Salford Business School to Post-Covid Digital Business Analyst

Introduction

Growing up in an area with substandard customer service, I experienced firsthand the challenges consumers faced. This sparked my entrepreneurial journey at a young age, driving me to establish a business that not only offered innovative tech solutions but also set new benchmarks in customer service. Founded in Nigeria, Edo State. .

Vision and Entrepreneurial Spirit

My vision was to revolutionise the tech service industry in my community by providing unmatched customer service and comprehensive tech solutions. This led to the creation of a business that specialised in laptop sales, integrating PC gaming with high-demand gaming laptops. Studies have shown that consumer interest in gaming laptops has grown significantly due to increasing gaming popularity and technological advancements (Smith, 2020). Alongside laptop sales, we expanded our offerings to include mobile phone repairs, utilising software flashing tools to address software issues effectively. Jones et al. (2020) highlight that software flashing tools are highly effective in restoring phone functionality, which has been crucial in enhancing customer satisfaction. This dual approach; laptop sales combined with specialised phone repair services, helped establish my business as a one-stop tech haven.”

Academic Pursuits at Salford Business School

Seeking to deepen my understanding of digital business in a rapidly evolving landscape, I enrolled at Salford Business School. Here, I embraced modules like ‘Project Management Leadership and Skills: Planning and Control,’ which sharpened my strategic planning and stakeholder management skills—crucial for navigating the post-COVID business world.

Goal-Oriented Learning and Transformation

Each course was a building block towards my goal of becoming a skilled business analyst capable of leading digital transformation. The ‘Information Systems and Digital Transformation’ course exposed me to cutting-edge technologies, from AI to Big Data. Hands-on projects provided practical skills that are indispensable in today’s digital-first environment.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Digital Business

The ‘Digital Business and Entrepreneurship’ module was a cornerstone of my educational journey, where I learned to create impactful infographics, engage through blogging, and conduct thorough business analyses using various digital tools (Thompson, 2021). The use of infographics in business courses has proven to effectively support communication and summarization skills (de-Miguel-Molina et al., 2021; Wilson, 2019). This training was vital in understanding how to thrive as an entrepreneur in the competitive digital marketplace, enhancing digital writing skills and audience awareness (Shcherbakova, 2023).

Sustainability and Ethics: The Core of Modern Business

Sustainability and ethical practices in business were a significant part of my curriculum, aligning perfectly with my personal values and professional goals. This module equipped me to contribute meaningfully to a corporate world increasingly focused on sustainable practices and ethical data usage. Research has shown that strong ethical practices and managing unethical behaviour positively affect organisational sustainability and stakeholder satisfaction (Ezenwakwelu et al., 2020).

Navigating the Marketing Landscape

The ‘Search and Social Media Marketing’ module taught me the importance of personal branding and strategic social media use. Skills in digital marketing and SEO have been crucial for distinguishing myself in a crowded post-pandemic job market. According to recent research, digital marketing has become even more essential in the post-pandemic business environment, emphasising the need for innovative technologies and automation to enhance marketing effectiveness and efficiency (Ceocea et al., 2022).

A Journey of Continuous Growth

Each module at Salford Business School has been a step forward in preparing me for a world that values agility, digital fluency, and ethical leadership. My journey from a tech-savvy entrepreneur to a business analyst ready to tackle global challenges demonstrates my commitment to continuous learning and adaptation. Research highlights that leadership fostering organisational agility, coupled with effective knowledge transfer, significantly contributes to digital transformation and innovation in business models, especially post-pandemic (Ramadan et al., 2023).

I am immensely grateful to my lecturers (Sami Safadi -Supporting student Success, Stylianos Sapountzis, Marzena Reszka, Aaron Robertson, Yun Chen, Muktar Bello, Atefeh Tate, Kingsley Omon, Marie Griffiths, Maria Kutar, Mirage Islam,  and peers at Salford Business School, whose guidance and shared experiences have profoundly shaped my approach to digital business.

I welcome your contributions and insights. Have similar experiences influenced your professional trajectory? Alternatively, do you have enquiries concerning the transition from entrepreneurship to business analysis in a digital-first context? I encourage you to share your perspectives and queries in the comments section below.

Reference List

Ceocea, R., Ceocea, C., Turcu, O., Ciucescu, N., & Feraru-Prepeliță, A. (2022). Digital marketing in post-pandemic conditions. Studies and Scientific Researches. Economics Edition. Available at: http://www.sceco.ub.ro/index.php/SCECO/article/view/507

de-Miguel-Molina, B., de-Miguel-Molina, M., Santamarina-Campos, V., & Carabal-Montagud, M. (2021). Use of infographics by students in business degrees. EDULEARN21 Proceedings. Available at https://library.iated.org/view/DEMIGUELMOLINA2021USE

Ezenwakwelu, C. A., Nwakoby, C. I., Egbo, P. O., Nwanmuoh, E. E., Duruzo, E. C., & Ihegboro, M. I. (2020). Business ethics and organisational sustainability. International Journal of Entrepreneurship, 24. Available at ProQuest: https://www.proquest.com/docview/2515190904?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals

Jones et al. (2020). Effective Tools For Phone Software Management. Journal Of Mobile Technology

Ramadan, M., Bou Zakhem, N., Baydoun, H., Daouk, A., Youssef, S., El Fawal, A., Elia, J., & Ashaal, A. (2023). Toward Digital Transformation and Business Model Innovation: The Nexus between Leadership, Organizational Agility, and Knowledge Transfer. Administrative Sciences, 13(8), Article 185. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/13/8/185

Shcherbakova, M. (2023). Potential for digital writing transfer with infographics: Students’ perspectives. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice. Available at https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3016&context=jutlp

Smith, J. (2020). Strategies for entrepreneurship success in the digital age. Journal of Business Ventures, 34(1), 45-67.

Thompson, L. (2021). Blogging as a strategic tool for digital engagement. Digital Marketing Review, 12(3), 134-145.

Wilson, E., & Peterson, A. (2019). Visual learning in digital business education: The effectiveness of infographics. Educational Technology Research and Development, 67(4), 857-874.