In order to demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired during her tenure in the Arts Administration graduate program, the consultant works four hundred and eighty hours as a Social Media and PR intern at Bond Public Relations and Brand Strategy in New Orleans, Louisiana. The following body of work is a consultant’s report written from the perspective of a professional Arts Administrator, and includes the following items: host company profile; description of internship activities; consultant’s contributions and gains; summation of company and industry best practices; host company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats – both internal and external; and the consultant’s recommendations for improvement.

This study examines how digitalization changes the value proposition and the business model within the forest industry from the perspective of the forest owners and how this changes the experienced customer value. Previous studies have focused on how digitalization creates value for the company, and this study contributes to research by giving insights in how the customers perceive a digitalization and is useful in the design of the value proposition and the business model.  The Swedish forest industry is highly competitive and the companies have to compete for the wood and forest service jobs, which puts pressure on the wood buyers to offer the best solutions and the best customer experience to be able to compete for the wood. According to a study about digital Customer Experience Management (CEM) maturity, the forest industry is far behind other industries such as finance and retail. The low maturity is due to skepticism and the lack of urgency. However, this is starting to change as some forest companies in Sweden are starting to formulate digital strategies and form dedicated units for digital innovation in order to differentiate their offering and strengthen competitiveness.     The problem is that many forest companies do not know how to handle the forest owners, as they are a heterogeneous group with differences in age, internet usage, computer knowledge and customer needs. Another problem is that there is an expressed concern that a digitalization would diminish the personal relationship between the forest owner and the wood buyer, which denotes a fundamental part of the experienced customer value. Former studies show that the key to successful digitalization is to understand what the customers want and what creates the best customer experience. With the base in these problems, this study aims to create understanding for what value the customers experience in digitalization, and how the forest companies can adapt to this. The purpose of this study is to “describe and analyze how the value proposition changes from a customer perspective when the forest business is digitalized”. To answer this a case study has been conducted on the company Holmen Skog in which the experienced customer value has been compared before and after a digitalization using the value proposition and the business model. Customer value is defined as the balance between the perceived benefits and sacrifices and the results show that the forest owners foremost perceive that a digitalization increase the functional and emotional benefits while the sacrifices considering psychological costs and personal investment decrease. The areas where customer value potentially can decrease due to a digitalization are decreased social benefits when the digital transactions exchanges the personal relationship and increased sacrifices in the shape of increased risks, foremost for customers with a low digital maturity. The forest owners are mainly positive to a digitalization, but since there are areas where the customer value potentially could decrease, it is not possible to design a complete value proposition only from customer surveys. The forest companies should rather work agile and stepwise implement small digital changes, performing pilot studies before introduction. Initially the forest companies should focus on digital tools and to inquiry quotes and counselling through digital channels, as the customers perceive the highest value in these digital changes. Furthermore, the forest companies should facilitate and rationalize the work of the wood buyers by giving them an integrated and mobile tool that collects CRM-system, quote tools, and wood measuring tools, both for streamlining and for customer value. / Den här studien undersöker hur digitalisering förändrar värdeerbjudandet och affärsmodellen inom skogsbranschen utifrån skogsägarnas perspektiv och hur detta förändrar det upplevda kundvärdet. Tidigare studier har fokuserat på vilket värde en digitalisering skapar för företaget, och denna studie bidrar genom att ge insikter i kundernas syn på en digitalisering och hur detta kan användas för att utforma värdeerbjudandet och affärsmodellen. Skogsbranschen präglas av en hög konkurrens om skogsägarnas virke och skogliga tjänsteuppdrag vilket sätter press på de virkesköpande aktörerna att erbjuda de bästa lösningarna och den bästa kundupplevelsen för att kunna konkurrera om skogsråvaran. Enligt en undersökning kring digital Customer Experience Management (CEM) mognad ligger skogsbranschen efter andra branschen som finans- och detaljhandelsbranschen. Den låga mognaden förklaras bero på skepticism och avsaknad av brådska. Detta har dock börjat förändras då en del skogsbolag har börjat formulera digitala strategier och införa dedicerade enheter för digital innovation för att differentiera sitt erbjudande och skapa konkurrenskraft. Problemet är att de flesta skogsbolag inte vet hur de ska hantera skogsägarna då det är en heterogen kundgrupp där det skiljer stort i ålder, internetanvändning, datorkunskap och kundbehov samt att det finns en uttalad risk i att den personliga relationen mellan virkesköpare och skogsägare kan förringas vid en digitalisering. Tidigare studier visar att nyckeln till en lyckad digitalisering är att förstå vad kunderna vill ha och vad som skapar den bästa kundupplevelsen. Med utgångspunkt i dessa utmaningar avser därmed studien att skapa förståelse för vilket värde kunderna ser i en digitalisering och hur skogsbolagen bör anpassa sig till detta. Syftet med studien är att ”Beskriva och analysera hur värdeerbjudandet förändras ur ett kundvärdesperspektiv då skogsaffären digitaliseras”. För att besvara detta har en fallstudie gjorts på det svenska skogsbolaget Holmen Skog där det upplevda kundvärdet jämförs före och efter en digitalisering utifrån företagets värdeerbjudande och affärsmodell. Kundvärde definieras som avvägningen mellan upplevda fördelar och uppoffringar och resultatet visar att skogsägarna främst upplever att de funktionella och emotionella fördelarna ökar samtidigt som uppoffringar i form av psykologiska kostnaderna och den personliga investeringen minskar. De områden där kundvärdet potentiellt kan minska vid en digitalisering är uppoffringar i form av risker, främst för skogsägare med en låg digital mognad, och sociala fördelar när skogsaffären blir helt digital och relationen med virkesköparen förringas. Skogsägarna är överlag positiva till en digitalisering, men då det finns områden där kundvärdet potentiellt kan försämras går det inte att enbart genom kundundersökningar utforma värdeerbjudandet utan skogsbolagen bör arbeta agilt och genomföra digitala förändringar i små steg där pilotstudier genomförs innan nya lösningar lanseras. Initialt bör skogsbolagen fokusera på digitala verktyg samt offertförfrågning och rådgivning via digitala kanaler då skogsägarna ser störst värde i detta. De borde även underlätta och effektivisera virkesköparnas arbete genom att ge dem ett fullt integrerat och mobilt verktyg som samlar CRM-system, offert- och virkesmätverktyg för både effektivisering och att skapa kundvärde.

Progress in digital technologies has influenced organizations and individuals alike. The focus of organizations has been to adapt to the dynamic digital landscapes; ranging from expanding the boundaries of existing markets, to conquer unexplored and unclaimed opportunities. These include collaboration in novel partnerships with external actors, creating additional value through alternative use of existing technologies and services, provided to the customer in the growing digitally interconnected ecosystem. The purpose of this work is to explore contemporary consultant’s experiences related to the digitalization of their client organizations. Which major factors, in their experience, increase the success rate of digitalization or digital transformation projects, and which factors form the greatest risks? In order to answer the research questions and thereby fulfill the purpose, a case study was performed, where eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with consultants from two firms. A thematic analysis was conducted, and the results were presented in the more general topics Perspectives on change, Change management, User involvement, Digital maturity, and Cultural aspects. These adaptations made by organizations need to be aligned with the overarching goals and values they may hold. In order for such an investment to stand a chance of being successful, support is needed from all levels of the organization. Both through the willingness to adapt, and suitability of the proposed investment. In order to provide support is through proper change management, with a specific focus on the human side of the planned change. If the implemented system or process is not being used, or not utilized as intended, the generated improvement will be less than expected. The digital strategy was argued to be of less use to the organization the less connected it was to the general strategic perspectives. The digital aspects described in such a document must be incorporated in the identity and culture of the organization to remain useful, they need to become part of their DNA.

La creación de un nuevo segmento dentro de la moda de lujo en la que convive con el Streetwear o moda callejera, ha propiciado el nacimiento del fenómeno Hypebeast, una dinámica de consumo popular entre el público millennial que consume lujo. Esta dinámica consiste en valorar la reputación de la marca, la exclusividad y la estética de las prendas para generar un alto nivel de expectación o entusiasmo alrededor de éstas. Esto exige a las marcas de moda que reinventen sus estrategias de comunicación al entorno digital para adaptarse a un nuevo consumidor global de lujo más empoderado en su proceso de decisión de compra. Al ser un acontecimiento particular en la comunicación digital de moda, hay pocos trabajos académicos que lo contemplan. La presente investigación tiene como objetivo analizar la influencia del fenómeno Hypebeast en el proceso de decisión de compra online de millennials, tomando como caso de estudio a Future Visions, la primera boutique de Streetwear en el Perú. Para ello, se optó por la metodología de análisis de caso con enfoque cualitativo y la técnica de entrevista a profundidad, lo cual nos permitirá entender el fenómeno desde el punto de vista de cada participante. / The creation of a new segment within luxury fashion in which coexists with the culture of Streetwear, has led to the birth of the phenomenon Hypebeast, a popular consumer dynamic among its millennial audience that consumes luxury. This dynamic consists in valuing the reputation of the brands, the exclusivity and aesthetics of the clothes to generate a high level of hype around them. This requires them to reinvent their communication strategies to the digital environment to suit a new luxury global consumer more empowered in their purchasing decision process. Being a particular event in fashion digital communication, few academic papers contemplate it. This research aims to analyze the influence of the Hypebeast phenomenon on the online purchasing process of millennials, taking as a case study Future Visions, the first boutique of Streetwear in Peru. For the development of this research will be used the methodology of case analysis with qualitative focus and the technique of in-depth interview, which will allow us to understand the phenomenon from the point of view of each participant. / Trabajo de investigación

El uso de redes sociales es una herramienta que ha despertado el interés de muchas instituciones públicas porque pueden ser utilizadas como un vehículo de comunicación para un público que busca estar actualizado a las tendencias digitales como son los jóvenes. La presente investigación cualitativa busca determinar la percepción de jóvenes limeños sobre la comunicación de los servicios policiales brindados en Facebook. Por ello, se entrevistó a 10 jóvenes entre los 18 a 28 años que vivan en Lima Metropolitana y 5 miembros del equipo que gestiona las redes sociales de la institución policial. Las conclusiones más resaltantes son que los jóvenes no perciben que la institución policial esté difundiendo estos servicios correctamente en su fanpage. Ellos no recuerdan los mensajes de las publicaciones, pues estos no son explícitos; tan solo rememoran el aspecto visual de las mismas. Frente al contexto de la COVID-19, durante la cual se desarrolló la presente investigación, la entidad policial tuvo la necesidad de cambiar sus contenidos humorísticos por concientizadores y preventivos en su página de Facebook. No obstante, los jóvenes no percibieron este cambio en los contenidos, pero sí son conscientes de que estos se enfocan ahora en temas relacionados a la pandemia. / The use of social networks is a tool that has aroused the interest of many public institutions because they can be used as a communication vehicle for a public that seeks to be updated to digital trends such as young people. This qualitative research seeks to determine the perception that young people from Lima have about the police services reported by the National Police of Peru on its Facebook page. Therefore, 10 young people between the ages of 18 and 28 who also live in Metropolitan Lima and 5 members of the team that manage the social networks of the police institution were interviewed. The most striking conclusions are that the perceptions of young people regarding the content about police services published on Facebook did not perceive that the police institution is disseminating these services correctly. They do not remember the messages of the publications, as these are not explicit; they only recall the visual aspect of them. Faced with the context of COVID-19, during which this investigation was developed, the police entity had the need to change its humorous content for awareness-raising and preventive on its Facebook page. However, the young people did not perceive this change in the content, but they are aware that they are now focusing on issues related to COVID-19. / Tesis

Digital transformation provides companies with greater capacity to face crises like the one we are currently experiencing with covid-19. However, it requires proper implementation. In this sense, it is necessary to investigate how digital strategies —a central element of that implementation— influence the digital transformation of organizations. The general objective is to contrast the positions of different authors regarding how digital strategies influence the digital transformations of organizations. It is a qualitative research, in which the main approaches on digital strategies and digital transformation were identified. To this end, books and journal articles from quartiles 1 and 2 of the Journal Citation Reports and Scimago were consulted; their antiquity was not greater than five years. The information has been processed using the four matrix listed in the annexes. All these parameters conform to the guidelines of the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences – UPC for the preparation of the Professional Sufficiency Work (TSP). The study shows that digital strategies are directly related to an effective digital transformation; however, its inadequate formulation and implementation can be counterproductive for the organization. / La transformación digital proporciona a las empresas mayor capacidad para afrontar crisis como la que se experimenta actualmente por la COVID-19. Sin embargo, requiere una implementación adecuada. En ese sentido, es preciso indagar sobre cómo las estrategias digitales —un elemento central de dicha implementación— influyen en la transformación digital de las organizaciones. El objetivo general es contrastar las posturas de diferentes autores respecto a cómo las estrategias digitales influyen en las transformaciones digitales de las organizaciones. Se trata de una investigación cualitativa, en la que se identifica los principales enfoques sobre las estrategias digitales y la transformación digital. Para ello, se consultó libros y artículos de revistas de los cuartiles 1 y 2 del Journal Citation Reports y Scimago, con una antigüedad no mayor a cinco años. La información ha sido procesada mediante las cuatro matrices consignadas en los anexos. Todos estos parámetros se ajustan a los lineamientos de la Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas para la elaboración del Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional (TSP). Del estudio se desprende que las estrategias digitales están relacionadas directamente con una transformación digital eficaz; no obstante, su inadecuada formulación e implementación puede resultar contraproducente para la organización. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo general explicar la relación de la transformación digital y la cultura organizacional de las empresas en la actualidad. La metodología utilizada es cualitativa con un sub diseño bibliográfico de revisión documental. Como estrategia, se empleó la búsqueda de información bibliográfica relevante y confiable sobre el tema. Posteriormente, se seleccionaron las fuentes más importantes que ayudaron a la interpretación de los conceptos, los modelos y los usos de las dos categorías temáticas. De este modo, se concluye que no existe un consenso sobre el enfoque de la transformación digital que se relacione mejor con la cultura, pues las empresas pueden asumir la transformación centrada en la tecnología o la transformación digital integral centrada en toda la organización. Por esta razón, todo plan y modelos de transformación digital no pueden aplicarse como regla general a las empresas, ya que lo único que esto genera es fracaso y gasto de recursos. Por su parte, a través de la cultura organizacional, se pueden gestionar algunos comportamientos de los colaboradores dirigidos a la inserción digital como estrategia. Finalmente, tampoco se observa un consenso sobre el tipo de relación de la trasformación digital con la cultura. En este sentido, algunos autores sostienen que la relación puede ser directa (positiva) o inversa (negativa). Sin embargo, no hay un acuerdo que identifique los factores que determinen este tipo de relación. En consecuencia, se sugiere investigar con profundidad los factores que intervienen durante el proceso de transformación con la finalidad de conocer su relación positiva o negativa con la cultura. / This research had the general objective of explaining the relationship between digital transformation and the organizational culture of companies today. The methodology used is qualitative with a bibliographic sub-design of documentary review. As a strategy, the search for relevant and reliable bibliographic information on the subject was used. Subsequently, the most important sources that helped to interpret the concepts, models and uses of the two thematic categories were selected. In this way, it is concluded that there is no consensus on the approach to digital transformation that is better related to culture, since companies can assume the transformation focused on technology or the comprehensive digital transformation focused on the entire organization. For this reason, all digital transformation plans and models cannot be applied as a general rule to companies, since the only thing that this generates is failure and waste of resources. On the other hand, through the organizational culture, some behaviors of the collaborators aimed at digital insertion as a strategy can be managed. Finally, there is also no consensus on the type of relationship between digital transformation and culture. In this sense, some authors argue that the relationship can be direct (positive) or inverse (negative). However, there is no agreement that identifies the factors that determine this type of relationship. Consequently, it is suggested to investigate in depth the factors that intervene during the transformation process in order to know their positive or negative relationship with culture. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

While the proliferation of AI technologies offers opportunities for the workplace and its processes, their implementation in business effectively is still a challenge. Today, companies require strategic guidance in their AI management. Accordingly, there is a need for more research on the topic with a holistic approach including governance of data. Considering the challenges of the private sector and the gap in the IS research, this thesis focuses on the barriers to implementing AI in the private sector. It specifically assesses the sociotechnical mechanisms for AI evolution in the case of the agricultural machinery industry. The conducted case study suggests an overall approach including data governance for AI implementation and an alignment between the digital, it, and business strategies. Based on the research findings, this study suggests a model for AI management with three parts: The opportunities and the new data generation to realize these opportunities lie on the benefit side of the digital transformation while the sociotechnical mechanisms to tackle the barriers stand at the core. By introducing a model for AI management, the thesis offers a roadmap for the case company while bringing a new perspective to the literature and further research.

In today's fast-paced and technology-driven society, the banking industry is undergoing a big change in digital transformation. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate the reason behind the differences in digital banking product development between South Africa and Sweden, and what reasons there are behind the differences in the two environments. Banks are presented with the strategic choice of pursuing offensive or defensive transformation paths to navigate the evolving path. Offensive transformation is when leveraging innovative technologies to gain a competitive edge and enhance customer experiences. Whereas, defensive transformation focuses on staying relevant to the market, and ensuring regulatory compliance. The findings in this study are that both banks are in their core quite similar, but due to differences in their respective banking environments and conditions, they are strategically acting differently. The South African market bears a resemblance to a market under development, with regard to its lacking of digital development. The South African banks are more customer-driven compared to the Swedish. The Swedes possess, due to their conditions a larger control over their customers. This leads South African banks to be more aggressive in their strategies, while Swedish banks tend to be more defensive. However, both banks use a mix of defensive and aggressive strategies when they need to compete or stay relevant in the market. The reasons for these differences lie in the lack of infrastructure. This means that South African banks have less control over digital development compared to Swedish banks. South Africa relies on the customer’s demand to be strong enough for them to invest in product development. The Swedish bank has a more favorable market condition, where investments in product development are most likely also successful in neighboring markets. / I dagens snabba och teknikdrivna samhälle genomgår bankbranschen en stor förändring i och med den digitala transformationen. Syftet med denna uppsats är därför att undersöka orsakerna bakom skillnaderna i produktutveckling av digitala banktjänster mellan Sydafrika och Sverige, och vilka orsaker som ligger bakom skillnaderna i de två miljöerna. Bankerna står inför det strategiska valet att välja offensiva eller defensiva transformationsvägar för att navigera på den framväxande vägen. Offensiv transformation är när man utnyttjar innovativ teknik för att få en konkurrensfördel och förbättra kundupplevelsen. Medan defensiv transformation fokuserar på att förbli relevant för marknaden och säkerställa regelefterlevnad. Resultaten i denna studie visar att de båda bankerna i grunden är ganska lika, men på grund av skillnader i deras respektive bankmiljöer och förutsättningar agerar de strategiskt på olika sätt. Den sydafrikanska marknaden liknar en marknad under utveckling när det gäller bristen på digital utveckling. De sydafrikanska bankerna är mer kunddrivna jämfört med de svenska. De svenska bankerna har, på grund av sina förutsättningar, en större kontroll över sina kunder. Detta leder till att de sydafrikanska bankerna är mer aggressiva i sina strategier, medan de svenska bankerna tenderar att vara mer defensiva. Båda bankerna använder dock en blandning av defensiva och aggressiva strategier när de behöver konkurrera eller förbli relevanta på marknaden. Orsakerna till dessa skillnader ligger i bristen på infrastruktur. Det innebär att sydafrikanska banker har mindre kontroll över den digitala utvecklingen jämfört med svenska banker. Sydafrika förlitar sig på att kundernas efterfrågan ska vara tillräckligt stark för att de ska kunna investera i produktutveckling. Den svenska banken har ett mer gynnsamt marknadsläge, där investeringar i produktutveckling sannolikt också är framgångsrika på närliggande marknader.

Purpose – Since April 2014, the alliance of leading German Institutes of Technology (TU9) has been jointly producing and running massive open online courses (MOOCs) on the subject of engineering. On the one hand, the collaborative MOOC@TU9 project aims to combine the unique characteristics and strengths of the engineering courses offered by the TU9 universities, making inter-institute, cooperative, open learning both visible and accessible. This will enhance both local teaching and the national and international marketing of the universities. On the other hand, the project also aims to help build communal experience and develop quality and production standards for the use of different MOOC formats in digital higher education teaching. In this sense, the MOOC@TU9 project contributes to the vital development of sustainable digitalisation strategies at German universities in the form of a feasibility study, which can then be used in other contexts as a valuable example of best practice. Design/methodology/approach – The MOOC@TU9 project has a primarily practical approach. The focus of the collaboration between the TU9 universities is therefore the discussion, exchange and coordination of concrete actions in addition to the evaluation and assessment of the solutions reached and implemented. The collaboration within the TU9 network results in inter-organisation working and learning processes for the parties and institutions involved. These have a particular value, as this is how, through collaboration, we can build an effective, sustainable, multi-dimensional experience. Originality/value – MOOC@TU9 is a joint inter-university project with the aim of strategically testing the possibilities, parameters and benefits of using massive open online courses in higher education teaching, the like of which has never been seen before in Germany. There is, therefore, currently no systematic development of quality and production standards for MOOCs: a gap, which MOOC@TU9 is actively attempting to fill. Practical implications – Results and findings of the project are not only taken from specific practical work, they are also fed directly back into it. In this respect, it can and should provide valuable insights not only for course participants, but also for other universities and/or initiatives.