7B003E - Digital Finance and Innovation Management 01 Sep 2026 - 31 Jul 2032 | Version 0

Associated Module Information

Module Code: 7B003E
Module Title: Digital Finance and Innovation Management
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Global Governance
Faculty Sub Group: Global Governance
Module Leader: Hai Nguyen
Module Team: Adeyemi Aromolaran
First Intended Intake: SEP 2026 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 30 Credit Level: 7
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100107 - finance 100832 - financial management 101221 - enterprise and entrepreneurship
HECOS Code Weighting: 20 70 10

Document Version Information

Version 0
Valid From 01 Sep 2026
Valid To 31 Jul 2032

Module Aims

  • Understand how digital technologies transform financial services and create opportunities and risks. 

  • Analyse how fintech innovations disrupt business models and consumer relationships. 

  • Develop skills to lead and evaluate digital finance innovation strategies. 

Content Summary

This module explores how emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, open banking and digital platforms, are transforming financial services and redefining relationships between providers, customers and regulators. Over seven weeks, students examine how these innovations create opportunities for new products, markets and business models, while also introducing risks for organisations and society. Drawing on theories of innovation management and strategy, the module analyses how fintech start-ups, established financial institutions and technology companies respond to disruption. Students will investigate case studies, debate regulatory and ethical implications, and apply design-thinking and agile methods to real-world challenges. By linking technological developments to strategic decision-making, this module builds the skills needed to assess, manage and lead digital innovation in financial services. It contributes to the overall finance specialization by providing a critical understanding of how financial technology reshapes markets and by preparing students to develop informed, responsible innovation strategies in their future careers. 

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lectures 9
Seminar 12
Practical Classes and Workshops 15
Groupwork 20
Guided Study 60
Problem/Challenge based learning 120
Formative Assessment 4
Summative Assessment 60
Total Hours Selected 300

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Critically evaluate the role of financial technology and innovation in transforming traditional financial services, business models, and consumer relationships.
LO2 Design and apply digital finance strategies that integrate fintech innovations, regulatory frameworks, and ethical considerations in practical business contexts.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Portfolio Group consultancy output-FinTech Innovation Pitch 20 N/A 50 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Case study 1 Individual Reflective essay- Critical FinTech Innovation Case Study 0 13000 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Portfolio ✔ ✔
Case study 1 ✔ ✔

Reading List

Week 1: Disruption of Traditional Finance 

Essential Reading 

Arner, D. W., Barberis, J., & Buckley, R. P. (2015). The evolution of Fintech: A new post-crisis paradigm.?Geo. J. Int'l L.,?47, 1271. 

Gomber, P., Kauffman, R. J., Parker, C., & Weber, B. W. (2018). On the fintech revolution: Interpreting the forces of innovation, disruption, and transformation in financial services.?Journal of management information systems,?35(1), 220-265. 

Supplementary Reading 

Shrier, D. L., & Pentland, A. (Eds.). (2022).?Global Fintech: Financial Innovation in the Connected World. MIT Press.  

  • Part 2: Transitioning to the digital era 

Kou, G., Lu, Y. FinTech: a literature review of emerging financial technologies and applications.?Financ Innov?11, 1 (2025).? 

Christensen, C. M., McDonald, R., Altman, E. J., & Palmer, J. E. (2018). Disruptive innovation: An intellectual history and directions for future research.?Journal of management studies,?55(7), 1043-1078. 

Week 2: Innovation and New Business Models in Finance 

Essential Reading 

Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010).?Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. John Wiley & Sons. 

  • Chapter 1: Canvas 

  • Chapter 2: Patterns 

  • Chapter 4: Strategy 

Chishti, S., & Barberis, J. (2016). The FinTech book: the financial technology handbook for investors, entrepreneurs and visionaries. John Wiley & Sons.  

  • Chapter 8: More success stories 

Supplementary Reading 

Christensen, C. M., McDonald, R., Altman, E. J., & Palmer, J. E. (2018). Disruptive innovation: An intellectual history and directions for future research.?Journal of management studies,?55(7), 1043-1078. 

Shrier, D. L., & Pentland, A. (Eds.). (2022).?Global Fintech: Financial Innovation in the Connected World. MIT Press. 

  • Part 2: Transitioning to the digital era 

Ries, E. (2011). The lean startup: How today's entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businesses. Crown Currency. 

  • Part 1: Vision 

  • Part 2: Steer 

Week 3: Payments Innovation 

Essential Reading 

Iris H-Y Chiu (2017) A new era in fintech payment innovations A perspective from the institutions and regulation of payment systems, Law, Innovation and Technology, 9:2, 190-234 

Agarwal, Sumit and Zhang, Jian, FinTech, Lending and Payment Innovation: A Review (April 11, 2020). Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies, 2020,  

Supplementary Reading 

Nguyen, Y. T. H., Tapanainen, T., & Nguyen, H. T. T. (2022). Reputation and its consequences in Fintech services: the case of mobile banking. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 40(7), 1364-1397.  

Shrier, D. L., & Pentland, A. (Eds.). (2022).?Global Fintech: Financial Innovation in the Connected World. MIT Press.  

  • Part 1: Foundations 

  • Part 2: Transitioning to the digital era 

Week 4: Digital Lending and Wealth Management 

Essential Reading 

Agarwal, Sumit and Zhang, Jian, FinTech, Lending and Payment Innovation: A Review (April 11, 2020). Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies, 2020,  

Chishti, S., & Barberis, J. (2016). The FinTech book: the financial technology handbook for investors, entrepreneurs and visionaries. John Wiley & Sons.  

  • Chapter 6 Capital and Investment 

Supplementary Reading 

Sironi, P. (2016).?FinTech innovation: from robo-advisors to goal-based investing and gamification. John Wiley & Sons.  

  • Chapter 2 Robo-Advisors: Neither Robots nor Advisors 

  • Chapter 5 The Industry’s Dilemma and the Future of Digital Advice 

  • Chapter 8 Goal Based Investing and Gamification 

Shrier, D. L., & Pentland, A. (Eds.). (2022).?Global Fintech: Financial Innovation in the Connected World. MIT Press. 

  • Part 1: Foundations 

  • Part 2: Transitioning to the digital era 

Week 5: Cryptocurrencies and Decentralised Finance (DeFi) 

Essential Reading 

Kou, G., Li, Y., Zhang, Z., Zhao, J. L., & Zhuo, Z. (2025). Blockchain, Crypto Assets, and Financial Innovation: A Decade of Insights and Advances. 

  • Chapter 1: Foundations of Blockchain Technology and Its Financial Applications 

Chishti, S., & Barberis, J. (2016). The FinTech book: the financial technology handbook for investors, entrepreneurs and visionaries. John Wiley & Sons.  

  • Chapter 9 Cryto-currencies and blockchains  

Supplementary Reading 

Kou, G., Lu, Y. FinTech: a literature review of emerging financial technologies and applications.?Financ Innov?11, 1 (2025).? 

Week 6: Regulation of FinTech and Future Directions 

Essential Reading 

Yesha Yadav, Fintech and International Financial Regulation, 53 Vanderbilt Law Review 1109 (2021)  

Chishti, S., & Barberis, J. (2016). The FinTech book: the financial technology handbook for investors, entrepreneurs and visionaries. John Wiley & Sons.  

  • Chapter 10: The Future of Fintech 

Supplementary Reading 

Shrier, D. L., & Pentland, A. (Eds.). (2022).?Global Fintech: Financial Innovation in the Connected World. MIT Press. 

  • Part 3: Fintech Possibilities 

Ries, E. (2011). The lean startup: How today's entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businesses. Crown Currency. 

  • Part 3: Accelerate