Simulating a Global Learning Experience: The Role of Multi-institutional Partnerships in Supply Chain-Logistics Course Design and Improvement

摘要

New, global strategies and skill sets are essential to meet the challenges of the modern business environment. Engineering managers and other technology-based business professionals must be prepared to excel in a variety of social, political, and cultural settings. Awareness of these business strategies must begin in the classroom and should be an essential component of supply chain-logistics management programs. Providing real world opportunities that explore collaboration across organizational cultures, time zones, and practice gives students a tremendous competitive advantage and fosters experience-based learning. This paper examines the value-added skills achieved through the addition of a global, virtual student project environment to three supply chain-logistics management courses. This partnership includes two universities in the U.S. and one in France. Now completing its second year, this global university partnership creates virtual teams of students across university lines. Although project descriptions are provided, deliberate ambiguity is created in terms of the establishment of milestones and project objectives to more naturally simulate virtual teaming in global organizations. Cross-cultural differences are explored as part of project management requirements. Lessons learned and results on student engagement, learning, and satisfaction are examined.