Jun 18, 2018

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Why Invest in a Blockchain Programme?

Oxford Saïd have released the Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme, which is in line with their ethos of future-focused, tech-based programmes, but what’s all the fuss about? And is it necessary for you to invest time in understanding and upskilling in blockchain to side-step the disruption it will cause?

Blockchain basics

The exploration of the blockchain ecosystem – a ledger system which records and stores transaction records – and blockchain business opportunities was initially reserved for organisations operating in the finance sector. However, blockchain technology is now being applied to any sector or industry that is in need of a trustworthy record of information.1

As blockchain becomes more accessible, it’s becoming highly prevalent beyond just a financial setting. It’s starting to revolutionise a plethora of industries and business models on a global scale.

Why invest in blockchain education?

The world is on the cusp of change, where early adoption of blockchain technologies ends and the mass use of blockchain begins. Spearheading this era of change, is the fear of job loss and massive industry disruptions, as well as the opportunity for new, improved business models and emergent technologies which haven’t been thought of or created yet.

This revolution is expected to be as opportunity-fueled as the advent of the internet, and seizing these opportunities now is pertinent to staying on top of your business strategies.2

If you want to gain an early-adopter competitive advantage, or you want to avoid being unprepared for the disruption it will cause, you’ll need to invest in a blockchain programme that gives you a foundational understanding of what blockchain is, and how it works. As well as insights into how it’ll affect the future of your industry and organisation. You’ll also need blockchain training to gain the knowledge and know-how of incorporating blockchain technologies into your business strategy.

An online blockchain programme

The Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme is designed to give business leaders, managers, and influencers the insights and knowledge to anticipate the effects of blockchain on both their short and long-term business strategy.

It’s an all online, six-week programme, which upon completion, will give you a certificate of attendance from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford as validation of your blockchain training, newfound understanding, and strategic knowledge. This is the blockchain certification you need to understand where your business is headed, and how this may change, when you implement blockchain strategies through your training.

Blockchain programme co-convenors

The design of this online blockchain programme is lead by a distinguished team of global experts, who impart their knowledge in the form of blockchain training – through industry insights, analysing use cases, discussions, videos and interviews.

Professor Nir Vulkan

Professor Nir Vulkan is an Associate Professor of Business Economics at Saïd Business School and a Fellow of Worcester College. He is a leading authority on e-commerce and market design, applied research and teaching on hedge funds.

Professor Vulkan believes blockchain extends much further than the widely recognised cryptocurrencies, and that it has the potential to not only change how we transfer value, but to shift our systems of trade, identity, efficiency and governance across all sectors, radically transforming traditional approaches to management.

The application of the core technology behind bitcoin – blockchain – extends much further than the widely recognized cryptocurrencies. Blockchain has the potential not only to change how we transfer value, but could shift our systems of trade, identity, efficiency and governance across all sectors, radically transforming traditional approaches to management.What participants will understand from our course is what is on the horizon for their business and how to prepare for that

Professor Nir Vulkan
Associate Professor of Business Economics at Saïd Business School and the director of the oxford diploma in strategy and innovation

David Shrier

David Shrier is an Author and Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. He has driven over $8.5 billion of growth initiatives for various Fortune 1000 companies and has served as CEO or CFO/COO for several privately-funded companies.

Blockchain programme expert

Meltem Demirors

Meltem Demirors is the Director of Development at Digital Currency Group (DCG), a firm focused on building and supporting bitcoin and blockchain companies by leveraging its insights, network, and access to capital. In her role, Meltem leads the team that drives growth, network, and strategy for a portfolio of 100 companies across 27 countries, dozens of strategic investors, three operating subsidiaries, and DCG’s corporate partners and leading academic institutions. Meltem is also on the Blockchain Council of the World Economic Forum.

Meltem is under the impression blockchain technology will usher in new models for economies and marketplaces, governance and identity. She believes that while we’re still in the early stages of building and developing the technology and use cases, it’s critical for practitioners to understand and refine the economic, behavioural, and technical design criteria for these new systems.

Blockchain technology will usher in new models for economies and marketplaces, governance, identity and more. While we are still in the early stages of building and developing the technology and use cases, it’s critical that practitioners understand and refine the economic, behavioral and technical design criteria for these two systems.

Meltem Demirors
Director of development, dcg

Blockchain Programme Instructors

These blockchain pioneers and global experts will share their experience and in-depth subject expertise with you through video lectures and interviews. The instructors contribute to this blockchain programme by providing case studies and industry-specific content and information.

Professor Teppo Felin is a Professor of Strategy at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and the Director of the Oxford Diploma in Strategy and Innovation. His research focuses on the origins of organisational capabilities and markets, the microfoundations of strategy, decision-making, and innovation in decentralised multi-agent systems.

Professor Felin says “Decentralised currencies are far more than an alternative form of money. They are a new form of trust, identity, decision-making, collaboration and collective wisdom. They have the potential to change the very nature of work, the very nature of business and the very nature of markets.”

Decentralised currencies are far more than an alternate form of money. They are a new form of trust, identity, decision-making, collaboration and collective wisdom. They have the potential to change the very nature of work, the very nature of business and the very nature of markets

Professor Teppo Felin
Professor of Strategy at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and the Director of the Oxford Diploma in Strategy and Innovation

Professor Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland is a Visiting Professor of Management Science at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and holds a triple appointment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He has been a member of the Advisory Boards for Google, Nissan, Telefonica, Tencent, and a variety of start-up firms, and for several years he co-led the World Economic Forum Big Data and Personal Data initiatives.

Blockchain experts and pioneers from across the globe

In addition to the Programme Co-convenors and Blockchain Expert who shape the programme, and the Programme Instructors who contribute significantly to its design, this blockchain training programme features more than sixty blockchain experts from around the world.

Notable Guest Experts include:

  • Joseph Lubin, Co-founder of Ethereum and Founder of ConsenSys
  • Kayla Sanders, Founder and CEO at Remy
  • Marco Santori, described as the Dean of Digital Currency Lawyers, Marco is a recognised authority in the law of digital currencies and blockchain technologies
  • Craig Sproule, CEO of Metavine
  • Jimmy Song, Venture Partner at Blockchain Capital LLC
  • Joseph Weinberg, Chairman at Shyft and Co-Founder and CEO of Paycase
  • Bradley Tusk, Founder and CEO of Tusk Holdings, and the 2009 Campaign Manager for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Expand your global network with the Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme

Online, open enrolment programmes lend themselves to a broad international audience, and the Oxford Saïd brand attracts business directors and aspirational leaders. Throughout the online blockchain programme you’ll interact with an international cohort of like-minded business leaders, expanding your global network while you learn. You’ll collaborate in small groups to achieve milestones and outcomes – highlighting the value of collaboration.

While getting a blockchain education, you’ll be placed in small groups of people with similar interests and varied work experience – based on a questionnaire and sorting algorithm – helping you network with the right cohort for you.

The Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme also affords you, the participant, the opportunity to join the official Oxford Executive Education Alumni LinkedIn group – a closed networking group for all alumni of Open, Online (GetSmarter) and Executive Education Programmes from Oxford Saïd.

What you’ll learn with an Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme

There are 6 modules in this Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme.

  1. Understanding blockchain – Discover the technology underpinning blockchain, understand the structure of blockchain, and explore the scope of the blockchain industry by analysing the scale of investment in the industry, the sociopolitical and economic context, key stakeholders, and the evolution of the industry landscape
  2. Blockchain and business – Explore blockchain trends, investigating the market disruptions caused by technology and the impact of blockchain in industries worldwide, and develop your understanding of the Oxford Blockchain Strategy framework – which you will apply to a blockchain use case.
  3. Transfer of value and storage of value – Explore how blockchain is powering new payment rail and cryptocurrencies, storage of land title registries, and new mechanisms for trading, settlement and clearing. Investigate key strategic challenges and opportunities in these areas, and work with a group to analyse the scope, scale, and trajectory of the market for your own blockchain business strategy.
  4. Decentralised apps and smart contracts – Discover how blockchain technology is enabling new forms of management and organisation through decentralised applications, smart contracts, and new frameworks for identity and data sharing. A discussion of industry regulation (you’ll be exposed to the Oxford Blockchain Regulation framework, developed exclusively for this programme) and competitive analysis will assist you and your group to investigate the competition and regulatory landscape of your blockchain business strategy.
  5. Transformative business models – Learn how blockchain is fundamentally changing ways of doing business, and the impact this has on industries, consumers and society. Equipped with an understanding of the technology and strategies underpinning this space, you’ll learn how to build dynamic capabilities for innovation, and recommend growth paths to help you and your group scale your blockchain business strategy.
  6. Blockchain frontiers – Explore the future of blockchain as you identify emerging trends in the industry, and the directions of growth across industries. Working individually, you’ll use your own idea for a blockchain use case, and apply the Oxford Blockchain Strategy framework to analyse the strengths and pitfalls of your concept.

Why Oxford Saïd for you blockchain training needs?

This Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme was designed specifically with business leaders and innovators in mind, and focuses on the impacts of blockchain and how it can affect or be incorporated into your business strategy. In general, other online and in-person blockchain courses are catering either to a very high-level discussion of blockchain, or a low level, granular and deeply technical explanation of blockchain technology.

The premise of the Oxford Blockchain programme is to cohesively integrate relevant information on blockchain that speaks to this middle category of information and knowledge by showcasing the best use cases, value propositions, and implementation strategies in the blockchain industry.

Saïd Business School blends the best of new and old. Deeply embedded in an 800-year-old world-class University, Oxford Saïd strives to educate people for successful business careers. As a community, Oxford Saïd seeks to use business acumen and global networks to address long-horizon phenomena like demographic change, new technologies and natural resource scarcity.

Saïd Business School is committed to delivering cutting-edge education and ground-breaking research that transforms individuals, organisations, business practice and society.

With certifiable blockchain training, you’ll be able to change the way your organisation runs, the way it encompasses and reacts to disruptive tech, and how it builds strategy with blockchain to streamline business processes.

On completion of the programme, you’ll walk away with two unique sets of frameworks, the Oxford Blockchain Strategic framework and the Oxford Blockchain Regulation Framework – developed specifically for this Oxford Blockchain Strategy programme, which you can apply to a wide variety of situations, as well as the ability to make better strategic business decisions by utilising the Oxford Blockchain Ecosystem map.

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