INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR MANAGEMENT EDUCATION - THE BENEFITS AND BARRIERS

Research suggests that information technology (IT) can be a very effective distance learning medium. Its use for postgraduate management development is both untested and insufficiently researched. This study was designed to evaluate the application of IT for this purpose. The paper is a report on the educational benefits that ensued the issue of an IT package designed specifically for use on a part-time MBA programme. The IT package consisted of wordprocessing, spreadsheet and communications software (via Telecom Gold) and a personal computer. Questionnaires were used to research the effect that the ownership of this IT system made to the final IT competence of the students and to the educational quality of the programme. The study results show that the students' expertise with the use of IT was significantly increased. The study also found that the development of the students' abilities to use IT for communication purposes perfectly fitted the IT competency needed by the general manager of the 1990s; this was also researched by questionnaire. These research findings show that the required breadth of expertise in IT, needed by the general manager of the 1990s, can only be partially developed by teaching methods limited to talk, chalk and computer studio training. One of the most important elements of management education at Cranfield is learning by the case study method. The study findings show that learning by this method was enhanced by the creation of a communications network because the part-time students were able to use it for off-campus study group communications. The research also discovered that little use was made of the PCs by faculty to communicate with their students or as a tool to complement current teaching practices; more time, money and academic commitment will be required before such uses of this technology are practised.