Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/blockchain-strategic-action-plan

Introduction

# Course Review: Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan on Coursera In an era where technology is reshaping the business landscape, the "Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan" course stands out as a critical resource for professionals eager to explore the transformative potential of blockchain in the financial sector. This course, the final installment in a specialized series on the topic, offers a comprehensive framework to develop a strategic plan for addressing specific challenges within the industry using blockchain technology. ## Course Overview Throughout this course, participants are guided to synthesize their previous learnings to create a Strategic Action Plan aimed at addressing a pertinent issue in the financial services industry. The course is structured to facilitate both theoretical understanding and practical application, ensuring that learners are equipped to critically analyze industry needs and craft actionable solutions. ## Syllabus Breakdown ### Industry Analysis The course kicks off with an industry analysis, diving deep into current blockchain applications within financial services. Participants are encouraged to conduct preliminary market research, honing in on viable market segments ripe for blockchain integration. This segment not only enhances learners' analytical skills but also contributes to a communal repository, the Blockchain Case Commons, fostering collaboration among course participants. ### Opportunity Identification Next, learners explore the nuanced landscape of blockchain’s capabilities. This module emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between solvable and unsolvable problems with blockchain technology. By utilizing a decision matrix, participants select the most promising ideas for their projects, while simultaneously preparing statements of need and benefit that effectively communicate their project’s value proposition to targeted stakeholders. ### Positioning Positioning is a pivotal stage where participants define how their identified solutions can carve out a unique niche within the financial services landscape. By articulating the added value their solutions offer to customers, learners gain insights into strategic branding and market positioning. ### Execution Plan The course culminates in an Execution Plan module, where participants must consider the various factors necessary to turn their ideas into reality. Topics such as funding, risk management, talent acquisition, and strategic partnership development are explored in detail. This practical approach ensures that learners are well-prepared to move from concept to execution. ### Final Deliverable The culmination of the course involves a comprehensive final project where participants consolidate their learning. This peer-reviewed deliverable allows them to pitch their blockchain ideas effectively to potential investors or organizational leaders, providing a platform to demonstrate their innovative solutions. ## Review and Recommendation The "Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan" course is not just an academic exercise; it is a well-rounded program designed for actionable insights and real-world applications. The course content is thoughtfully curated, combining theoretical frameworks with practical tasks that ensure learners can apply their knowledge in meaningful ways. For professionals in the financial services sector, this course is highly recommended. It equips participants with the tools needed to identify opportunities, negotiate complexities, and implement strategic actions using blockchain technology. The collaborative environment created by the Blockchain Case Commons enhances learning, inspiring participants to think broadly about how they can drive innovation within their organizations. Overall, if you are looking to future-proof your career in finance, delve into the mechanics of blockchain technology, and create impactful solutions, enrolling in this course could be a pivotal step in your professional journey. Enroll today to harness the power of blockchain in reshaping the financial landscape for tomorrow.

Syllabus

Industry Analysis

Almost every industry can expect to experience a major business model disruption as blockchain technologies take hold. In this module, you will explore current applications of blockchain in the financial services industry, and will perform some preliminary market research in order to identify a specific market segment that shows promise for blockchain technologies. Throughout this process, you will use and contribute to our Blockchain Case Commons, which will serve as a shared, continuously-evolving repository of blockchain applications and use-cases for all course participants.

When identifying opportunities for blockchain technology within your chosen market, it is important to understand the kinds of problems that it can and cannot solve—at least in its current state. In this module, you will learn to distinguish between problems that are and are not well-suited to blockchain-based solutions. After considering various opportunities for blockchain technology within your chosen market segment, you will use a decision matrix to select the most promising idea to pursue for your final project. By the end of this week, you will clarify the purpose and objectives of your project, you will identify your target customers/audience, and you will prepare a statement of need and statement of benefit for your proposal.

In the last module, you identified a promising idea or opportunity for blockchain within your chosen market segment. This week, you will work on positioning your idea—carving out a niche or identity for your product/service within the minds of your target customers. By the end of this week, you will explain how your idea will bring new or added value to your customers, and how your idea will affect the positioning for your organization.

An idea may seem great on paper, however actually executing this idea will require careful consideration of various strategic decisions, including those related to funding, risk, talent, timing, corporate boundaries, and partners/allies. In this module, you will begin to think about what would be required to transform your project from idea to reality.

So far in this course you have performed an industry analysis, selected a specific market segment, assessed your competition, and identified a promising opportunity for blockchain within your chosen market. As well, you have described how you will position your idea, and have given consideration to the strategic decisions that need to be made in order to transform your idea into reality. In this final module, you will consolidate all of the work you have produced thus far into a final, peer-reviewed project deliverable, which you can use to pitch your idea to your organization and/or potential investors.