The question
What does a manager need to understand about machines in order to run a company that increasingly runs on them?
How the course is built
Four layers, from how a machine works (bottom) to how software agents act (top), judged through two frames: value and trust. AI runs through every layer.
Six chapters
Ch.1 · How machines work
Foundations
Why should a manager understand machines?
Ch.2 · Processes and ERPSystems of Record
How does the company actually run?
Ch.3 · Data, BI and CPMSystems of Insight
How do I know what is happening, and why?
Ch.4 · ML, LLMs, RAG, agentsIntelligence and Agency
Can machines decide, and should they?
Ch.5 · Business cases, sourcing, the ERP journey, changeValue and Transformation
Is it worth it, and how do we get there?
Ch.6 · Governance in brief, and the course in one pictureTrust and Synthesis
Who is in control?
How you learn here
| Component | Hours | Content | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 | Ch.1 to Ch.4 (4 hours each); Ch.5 and Ch.6 (2 hours each) | Lecture, with live demos |
| Business cases | 4 | Two cases on ERP and process redesign, building on Ch.2 | Case discussion (teaching assistant) |
| Analytics simulation | 4 | The lab of Ch.3: data, KPIs, drivers, variances, scenarios | Lab, in groups |
| Testimonials | 2 × 2 | Executives and practitioners; they pair naturally with Ch.5 and Ch.6 | Guest speaker |
| Final session | 3 | Recap, written exam, correction and grades | Exam |
Assessment
For attending students the final grade combines a written exam and in-class work.
| Component | Weight | How it is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Written exam | 80% | Open questions, written in class in the final session (3 hours including recap and correction) |
| Participation and in-class cases | 20% | Quality of contributions to discussions, business cases and the simulation |