Master
2020/2021
Software Business Management
Category 'Best Course for Career Development'
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Compulsory course (System and Software Engineering)
Area of studies:
Software Engineering
Delivered by:
School of Software Engineering
Where:
Faculty of Computer Science
When:
2 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Instructors:
Konstantin Nikolaevich Bredyuk
Master’s programme:
Software and Systems Engineering
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Besides being an engineering discipline, software development is a $300+ billion industry in which software companies strive to be a successful business. Understanding of key aspects of software business is important for building a career in software companies in both management and technology paths. This course provides mostly technology-focused students an overview of the key aspects of software companies business touching such aspects as Product Management, Marketing, Sales, Finance etc. helping them build successful careers.
Learning Objectives
- Besides being an engineering discipline, software development is a $300+ billion industry and any software company is a part of it. Knowledge and skills required for managing a software company or a department within a software company significantly differs from knowledge and skills required for software engineering itself. This course provides mostly technology-focused students with an overview of the key aspects software company business.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Understand software business models: professional services, product business models
- Know the difference between software and software-driven companies
- Be able to identify which business models are used by a company
- Understand key concepts of product management for startup and established companies
- Be able to apply basic product management techniques including needs definition, roadmapping, features prioritization
- Understand different market research techniques: primary/secondary, exploratory/confirmatory
- Understand key concepts of software marketing including technology adoption lifecycle, positioning, buying cycle
- Understand main software sales methods: direct sales, online sales
- Understand when different sales methods should be applied
- Understand typical operations challenges of software companies: cross-departmental collaboration, internal services
- Be able to analyze software company operations
- Understand key methods of financial management metrics for software companies: MRR, ARR, CAC etc.
- Understand investment concepts: types of investors, investment stages
- Understand key motivation theories
- Understand key leadership theories
- Understand team work principles
- Understand Adizes corporate lifecycle model
- Understand knowledge transfer models
- Understand modern trends in software development: best of breed vs. integrates solution, platforms
- Be able to analyze strategies of software companies
Course Contents
- Introduction to the course, foundations of software business
- Business models in software business
- Product management for software products
- Market research and software product marketing
- Software products and solutions selling
- Operations management for software companies
- Financial management for software companies
- People management and leadership for software companies
- Organizational management for software company
- Business strategy for software companies
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Childers, R., & Moore, G. A. (2012). Quicklet on Geoffrey A. Moore’s Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High Tech Products to Mainstream Customers : Key Terms and Definitions. [San Francisco, California?]: Hyperink - Crossing the Chasm Quicklet. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1011706
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Crawford, C. M. (2012). New products management. Slovenia, Europe: Irwin. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.38FAE087