Strategizing the future of massive open online courses

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have emerged as one of the most noticeable developments in higher education. MOOCs have generated hype, hope and excitement worldwide and, more recently, also increasing scepticism as early expectations have not been met. Some aspects of MOOCs, such as their economic dynamics, technological capability, systems design, pedagogy, and participant experiences have been the subject of research. However, few researchers analyze MOOCs from a strategy perspective in an attempt to understand them in a larger context with other technological developments in learning and higher education. The purpose of this thesis, therefore, is to examine MOOCs using two prominent theoretical frameworks in business strategy, namely, dynamic capabilities and disruptive innovation. Having analyzed the strategy literature in relation to MOOCs, the thesis will then develop a conceptual framework to enable university managers to answer questions about what role MOOCs should play, what global education markets they best apply to, and how they should be designed given other unique strategic concerns their universities face.