Guidelines for the Use of Business Simulation Games

Abstract

Business simulation games allow students to experience applied decision-making in a fashion not provided by other forms of classroom instruction. Well-designed games can give students hands-on experience in decision-making under uncertainty in a competitive environment related to the course content. However, these advantages will be difficult to obtain without careful preparation on the part of the instructor in selecting and implementing games for specific classes. This article provides detailed recommendations regarding the factors which must be considered before introducing a simulation game into a class. Taking these factors into account should enable even the uninformed instructor to successfully use business simulation games and to avoid the pitfalls experienced by instructors who learned of these factors the hard way.