Stimulating E-Learning in Europe: A Supply Chain Approach

This 'research in progress' paper examines a supply chain approach to stimulate e-learning in Europe. It builds on a recent study (van der Linden and van Baalen 1998), which found that it is possible to add a new dimension through distance learning to traditional pedagogical techniques. One of the unexpected side effects reported when using electronic mail was the disappearing of cultural boundaries. From a socio-cultural perspective within an increasingly international setting optimal e-learning requires a supply chain approach, in which face-to-face meetings play a critical complementary function to ensure that important clues such as body language and tone of voice are not filtered out (Lee 1994:143). A relevant issue for institutions of higher learning is whether or not it is desirable for ICT applications to complement or substitute traditional forms of management education (van der Linden and van Baalen 1998:15). There is an increasing need to interact in the complex international environment, which implies that students must obtain the skills to bridge five identified gaps in the polycontextual learning environment (Fenema, 2001). In the early 1990s the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University internationalized its curriculum. It is currently responding to the challenge of applying digital learning techniques to deliver management education. The diffusion of knowledge plays an important role in innovation processes. (Hertog and Bilderbeek (2000:222). This paper concludes with a summary and research agenda for higher education in the global knowledge economy.