This course covers a subject that is important in the present and crucial for management success in the future:  How to manage in the emerging Information Economy? And what are the differences to more traditional approaches in industry and finance? The course does so by focusing on and projecting the lessons from the sector furthest along in its transformation, that of digital media, and communications -- where activities are based on bit-based intangibles and knowledge assets, and are globally internetworked.

The course takes an innovative approach, bringing together many of the strands of the entire MBA program and applying them to the digital sector. In doing so, it is also an integrative” capstone course” for the business curriculum and thus useful for future entrepreneurs, investors, creators, marketers, and advertisers, even if they do not aim for a career in this sector.

It covers the major business functions, tools, and intellectual concepts across the communications industries. The lecture themes are:  First, creating a media product: the financing of projects, and the management of technology, HRM of creatives, production operations, intellectual assets, and government relations. Second, harvesting the product: digital market research, the marketing and distribution of digital media, and the pricing of media products and intellectual assets. And third, is the control loop: financial and managerial accounting, and strategy planning.

For each of these functions we assemble:

• A set of MBA tools and analyses for producers, distributors, investors, and buyers
• Case studies, and overviews
• A set of societal perspectives on drivers, impacts, and issues.

In terms of format, the course provides lectures and case discussions. Lectures are available online in video, PowerPoint, and text formats, enabling off-site study.

In the process, this integrative course becomes a major resource for those aiming for a career in the media and digital field, both in startups and established organizations. It aims to make managers in this field more knowledgeable, less blinded by hype, more effective, and more responsible.

Eli Noam

Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility

Professor Noam focuses on the economics, management, and policy of media, Internet, and communications, both in America and around the world. He served as New York State's Public Service Commissioner regulating the telecommunications and energy industries, on the White House Presidential Board on information technology, and on private sector and NGO boards.  His 31 books and over 400 articles cover telecom, film, TV, internet...

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