Bringing Global Sourcing into the Classroom: Experiential Learning via Software Development Project

Global sourcing of software development has imposed new skill requirements on Information Technology (IT) personnel. In the U.S., this has resulted in a paradigm shift from technical to softer skills such as communications and virtual team management. Higher education institutions must, consequently, initiate innovative curriculum transformations to better prepare students for these emerging workforce needs. This paper describes one such venture between Marquette University (MU), U.S.A. and Management Development Institute (MDI), India, wherein IT students at MU collaborated with Management Information Systems (MIS) students at MDI on an offshore software development project. The class environment replicated an offshore client/vendor relationship in a fully virtual setting while integrating communications and virtual team management with traditional IT project management principles. Course measures indicated that students benefited from this project, gained first-hand experience in the process of software offshoring, and learned skills critical for conduct of global business. For faculty considering such initiatives, we describe the design and administration of this class over two semesters, lessons learned from our engagement, and factors critical to success of such initiatives and those detrimental to their sustenance

Bringing Global Sourcing into The Classroom: Experiential Learning Via a Global Software Development Project

The growing trend in offshore software development has imposed new skills requirements on collaborating global partners. In the U.S. this has translated into skill sets that include communications, project management, business analysis, and team management. In a virtual setting, these skills take on a complex proportion. This paper describes an educational initiative in offshore software development between undergraduate students enrolled in a project management course at Marquette University, USA and graduate business students enrolled in an Information Systems Analysis and Design course at Management Development Institute, India. The course replicated an offshore client/vendor relationship in a virtual setting. For faculty considering such initiatives, this paper describes the setting and factors critical to success of this initiative and cautions against others that can be detrimental to such an effort

DXC Dandelion Program: 2018 in Review

[Excerpt] 2018 was another very successful year for the DXC Dandelion Program. DXC established a number of new, critical partnerships that continue to propel autism at work programs to the forefront of workplace inclusion. This has resulted in the program growing significantly throughout the year. DXC has now successfully established seven teams across four states in Australia, employing over 80 people on the autism spectrum

Innovative learning in action (ILIA) issue one: Internationalising the curriculum

Welcome to the first edition of the University of Salford’s ‘Innovative Learning in Action’ (ILIA). The journal will be published bi-annually and is intended to provide recognition for and to celebrate the good practice of staff who - across campus - strive to innovate in pursuit of the quality learning experience. The dissemination of good practice will provide positive encouragement to those considering new approaches to student learning and support and act as a springboard for collaboration, shared experience, mutual support and reflection within and across schools and faculties. The journal aims to be inclusive, therefore the Editorial Board welcomes a varied range of contributions from those who are seasoned and experienced researchers in the field, to those who are embarking upon their first engagement with publishing in the domain; from tried and tested innovations which may be transferable to other disciplines to work in progress and embryonic developments; from academic and related staff to those performing roles in support of student learning. The tone of the journal is quite informal, providing an illustrative rather than exhaustive overview of innovations and authors are encouraged to describe and reflect upon their experiences in their own individual styles. The theme of this first edition is ‘Internationalising the Curriculum’ a concept that is at the very heart of the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy: ‘…preparing students for careers that will be in the global economy and to enrich the wider student experience by integrating the knowledge and experience of our international students.’ (University of Salford, Strategic Framework 2003-2004) Contributions that explore innovative programmes and collaborations underway at the University provide a range of perspectives on curriculum development and design, signifying ways in which other colleagues might pursue an international agenda in their teaching and learning practice

From Design to Delivery: Teaching Supply Chain Management to IB Majors

Curricular development is critical for preparing students in a coordinated fashion for life after graduation – especially when their roles will involve cross-border business decisions. The design of specific courses in any curriculum must be purposeful in terms of what is taught, how it is taught, and how all the course components fit together. For a supply chain management course targeted at international business (IB) students, one key purpose is to understand how competitiveness is developed across the extended enterprise, rather than within the confines of individual companies. This “winning together” view helps foster capabilities for connectedness and cooperation in IB environments typically characterized by geographic dispersion and cultural dissimilarities. The objective of this article is to examine how integrating fundamental pedagogical theories (student-centeredness, diversity, reflection, self-direction, experiential learning) in course design can influence the outcomes of a semester-long practice-oriented international supply chain course. The course espouses the winning together view while probing in-depth core supply chain themes, with the aim of producing cohorts of undergraduates that have developed the intuition, aptitude, and methods for co-creating value across business boundaries in cross-border situations. This article’s contribution is in demonstrating the innovativeness of blending multiple pedagogical tools and experiences in a single semester, rather than an entire program of study. The observed positive student learning outcomes are consistent with the integrated course design model. Replicating such course design over a program of study, will multiply the resulting positive outcomes for students, hence preparing them better as prospective global managers

Foodservice at events as a strategy for sustainable food consumption. Workshop held as a part of the conference: Joint Actions on Climate Change, Aalborg Congress & Culture Centre, Denmark, June 9th-10th, 2009.

As a part of the Joint Actions on Climate Change conference held on June 9th and 10th 2009 in the Aalborg Congress & Culture Centre, Denmark, the Danish iPOPY group organized a workshop on “Food service at events as a strategy for sustainable food consumption.” The workshop was part of the Conference’s fourth Theme, Governance & Climate Mitigation. The workshop was held on June 10th from 11.30-13.00 as part of the iPOPY project (innovative Public Organic food Procurement for Youth). The iPOPY-project (2007-2010) is one out of eight transnational pilot projects funded by the CORE Organic funding body network within the context of the European Research Area. The papers and the PowerPoint presentations from the event are presented in this publication along with the conclusions from the workshop. Thanks to Mia Brandhøj and Sofie Husby for coordinating and to Niels H. Kristensen for moderating the workshop. Thanks also to the Presenters for making their papers and presentations available

Global Sourcing of IT Services: Necessary Evil or Blessing in Disguise?

Firms use information systems to reduce the costs of doing business and create innovative applications and products for competitive advantage. IT outsourcing, often to overseas locations, appears to have accomplished efficiency improvements. However, firms increasingly employ global sourcing of IT services for other purposes, such as to broaden the scope of provided services and for strategic considerations. Given the complexities of emergent forms of global IT sourcing - away from arm\u27s length transactions and toward highly integrated relationships - the purpose of this panel, originally presented at the 2006 International Conference on Information Systems, was to shed light on the issue of global sourcing of IT services by examining three interrelated questions: 1) Is this more about efficiency or strategic considerations? 2) What new conceptual frameworks and theory bases are appropriate for studies of global IT sourcing? and 3) What skills are required of managers and what should we be teaching our students

MSIS 2016 global competency model for graduate degree programs in information systems

[Extract] This document, “MSIS 2016: Global Competency Model for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems”, is the latest in the series of reports that provides guidance for degree programs in the Information Systems (IS) academic discipline. MSIS 2016 is the seventh collaborative effort between ACM and AIS (following IS’97, IS 2002, and IS 2010 at the undergraduate level; MSIS 2000 and MSIS 2006 at the graduate level; and CC 2005 as an integrative document).(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio