A ll good business modules incorporate an STRATEGY
All students are at least familiar with video games these days, and the idea that computer programmes can help illuminate the consequences of immediate individual decisions and long-term strategies must ring a bell for anyone who has spent time playing the likes of Civilization or The Sims. There is now a wealth of simulations used in MBA teaching, ranging from complex ‘systems dynamics’ programmes, which use mathematical formulas to capture strategy dynamics, to more simple games that highlight specific topics in areas such as negotiations, pricing, and leadership. I remember the first time I played a business simulation, during my master’s studies in the early 2000s. When I got my first teaching position at Imperial College Business School in 2007, I included an interactive simulation game created by Harvard Business School Publishing on my course. The simulation was a brief 60-minute exercise, but it got students engaged and their feedback was always positive. At that time, the programmes were run through a web browser, and required me either to book a computer classroom or ask students to haul their heavy laptops to the lesson on that specific day. We’re fortunate that, nowadays, laptops are considerably lighter, and many simulations have been adapted to run on powerful and ubiquitous smartphones. I find simulations are a great complement to case studies, and I always include one or two short simulations in all my courses. Unlike case studies, most of them do not require much preparation from students, saving space in the tightly budgeted pre-readings. Many of the newer simulations include a storyline akin to case studies or role-playing games, facilitating richer in-class discussions. Simulations engage the students through a string of interconnected problem-solving situations with a performance outcome that sets up competition among the MBA students and Executive MBA participants. I typically ask those participating in my courses to take part in the simulation in pairs, encouraging engagement and joint problem solving.
experiential learning element – exercises that allow students to apply the theories and skills they have learned in replicated real-world situations. Business simulations are software tools designed to create structured experiential learning situations either before or during class. Other more traditional forms of experiential learning that mimic scenarios which might occur during a participant’s career include role-play exercises in the classroom, and case studies. However, the personalised feedback students receive in traditional in-class tasks and take-home assignments is necessarily limited. There is only so much attention even the best teacher can give to individual students, after all. Similar limits do not exist for software, however, as students’ inputs can be processed immediately, and they can receive rich and timely feedback on the sequential choices they make. The concept of students learning about business by engaging with interactive software is not new to the higher education sector. The first business simulation game, focusing on logistics, was developed by the RAND Corporation back in 1955. Yet, while simulations have been used in business education for several decades, they have become increasingly attractive in recent years.
Many of the newer simulations include a storyline akin to case studies or role-playing games
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