Course content

The course offers knowledge concerning the interaction between four central themes of strategic management and development of businesses and public organizations that are dependent on digitalization of production and supply chains.

The four themes are:

Cyber security and artificial intelligence. This theme deals with ways of thinking on security and cybertechnological activity in organizations, and the purpose of integrating such thinking in the strategic management of organizations. Problems concerning control of the organization’s boundaries are discussed as well as threats and destructive consequences of cyber activity, such as cybercrime, cyberterrorism, sabotage, and cyber crises.

Strategy development: This theme deals with the organization´s strategic direction in relation to security issues. Of particular importance is the relationship between the top management and other leader´s and professionals in the development of the organization. Furthermore, emphasis is put on how conflict in the execution of different leadership practices in hierarchical organizations can constrain or enable strategic organizational development in relation to cyber security and artificial intelligence technologies.

Change processes: This theme deals with development, adjustments, and innovation in the context of organizational cyber security, and how leaders and co-workers can work with such processes. Also, problems that are usually emerging in change work and re-organizations are addressed.

Organizational insight: This theme deals with human behavior in organizations, and how different cultures are created and work together. Emphasis is put on organizing and development of relations between groups and individuals who are designated to cooperate to create changes in practice.

Other themes raised in the course: strategic security cooperation between different organizations, organizational problems in digitalization projects, collapse in organizations during cyber crises, and strategy thinking and complexity.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The student acquires:

• Cross disciplinary knowledge about cyber security and AI-technologies as strategic security themes in the development of organizations
• Understanding of new theories on complexity, strategic management, and change processes in organizations.
• Knowledge about leadership in strategy and development work in relation to cybersecurity and AI- technologies.
• Insight into threats and security consequences of cyber activity and AI-technologies in Norway, including cybercrime, cyberterrorism, sabotage, and cybercrises.

Skills

The student can:

• Apply knowledge from the course on relevant issues in organizations.
• Contribute to strategy work with knowledge from the course.
• Reflect on own practice based on knowledge from the course.
• Integrate theory and practical issues from the course.
• Analyse professional and ethical issues concerning cyber security and AI-technologies in strategic development work.

General competence

The student can:

• Communicate own work and master the language within the course subjects.
• Communicate to other professionals and leaders on the issues, analysis, and conclusions of the course with implications for strategic organizing and management.
• Participate in strategic discussion with updated knowledge and arguments about cyber technologies and security as strategic challenges for the development of digitalized organizations.
• Communicate academically solid and critical arguments in discussions about dilemmas with cyber and AI-technologies and the human environments in organizations.

Learning methods and activities

The course includes full day physical gatherings, online sessions, self-study, and a final assignment. Students are encouraged to do the assignment on issues in their own organization focusing on strategic leadership challenges related to cyber security and AI-technologies.

NTNUs digital Learning Platform will be used.

The full course is conducted within 14 weeks. The total workload is approx. 180 hours. Half of the work is estimated to studies and discussions of recommended course literature, physical gatherings and online discussions, and half to planning, discussion, and working on the mandatory assignment.

Teaching is carried out in two gatherings with physical participation autumn 2024. The first is at NTNU in Trondheim and the second at NTNU´s location in Oslo.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge or practical experience from work with one or more of the four areas that are central to the course, see course content.

Required previous knowledge

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience.
• Working experience must be documented from employer, and describe the type of work, full time or part time position, and duration of position.
• If the candidate does not have a bachelor’s degree or similar approved education with a minimum of 180 credits, actual competence can be considered as basis for admission.

Course materials

To be announced at the beginning of the term.