Virtual Enterprise 

The Virtual Enterprise (VE) is an exciting and innovative tool for teaching systems engineering and information systems where departmental laboratories are integrated using information technology into a single “virtual enterprise.” 

The VE system allows all laboratories and centers to use common database(s) and similarly functioning application programs as if they were separate operations within a single manufacturing or service supply chain.

The Industrial and Systems Engineering Department currently maintains

• 10 laboratories totaling 6,578 square feet of space. 

• Two additional research laboratories are maintained in the Interdisciplinary Research Center. 

Existing departmental laboratories are spread among three adjacent buildings (Cherry, Graham, and McNair Halls), providing an ideal facility for the VE.  Laboratories are connected through a high-speed network.

The VE serves to teach students about systems engineering and information systems through visual learning and practical experience. 

The virtual enterprise serves as a primary integrator uniting the curriculum.  Laboratories previously used for isolated tasks now function as different departments within an integrated enterprise. 

• Students understand the data and process models used as the basis for the integration. 

• Students learn the systemic elements of businesses, as the laboratories manufacture products (such as clocks and disposable cameras) and perform services (such as freight, warehousing, and transportation).