OIM9526 #CX #XD Innovation
(Formerly MOB9526 #CX #UX #XD)
1.5 Intensive Elective Credits

This course will complement an existing graduate 1.5-credit elective called Strategies for Innovation and Growth. It is also a good complement to the Managing Technological Innovation course. As their titles suggest, the latter course is overwhelmingly focused on technology based products and hi-tech industries while the former is focused on how can large firms can create and sustain innovation and growth activities. This course will complement two existing graduate 1.5-credit electives (1) Leading Innovation @ Gorillas, Chimps & Monkeys and (2) Innovation Processes.

All countries go through life cycles-agriculture, manufacturing, services and knowledge. The majority of the developed world can be considered today to be primarily in the post-service knowledge based industries. Providing services in addition to goods, which were at one time a differentiator for most businesses are more or less commoditized today. Several trends have emerged over the last 15 years: (1) Move from Services to Experiences; (2) Emergence of new Digital and Networked Economies; (3) Information and Knowledge Intense Economies; (4) the rise of the new post-PC industry, also known as the TIME industry, i.e., the convergence of the Telecom, Information, Media and Entertainment industries and (5) new forms of Designing & Delivering Great Customer Experiences. This course explores the innovations that are driving all these trends as primarily applied to a broad section of service industries-Airlines, Retail, Hospitality, Healthcare, Financial, B2B, TIME and even Not-for-Profits.

This course will cover: understanding the customer psychology and perceptions in service interactions; explore concepts, methods and tools to dream, define, design and deliver great customer experiences; innovative strategies to use customer experience as a differentiator; and how the convergence of digital technologies - data, voice & video - is helping firms to engage customers in new and innovative ways.

This course is typically offered in the following semesters: Fall/Spring/Summer

OIM7502 Advanced Programming for Business Analytics
3 Elective Credits

Python is a general-purpose programming language that has rapidly become one of the most popular languages for data science. Python allows users to quickly and efficiently collect, clean, analyze, visualize and narrate using any kind of data (structured, semi-structured or un-structured); irrespective of how messy the data might be. In this course, students will advance their python skills for data science. Students use a variety of data to learn powerful ways to conduct data analytics and learn helpful data science tools along the way. This will equip students to conduct their own analyses towards the end of the course.

Prerequisites: OIM 6301

OIM7525 Agile Experimentation
1.5 Elective Credits

Agile Experimentation (AgileEx) is an experiential course in which teams of students use agile methodologies to design and prototype viable Internet of Things (IoT) innovations combining hardware and software components. The course involves:

- Practicing Agile/SCRUM project management methodologies and software, and learning how to scale Agile environments from small startups to large organizations
- Designing and building IoT (or wearable) devices with sensors and actuators, and programming hardware (i.e., Arduino boards)
- Designing digital interfaces and processes (e.g., app mockups, process diagrams) with software tools
- Running experiments and surveying customers to test hypotheses and iterate in the development of a prototype
- Building an innovation with a clear value proposition
- Learning about emerging technologies
- Presenting your work in a final pitch that showcases your prototype and its market viability

The course aims to train business graduates who are confident life-long learners of technology, can work in Agile environments, and can participate in the development of innovative technological solutions that integrate hardware and software components.

The course does not require programming, Agile, or software/hardware prototyping experience.

Prerequisites: None

EPS 7509: AI Pioneers: Creating the Future of Business

3 elective credit

This experiential seminar explores the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential for creating new business opportunities. Students will learn about cutting-edge technologies in AI, such as machine learning, computer vision, neural networks, and natural language processing. We will also cover recent developments in the AI industry and the impact of venture capital investment on AI startups. Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to experiment with AI technologies and develop their own innovative projects. By the end of the course, students will have a deep understanding of the current state of AI and the potential for new business opportunities in this field. This course is ideal for students interested in the intersection of entrepreneurship and technology.

Prerequisites: None

OIM7546 Analytical Managers and Organization
3 Blended Credits

This course is designed to teach MBA students what it means to be an analytical manager, and how to build the capabilities required to be a highly analytical organization. It addresses the non-statistical topics in analytical decision-making at the individual level (including framing the problem and communicating the results), which should complement statistically oriented courses at Babson. It also addresses the key factors (in the DELTTA model-data, enterprise, leadership, targets, technology, and analysts) necessary to succeed with analytics at the organizational level. It incorporates new course content specifically relevant to big data and analytics based on it. The course specifically delves into how both large and entrepreneurial organizations are addressing big data and analytics, and focuses in particular on how digital and online firms use and manage analytics. We'll discuss various industries' and functions' use of analytics, but the only one addressed in any depth is web analytics for digitally-oriented businesses.

QTM6600 Analytics for Decision-Makers
1.5 Credits (MSAEL core)Data exploration and data-driven decision making are integral in identifying and validating business opportunities. Depending on the nature of the problem and the institutional context, techniques ranging from classical statistical methods (descriptive and inferential statistics) to more recent advances in big data and tools (Excel, R, Tableau) might provide the greatest utility and deepest insights. In this course, we encounter selection of these techniques and develop our ability to formulate analytics problems in ambiguous contexts, quantify performance of various solutions, and articulate the key results of our analysis to a non-technical audience, including using visualization methods.

Prerequisites: MOB6600 and EPS6600

OIM 6112: Artificial Intelligence Experimentation

MSEL Course

1.5 credits

Description:

Artificial Intelligence Experimentation is an experiential course where student teams leverage AI to design digital business concepts and apply Agile Product Management. Students will learn key skills, including how to:

1. Develop AI value propositions and business concepts

2. Practice agile product management

3. Prototype AI-related digital interfaces and solutions

4. Conduct experiments and iterate on solutions

The course does not require previous AI, programming, Agile, or software/hardware prototyping experience.

Prerequisites: None

OIM7545 Artificial Intelligence for Business
3 Blended Credits

F2F Meeting Dates TBD

This course introduces students to cognitive technologies (another phrase for "artificial intelligence") and addresses their value and implementation in business. A variety of cognitive tools will be covered, from machine learning to natural language processing to "deep learning." Both the functions performed by these technologies and the business issues they generate-including the roles to be performed by humans in knowledge work processes of the future-will be addressed in the course.

Some instruction is provided by online videos on cognitive technologies. There will be several guest lectures from external experts on various cognitive technologies and management issues. No programming background is required, although students will need to study materials about how cognitive technologies work.

FIN7572 Babson College Fund

3 Elective CreditsThe Babson College Fund is a two-semester course, where selected students manage a portion of the Babson College endowment. The Babson College Fund Office selects undergraduate and graduate students to be analysts and portfolio managers.

By learning the basics of security analysis and portfolio management, it is hoped that students will be prepared to take jobs in the Investment Management and Investment Banking industries post-graduation.

The Program Director and Executives in Residence are committed to helping this pursuit as much as possible. The course also requires that students refine their networking skills and develop a proficiency in the analytical tools available through the Cutler Center to maximize their employment prospects.

Prerequisites: Program Director (Patrick Gregory) Permission

MBA7800 Babson Consulting Experience
3 Credits

If you have taken and passed MBA7201, you cannot register for MBA7800, as these two courses are equivalent

During the Fall Semester all MBA students will be enrolled in the Babson Consulting Experience (BCE) and assigned to a team of five to six other one-year students to work on consulting project for a partner organization. Guided by a faculty advisor (who also is the instructor of the course), BCE teams work directly with company representatives to address a real organizational opportunity or challenge and create value-added solutions.

A signature learning experience, BCE gives students an opportunity to deepen their understanding of conceptual and developmental tools learned in the classroom through hands-on applications in messy real-world contexts. Students will sharpen their ability to analyze and frame complex problems, and to effectively present insights and action recommendations, in both oral and written form. Finally, by working in teams and with external organizations, students will have many opportunities to practice the teamwork and leadership skills that they will need as you continue your professional development.

**It is strongly recommended that students take this course after completing a majority of the core courses.**

Prerequisites: Minimum of 12 credits completed