General management simulations: an approach for the seventies

Abstract

The great surge of enthusiasm and research in gaming during the sixties provided us with some of the most sophisticated general-management simulations ever. In the seventies we will undoubtedly witness even more interest in these games. However, the value of many of them is questionable because: (a) the time needed to memorize mechanistic rules is excessive and (b) the difficulty in interpreting feedback leads to an inability to draw cause-effect relationships. If these games are to be of real value we need more emphasis in game design upon giving the participants data that can be analyzed, cause-and-effect relationships that can be determined, and situations in which intelligent strategy can be devel oped. In short, less doing and more thinking.

The concept of Key Equations as used in TOP MAN AGEMENT SIMULATION, a general management game developed at the University of Nebraska, may serve as a model for these games during the seventies.

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References

Klasson C.R.

Business gaming — a progress report

Academy of Management Journal vol 7 no 3 September 1964 pp 175-176

Graham R.G. Gray C F 1 Business games handbook American Management Association 1969 pp 17-18

While Gordon and Howell , in 1959, (Higher education for business, Columbia University Press, 1959, table 13, p 210), reported that their survey of 37 AACSB members showed 10.8% of the schools required 1-4 hours of business policy, Chen and Zane, in a 1969 study, (The business school core curricula eight years after Gordon-Howell and Pierson reports, Collegiate News and Views, October 1969, p 7) report their survey of 94 AACSB member schools indicate 33.0% now require Business policy. Thus, over the last ten years policy has become a required course in many more accredited schools of business.

Not everyone agrees with this, however, as indicated by such individuals as Billy Goetz (Critique of Business Games, Academy of Management Foundation, December 1959), who feels business games are too time consuming and costly.

An IBM 360/65 is employed.