The virtual enterprise, to function, requires a technologically advanced environment, which should include:
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a Web portal,
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the use of advanced management software for the company’s IT system,
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networking with other virtual enterprises,
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open-source platforms to share and exchange information and experiences, using virtual reality tools.
The network to which a virtual enterprise belongs (the largest one worldwide is Europen-Pen International), generally speaking, is managed through national Centres, which make available a working platform on the web.Footnote 2 This makes it possible to access essential services for the practice firm: databases, the provision of services such as home banking, on-line purchases and selling transactions between enterprises and operators which are created on purpose from the virtual headquarters. The latter can be official bodies (the IRS, social security agencies, etc.), and clients or suppliers not present on the virtual marketplace. The working portal, as well as including advanced management software, allows the virtual enterprise to work almost exclusively inside a digital environment, with particular emphasis on the use of virtual reality. The appropriate management software is the IT tool that makes it possible to implement the whole IT system in a company, which can be then used for general accounting, management control or data processing (most notably financial statements), as well as making it possible for each office within the company to access all relevant information for statistical reporting purposes. The company’s IT system is therefore the core of corporate management, which includes all programming tools, such as the business plan and the budget for a specific financial period with all its different sections, to implement an on-going monitoring and reporting process, which is essential for the purpose of assessing the company’s performance at any given time. From a training perspective, managing the IT system is a practical exercise which enables students to enhance computer skills and to get an overview of company management as a whole, through a careful assessment of the consistency of operations carried out by all the offices, to detect possible mistakes and decide then on corrections to be made. In this respect the approach can be described as “pull-driven” because knowledge is a result of issues, which have to be dealt with and resolved on each occasion.
This learning model based on learning by doing, which is created through the virtual enterprise, can fully express its potential if it is set within digital environments where it is possible to share and exchange information, or facilitate relationships. This is why open-source platforms are used to share learning materials, courses, information and experience in the area of education.
These open-source platforms are based on connecting, teaming, networking and sharing (Trombetta et al. 2013b). Open-source platforms provide digital communication media such as conference calls, working teams and co-working networks, where expert support is provided with regard to the various topics in hand. The goal is to create a learning environment where students are able to exchange ideas with a view to solving problems, increasing their knowledge and competences, as well as working toward on-going innovation. All this can be achieved in a virtual enterprise because the educational setting for the whole activity is purpose-made for open-source platforms and to receive more feedback from the latter to enhance the learning environment. Experience in this regard has shown that it is indeed possible to interact effectively, especially in respect of e-learning and supporting the establishment of start-up companies in different countries using virtual environments such as Second Life or other virtual reality applications (Tampieri 2009; Tampieri 2012). From an educational perspective, virtual reality offers a student in a virtual enterprise the possibility of developing new digital know-how, to extend relations using direct methods, to organize work forums on specific topics in a virtual classroom, for the purpose of “building on shared knowledge to the advantage of individuals”, as well as to disseminate competences (Trombetta et al. 2013a). The result is that the active role of the student as part of the learning path is highlighted because there are more sources of knowledge available which can be applied to the study environment created through a virtual enterprise.
However, despite all the benefits described above on the learning environment that virtual enterprises bring up for students, more empirical studies supported with substantial research are needed to concrete the learning outcomes, in terms of competences, acquired by students (Feinstein and Cannon 2002). The purpose of this work is to contribute in this regard trying to shed some light on the effectiveness of virtual enterprises in terms of these learning outcomes.
An analysis of previous research that measures the effectiveness of e-learning methodologies shows the flaws of these assessments that most of the times are not systematic and are based on the benefits of these methodologies, mixing within this term, a wide range of concepts that are not always the same (Fitó-Bertrán et al. 2014, 2015). Therefore, it is quite frequent that this research assesses the effectiveness and usefulness of e-learning methodologies considering different aspects separately, and without a solid justification for their election. Most of the times, these aspects are characteristics of the methodology, which are derived from the fact of being based on ICT. For example, the benefits considered can be based in the reduction of limitations due to time or space restrictions, the autonomy gained by students in their learning process, the possibility of being more active in the construction of their learning, the immediate feedback received, the practice in an on-the-job situation, effects on their motivation, the possibility to avoid risks of real decisions and the apprehension of failures or reprisal (Fu et al. 2009; Gilgeous and D’Cruz 1996; Zantow et al. 2005).
Nevertheless, these benefits related to e-leaning methodologies, and to virtual enterprises among them, do not refer directly to the competences acquired by students while using them, considering competences as the underlying characteristics of a person related to the good or excellence performance at work (González and Wagenaar 2003). In addition, previous research that consider these competences in the evaluation of e-learning methodologies normally mixes them with the characteristics, not competences, explained formerly; and frequently only considers some of them, not applying a rigorous process of selection, a systematic framework or a solid classification of competences to better understand the real contribution of these methodologies in the students’ learning process (Fitó-Bertrán et al. 2014; 2015). Finally, previous research has focused in some kind of generic competences, such as teamwork, decision-making, problem solving and knowledge management, but has neglected others, normally more specific ones and those that imply particular knowledge and roles in different thematic areas, like accounting, finance and strategic management, in the case of virtual enterprises.
All these gaps justify the purpose of the present research, which consists of analyzing, from the point of view of students, the contribution of virtual enterprises to their learning process, in terms of the acquisition of generic and specific managerial competences.
By doing this, the purpose is to respond to two research questions. First, what are the most and least relevant generic and specific managerial competences fostered by the virtual enterprise methodology from the students’ perspective? Second, is there a common learning profile in all the students? For this second objective, we made comparisons in terms of gender and the economic activity developed by the virtual enterprise to look for more robust results.