Public and private partnerships for intense e-Business training

This paper describes an innovative approach to life-long learning as implemented in a large Industrial Cooperation Project between the USA and the Republic of China (ROC). This project was sponsored under the current Industrial Automation and eBusiness Development plan by the Industrial Automation and eBusiness Steering Committee for the ROC, and helps enable and accelerate Taiwan’s transition into a hub for managing a global extended enterprise. In accordance with internal eBusiness objectives, the Taiwanese government charged the Boeing Company with building an eBusiness Laboratory (for technology transfer), as well as with organising five workshops for training executives and technologists. Boeing assembled a team1 to help with the design and implementation of the laboratory and with workshop organisation and management. George Mason University was asked to be the technical lead for the laboratory and for workshop development. The details of this unique approach to executive-level technology transfer are presented in this paper.