Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is a broad term used to describe the technologies used in managing and processing information. Utilisation of such technologies can increase productivity and promote innovation. This bridging module provides a broad introduction to issues relating to information and communication technologies that are being deployed in modern organisations. It includes underlying principles, concepts, technologies and architectures that enable computer systems to store, process, retrieve, transmit, and protect information. Apart from knowledge on ICT, individuals working in organizations in the twenty-first century have a greater need than ever for effective management skills. Fierce global competition is expected to continue its acceleration and it is these skills that will help to differentiate organizations. Gaining a competitive advantage will be more critical to survival and success. The bridging unit also presents the dynamics of the workplace and key principles underlying the everyday functioning of organizations covering the areas of management, marketing, and organizational behaviour.

In the era of technology acceleration, modern enterprises cannot afford to ignore the value of cutting-edge digital technologies such as enterprise information systems, cloud computing, big data, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence. Rather, they must employ effective and agile management of advanced digital systems and technologies in order to improve their business results and build sustainable advantages that could set them apart from their competitors. Modern technology management entails a holistic view of information systems, which considers technological, organizational and management aspects at the same time. In this context, the module aims at providing students with the knowledge and skills needed for using state of the art digital technologies to maximize their productivity, optimize their business processes, improve their managerial decision making and ultimately boost their business results.
Specifically, the module presents:
The principles of modern strategic management and their alignment with technology acceleration trends and the fourth industrial revolution.
Strategic marketing concepts and how they can be supported by modern marketing information systems, including state of the art Customer Relationship Systems (CRM).
The main concepts and processes that underpin the digital transformation of modern industrial organizations, including their technological, managerial and organizational aspects.
The various information systems that are nowadays available to support different functional areas (e.g., finance, accounting, marketing, sales, production, manufacturing, supply chain operations, human resources) and business processes of an enterprise.
The need for integrated enterprise systems and processes, as well as how such processes can be supported by modern digital technologies and information systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) projects.
Big data management and data analytics tools that enable enterprises to manage large volumes of enterprise data from different sources, while at the same time analyzing these data to extract valuable business insights.
The importance of managing supply chain interactions in a digital fashion, including the business benefits of supply chain management systems and how to quantify them.
Tools and techniques for managing ethical issues in a digital firm.

In today’s dynamic and continuously changing business environment, entrepreneurship is an essential and indispensable element in the success of organisations – whether small or large, new or long-established and mature. Entrepreneurship is the process whereby an individual or group of individuals whether independently or a part of an established organisation pursue opportunities to create value (economic & social) and grow by fulfilling needs or solving problems through innovation. Innovation is both a survival and a growth imperative. However, in order for innovation to be successful it requires an organised and systematic but also a flexible and adaptive framework. Both individual entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial organisations need to possess or acquire the skills, resource mix, structures, systems and processes that are appropriate for the opportunities they seek to exploit through innovation. A significant part of this involves promptly identifying emerging trends and disruptions and/or identifying latent customer needs. This necessitates breaking away from the ‘blinders of dominant logic’ which can stifle openness and receptivity to new ideas, practices and business models. Innovative organisations and entrepreneurs recognise this barrier and find ways to overcome it.

Most recent innovations in information technology can be traced back to a project: the behind-the-scenes work that, when correctly managed, results in a new system, a new technology, or a new product in the marketplace. This module presents a sound framework in IT project management including issues such as project estimation, risk analysis, budgeting, scheduling, monitoring, evaluating as well as the important role of the human factor. Within the framework, the module examines the methodologies and tools necessary for each aspect of the process supported by meaningful examples of real projects, building in this manner a sound project management foundation for tomorrow’s IT innovators and managers.

Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over a long term, which achieves advantage for the organization, through its configuration of resources within a changing environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfill stakeholder expectations. Strategic Management can be conceived of in terms of Strategic Analysis and Strategy development. Strategic Management is distinguished from day to day operational management by the complexity of influences on decisions, the fundamental organizational-wide implications that strategic decisions have for the organization and their long-term implications.

Globalization is one of the main trends that shape our era. Modern enterprises need to operate in a global context, i.e., operate virtually without geographical boundaries, if they are to remain viable. Management of enterprise operations has certainly been affected and tuned to meet the new challenges posed by globalization. Advancements in technology have played a central role in supporting global operations of enterprises, including market identification, marketing, e-commerce, e-business, electronic transactions, decision support and so on.

This module gives an overview of the context in which global enterprises operate, the challenges that they face, approaches to operations management and operations of global supply chains, technologies that are employed to meet the new challenges, e-commerce and e-business models, mobile commerce, and the role of social media in the global environment.

This module examines a wide range of research methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative, with reference to their philosophical base and practical application in management. Moreover, it familiarises students with the development and the composition of a research proposal, the identification of the proper research methodology with regards to research idea, and advances students’ research and analytical skills.

New ways of using the Internet continue to emerge and its use is constantly increasing. More and more people are looking for information, products and services online so it only makes sense for the Internet to be used as an important marketing tool. This potential for e-business emerged in a dynamic way in the 1990s and since then it still has a strong influence on marketing and communication tools. The new technologies and especially the Internet formed a new value creation which has become the basis for competitive strategy. Understandably, we have entered the digital era, where suppliers, distributors, providers and customers are using the web as the main platform for communication and transactions. This module is designed to help students understand and shape innovations in e-business and digital marketing brought by the internet-based tools, mobile and multimedia technologies.

More than ever before, new products and services have become an absolute necessity for every company. Developing and launching new products and services successfully can result in growth and provide – in many cases – a competitive advantage which will lead the company ahead of its competition. Given that a significant number of new products will fail – many of them will not even reach into the market – understanding in depth and being able to apply the theoretical framework of developing products and services, becomes a critical competence for all marketer or managers.
The module presents the theory and the practice of developing and launching new products and services. Particular emphasis will be given on the planning of a new product/service from the idea generation stage to the launch stage. Fundamental concepts will be analyzed and real life cases will be discussed thoroughly in an attempt to link research findings and theories with application. Students will be exposed to in the strategic approaches of developing products, the identification of the various opportunities, the concept generation alternatives, as well as to testing, development, launching and all other aspects of introducing new products to the market place. To sum up, the module provides a theoretical and practical framework for developing consumer and industrial products as well as services from a managerial perspective.

In a rapidly changing world, the path towards innovation demands efficient storage/retrieval and exploitation of a “new” business asset, knowledge that aims to increase the performance of classic enterprise systems and facilitate quality decision-making. The module provides an introduction to knowledge technologies, with emphasis in methods, applications as well as commercial products. It offers an overview of knowledge and reasoning-based systems together with a series of case studies to clearly demonstrate their applicability and potential for innovation. Smart agents and robotics, ontologies and the semantic web services, all important research areas with potentially a large amount of business applications are discussed. The module presents important automated decision-making areas, i.e., machine learning and data mining, planning and scheduling, whose application can significantly increase the efficiency of existing processes in the enterprise. Finally, the module concludes with a good number of applications that stand at the frontiers of innovative smart business management products.

The introduction of technology, increasing needs of society and the growth of global organisations trading in goods, knowledge and innovation has increased the need for, and frequency of, change. Change is critical because it is fundamental to the long-term survival and competitiveness of an organisation and it is complex because of the human resource and cultural barriers that must be overcome if the change process is to be successful. Although the majority of people are resistant to change, more and more are finding themselves
affected by it and having to come to terms with the issues and benefits it brings. Effective change management cannot, therefore, be underestimated and its implementation needs considerable thought and commitment. Strategic change management can be viewed from two perspectives – from those implementing the change and from the recipients of change – and it is one of the most critical and complex processes that a manager must enhance, facilitate and implement. Therefore, this module deepens the student’s understanding of the concepts and processes which underpin strategic change in organisations as well as of the problems facing organisations in attempting to achieve strategic change. A special emphasis is given to the analysis of organizational changes caused by technology and innovation.