to the learning materials?

    You will have access to the online learning platform and all the videos and program materials for 12 months following the program start date. Access to the learning platform is restricted to registered participants per the terms of agreement.

  • What equipment or technical requirements are there for this program?

    Participants will need the latest version of their preferred browser to access the learning platform. In addition, Microsoft Office and a PDF viewer are required to access documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF files, and transcripts.


    Do I need to be online to access the program content?

    Yes, the learning platform is accessed via the internet, and video content is not available for download. However, you can download files of video transcripts, assignment templates, readings, etc. For maximum flexibility, you can access program content from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device.

    Video lectures must be streamed via the internet, and any livestream webinars and office hours will require an internet connection. However, these sessions are always recorded, so you may view them later.

  • Can I still register if the registration deadline has passed?

    Yes, you can register up until seven days past the published start date of the program without missing any of the core program material or learnings.


    What is the program fee, and what forms of payment do you accept?

    The program fee is noted at the top of this program web page and usually referenced in the program brochure as well.

    • Flexible payment options are available (see details below as well as at the top of this program web page next to FEE).
    • Tuition assistance is available for participants who qualify. Please email learner.success@emeritus.org.

    What if I don’t have a credit card? Is there another method of payment accepted?

    Yes, you can do the bank remittance in the program currency via wire transfer or debit card. Please contact your program advisor, or email us for details.


    I was not able to use the discount code provided. Can you help?

    Yes! Please email us with the details of the program you are interested in, and we will assist you.


    How can I obtain an invoice for payment?

    Please email us your invoicing requirements and the specific program you’re interested in enrolling in.


    Is there an option to make flexible payments for this program?

    Yes, the flexible payment option allows a participant to pay the program fee in installments. This option is made available on the payment page and should be selected before submitting the payment.


    How can I obtain a W9 form?

    Please connect with us via email for assistance.


    Who will be collecting the payment for the program?

    Emeritus collects all program payments, provides learner enrollment and program support, and manages learning platform services.

  • What is the program refund and deferral policy?

    For the program refund and deferral policy, please click the link here.

Didn't find what you were looking for? Write to us at learner.success@emeritus.org or Schedule a call with one of our Academic Advisors or call us at +1 680 205 5118 (US) / +44 185 845 9995 (UK) / +65 3135 1422 (SG)

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