BUS 465 Blog

On Tuesday June 19, 2007, the students in BUS 465 presented the results of their experiences in the other world that is Second Life.  Everybody seemed to have been entertained by the idea of creating themselves in a separate, virtual world and we all laughed as we spoke of some similar experiences we shared while in this other world. 

            Although we all experienced quite a few issues in this other world, including just navigating our avatars, I am sure that the folks at Linden Lab will improve on this aspect of the virtual experience, and I do see the potential for great success with this program.  Also, the fact that the opportunity to meet new people and even the opportunity to make real money by actively participating in this other world exists makes Second Life worth checking out, so be sure to do that in the future.

    Remember back to when you first sat down at the computer to attempt to explore the COM website.  How efficiently were you able to move from page to page as you explored the many different feature of the site? Of course by now I have basically learned my way around the website, but I can?t say that it was the easiest thing I had ever done back when I was a freshman looking at the site for the first few times.
    Fortunately for future students in the COM, a group of three students from this 2007 first summer session BUS 465 class are working to make this first site-exploring experience a smoother, more entertaining one.  For their portion of the class project, these students have designed a scavenger hunt to more easily guide first-time students all around the COM website. This scavenger hunt will show student how to get to (and through) the course registration process, find important information on professors (such as GRADE DISTRIBUTION reports), as well as expose students to the latest news and events going on within the COM.

The class project is coming along nicely.  One group of three students is attempting to release a brief survey out to NC State COM Alumni in an effort to gain some feedback from them relating to their involvement with the COM. Such activities as getting more Alumni out to hear the Wachovia Lectures, providing financial assistance as a sponsor at COM events, and providing current students with the opportunity to learn about COM Alumni through online personal profiles are the focus of this portion of the project. However, as with many groups in the class, one challenge this group is facing is the time constraint that comes with summer session courses.

            Feel free to take a look at the survey they have created to issue out to COM Alumni. With cooperation from the Alumni members, students can use this feature to establish relationships with key people in the business world and hopefully, through this feature, a greater sense of connectivity between Alumni and today?s students will be established.

Imagine that you?re sitting at your computer, it?s the middle of the semester, and you?re trying to figure out what classes you want to take for the next semester.  You?ve got three windows open at the same time so that you can compare grade distribution, when the classes are offered, and get a course description which doesn?t even tell you anything you actually want to know about the classes you?re looking at.  Does this sound familiar?  Well, there has to be a better way!!

            A group of 6 students is currently looking for the answer.  Their task is to design a course template for all of the classes in the college of management.  This will make it easier to register for classes because you will actually be able to read what the course is going to teach.  Their biggest challenge right now is figuring out what to include in the course catalogue. 

               This is where you come in.  They have created a survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=iOTqoHdRehi77wvr9boT3w_3d_3d and it is here that you can give your input as to what you want and don?t want in a COM course catalogue.  The survey only takes about 3 minutes so you can knock it out in no time at all.

       I only wish that I had this resource in the past.  I can?t speak for anyone else, but I can say from personal experience that I?ve definitely taken a couple of classes which were not at all what I expected them to be.  My only regret in this project is that I graduate in December and won?t be able to take advantage of this catalogue.  So, get out there and fill out this survey to get your suggestions heard.  This is a great opportunity to have your voice heard as a student.

-Brenden

P.S. I have no idea why the font is like three different sizes

Imagine getting to look exactly how you always wanted, act the way you dreamed of, and travel throughout the world without worrying about cost.  This is currently the experience for the 17 students in this summer's BUS 465 class

In addition to the previously mentioned project, we are also recreating ourselves in a "second life."  We've chosen new names and new bodies (called avatars) and are travelling around a digital world.  Now, you may be asking yourself: "Why are these students playing around with an online game for a class project?"  Well, for those of you readers that don't know, Second Life is BIG BUSINESS.  On their webpage, the company displays a ticker with real money spent in this digital world in the past 24 hours.  On average, this figure exceeds 1.5 million dollars.  

Figures like this aren't going un-noticed.  Businesses are flocking to this new medium.  Companies such as CocaCola are buying up real estate (called islands) and promoting their products.  You can even walk (or fly) around carrying a Coke can.

In addition to advertising opportunities, Second Life also offers opportunities for companies to interact with prospective employees by both distributing information and even conducting initial interviews with job candidates.

If you want to see what the buzz is all about, creat a new name, build your avatar, and join us as we explore our own "second life."

The BUS 465 blog is back and (hopefully) better than ever.  During the summer, I, Brenden, and my partner in crime, Charles, will be keeping you updated on the goings-on from within the integrated marketing communications class.

            Once again, the class?s client is the College of Management but, due to the abbreviated time of the class, the magnitude of our project will be slightly smaller.  Instead of last semester?s two giant projects, we will be tackling four smaller tasks.  These will include evaluating the merits of creating a detailed online course catalogue for all of the college?s classes and posting this on the College of Management website.  We will be developing a learning module, about navigating the college?s website. It will be posted on the online for use by incoming freshman and transfer students.  The class will also draft a presentation for the use with college student organizations, providing information about marketing and communications guidelines and resources in the college and at the university, including logo usage.  Finally, we will be surveying college alumni, asking about their preferences for communications from the college.

            While these projects may be small in scale (and maybe a little less fun than last semester?s field day), they are all extremely important in improving the college?s outreach and communications activities.

-Brenden