CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS THROUGH E-COMMERCE. ACTIVE LEARNING, INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

This article presents a project based on an online store creation workshop, implemented at the University of Zaragoza for marketing students. Main objective is to facilitate a professional learning to the student in a real business environment. The aim is to support theoretical and practical knowledge by combining the promotion of student motivation with the interest in entrepreneurship, and the importance of acquiring professional skills in making real marketing and management decisions. These are crosscutting skills that are complemented by specific ones, such as business development in a real e-commerce environment and the use of marketing strategies focused on online retail distribution channels. Several student work-teams create their own online store (e-commerce retail), thus using information and communication technologies, recognized as facilitators of the creation and development of businesses in online distribution channels. The project-workshop is feasible through the collaboration of e-Pages, specialized platform that uses the latest generation software "e-Pages Now", which offers high ease of use. The business collaborates in every step of the learning and e-shop development providing assessment and a direct online communication with students and teachers. Finally, the experience is evaluated by the students, who like the practical components and demand more similar initiatives. The work-teams are involved in a competition that rewards the best store according to previously informed requirements. The project is transferred to other teaching contexts.