It's a brand new world: Teaching brand management in virtual environments

3D Virtual Worlds: Business and Learning Opportunities

“…Researchers have explored the usefulness of virtual worlds in educating students through modern and innovative ways (Shen and Eder, 2009;Wagner, 2008;Sarah, 2009;and Belei et al, 2011), distance learning and also for medical and health education (Boulos et al, 2007). In VWs students can go in virtual class rooms where they can interact with one another via text and voice chat options; moreover, they can share and submit assignments using file transfer option.…”

“…It is true that for many decades' business studies especially marketing studies have been focusing on theoretical principles only but ignoring the practical experiences and the development of all those real skills which students would need www.ijacsa.thesai.org imperatively when they start their career (Belei et al, 2011). Elam and Spotts (2004) argued that it is truly difficult to simulate real marketing situation through textbooks and class room lectures only and this need is really important to be fulfilled for all marketing courses especially for advertisement and brand management.…”

“…Elam and Spotts (2004) argued that it is truly difficult to simulate real marketing situation through textbooks and class room lectures only and this need is really important to be fulfilled for all marketing courses especially for advertisement and brand management. Belei et al (2011) argued that though the lecturers have been trying to fulfill this need of students by assigning those projects but still a huge gap between theory and practice persists. Researchers, after careful analysis of virtual worlds, argued that virtual worlds could be used to enhance students' experience, set up a real scenario and provide countless activities for experimental learning.…”

“…Researchers, after careful analysis of virtual worlds, argued that virtual worlds could be used to enhance students' experience, set up a real scenario and provide countless activities for experimental learning. Further arguing researchers determined that using virtual world is an innovative solution to integrate theory and practical experience (Belei et al, 2011).…”

“…As virtual world is suitable place for experiments and wide range of experiences therefore, researchers took benefit from it by assigning branding project to undergraduate students and asking them to develop and practice the branding strategies of their particular brand (Belei et al, 2011). Belei et al (2011) claimed that through this activity students learned how to practice theory into real market.…”