Update on the Internet

International Case Study Project

by Maggie Moore*

The session 'Around the World in One Semester' at the WACRA '98 at Napier University in Edinburgh, Scotland, has resulted in a trial run of the program. Conference delegates interested in participating in a short version of the case study - which Maggie Moore had posted on the Franklin University web site - left their business cards with Joe Border. From that group four participants emerged: Bob Schaffer in California; Franz Egle in Germany; Gerald Crawford in Alabama and Maggie Moore in Ohio.

Bob Schaffer formed ten teams of three students each including one from the Akademie für Internationales Management in Germany, one from California Polytechnic State University, one from Franklin University and one form the University of Alabama. To date, five teams have sent in their final reports. Bob Schaffer also made space available on his web site for the posting of support documents.

A variety of technical difficulties were encountered during the program. Some of these difficulties were beyond the control of the students. Some teams were able to work around the difficulties. Not all teams managed to connect. In those instances, the students worked independently until they were able to connect with team mates. Several teams never managed to get all three member to connect.

The objectives of the project were:

• To alert students to the uses of the Internet as a business tool
• To engage in communication using both the Internet and e-mail
• To allow students to experience communication with students in another culture
• To determine appropriate areas for expansion of a company going into Mexico and one other Latin American country

Based on the communications between the students and the instructors at each location and via the Internet with all of the instructors, it can be concluded that not all teams met all of the objectives. Teams which did not manage to get together for a meaningful dialogue, although they did not experience the communication goal, did learn about the problems and frustration that often accompany the use of new technology. All participants will be asked to respond to several open ended questions about their experience after all of the case reports have been received.

Instructors Maggie Moore, Bob Schaffer, Franz Egle and Gerald Crawford have also learned from this short project that it is necessary to communicate on a regular basis with the other instructors and with their own students. The instructors were called upon mostly to deal with technical difficulties. Student generally were able to follow instructions and with few exceptions were able to read the case and perform the desired tasks. The experience also reinforces the need for instructors to either know each other or have colleagues who know at least one of the participating instructors. That is to say, this type of teaching strategy will work best if it is supported by an organization, such as WACRA® which brings people together allowing an opportunity to set up a strategy. The WACRA® meeting in Edinburgh created such an opportunity and hopefully this will lead to future international teams on case studies. The trial run began October 20, 1997 and ended November 25, 1997. The results will be presented at WACRA '98 in Marseille.

*Dr. Maggie Moore is Chair of International Business at Franklin University.