An International Management Course and the Use of Groupware (Lotus Notes)

Abstract

Over a decade ago the Dutch government established a new university to anticipate societal needs. This new university, the Open University of the Netherlands, specialises in distance learning. The University Faculty of Business and Public Administration offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Business and Public Administration. This chapter describes an International Management course that illustrates the contribution of information and communication technology to distance learning. Distance learning offers students the freedom to choose where and when to study, especially when asynchronous communication is possible. Distance learning also enhances international business education by allowing students and faculty in different countries to participate in a course. The International Management course described in this chapter integrates a case study and electronic communication to provide a model of distance learning for international business education. This chapter describes this course and shows that distance learning takes on a new meaning in this context. Collaborative learning using groupware enables case group discussions at a distance similar to the case discussions of students in traditional education.