Distance learning is an application of inter organizational information systems. Although it may seem odd to label students as organizations, they are customers, in the same sense that consumers are customers in B2C e-commerce systems.
a. Draw a process diagram of a regular, non-distance learning class. Label the activities and the flows among the activities.
b. Draw a second process diagram of a distance-learning class. In what ways are the two diagrams similar? In what ways are they different?
c. What is the competitive strategy of your university? How do distance-learning classes contribute to that competitive strategy?
d. Assuming that no face-to-face meeting is required to successfully teach a distance learning class, neither students nor professors need live near campus. In fact, they need not even reside on the same continent. What opportunities does that fact present to your university? What new educational products might your university develop?