Online courses may prepare business students for research opportunities

Online courses may prepare business students for research opportunities

Students who choose to enroll in online universities may sharpen their technical skills and conduct groundbreaking research, such as the survey program that is being developed by First Planet.

The software company has announced it will partner with business scholars from Florida State University and the Stockholm School of Economics to study consumer behavior in a virtual setting.

During the Miss Calypso Pageant - a competition that will take place among avatars on the company's massive multiplayer online role playing game, Planet Calypso - researchers will examine how the virtual world influences the attitudes and intentions of potential purchasers of digital products.

Rob Hooker, a doctoral candidate at Florida State University's College of Business who is participating in the research, said this study is "the first chance to determine if people will buy products in real life that they see on avatars, and what influences them to buy those products for their own avatars as well."

Students and professionals can stay abreast of new trends by enrolling in online courses that examine the impact of technology on the business world.