Foundations of Business Automation

This unit establishes the new automation mindset by introducing core concepts of automation, integration, and strategy across front- and back-office functions. Students learn to compare approaches and platforms, analyze case studies (e.g., Toast and IPO journeys), and assess risks such as generative AI challenges to prepare for designing and implementing automation in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze core concepts of automation and integration by distinguishing between task-level and process-level automation and explaining the Five Towers of Automation.
• Differentiate major automation approaches and enterprise platform models by evaluating the benefits and trade-offs of a single unified strategy versus distributed solutions for front-office and back-office functions.
• Evaluate business impact and risk by applying case study evidence (e.g., Toast, company IPOs) to estimate economic value, identify organizational rigidity factors, and discuss challenges posed by generative AI in the enterprise.
• Apply selection and implementation criteria to recommend appropriate automation tools and an operating model for a hypothetical small-to-medium business, documenting expected value, integration needs, and implementation considerations.