Learning to Compete in a Digital World
David Roache, managing director of Dotsure, an online insurer in South Africa, is charged with achieving the company's growth and profitability goals. Recognizing that this challenge requires expertise in the digital arena, he applied to Driving Digital Strategy at Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education. He entered the program expecting great things, but he came away with even more.
Why did you choose to attend Driving Digital Strategy?
I looked around to find the development I needed to prepare my business for the coming digital storm, and no other course contained such relevant subjects and content. I had attended a few digital strategy courses in the past, and I was always disappointed with the quality of the content and, ultimately, the outcome. With HBS, I expected the content, the curriculum, the faculty, and the participants to be world class, but the experience went beyond my high expectations!
How did this program change or influence your approach to digital strategy?
Before attending this program, I had a fairly narrow or limited outlook toward competing in a digital world. This program opened my eyes to the bigger picture by demonstrating that I need to reimagine business, reassess the value chain, reconnect with customers, and rebuild the organization.
Can you describe some of the program's takeaways?
I gained a great deal from attending this program. I learned about topics such as complementary services, the power of network effects, and the importance of adjacent strategies. Also, discovering that innovation can lie outside of the organization was a real eye-opener. For so long we have been limited by resources, cost, and speed with regard to product innovation and problem solving. But outsourcing innovation can result in better solutions, quicker turnaround times, and even lower costs.
What are your thoughts about the case study method?
The case study method allows participants to put themselves in the shoes of the protagonist—to absorb the information at hand and make crucial decisions facing the organization. In my opinion, there is no better learning method. It offers the opportunity to learn more because there are many different ways to approach a particular case, based on the interaction among participants. And the diverse background of the participants' roles, personalities, nationalities, and experiences made for a more holistic learning experience.
How would you describe the program's value to someone who is considering it?
Most businesses these days have a digital arm. But they need a strategy in the digital world, not simply a digital strategy. No matter what industry your business is in, digital is going to disrupt it. If you are a key decision-maker in business strategy, this is the perfect course to equip you for today’s fast-paced digital evolution.