Creating a Web-based simulation gaming exercise using PERL and JavaScript

Abstract

Business simulation gaming has been around for quite a few years. The pedagogical and, more recently, the assessment value of gaming has been recognized and accepted in many circles. Many functional and total enterprise gaming exercises have been used in various business courses. Over the year, as technology has improved, simulation exercises have become more sophisticated and user friendly. The student can now concentrate on the content and learning in the gaming exercise without getting too diverted by the mechanics of playing the game. With the advent of the Internet an added dimension of convenience is now available. Using the World Wide Web (WWW) is a natural extension of making simulation games more powerful and the access more convenient. Due to the ubiquitous nature of the World Wide Web, which is accessible today from any home computer connected to the Internet, it behooves academics to explore and take advantage of this technology. This article delineates one such implementation that makes the entire game available on the Web. The game has been in continuous use for the past 3 years. The various components of the game and how the programming languages Practical Extraction and Reporting Language (PERL) and JavaScript can provide the functionality for making the game available on the Internet are described.

Keywords

computer business game Internet-mediated simulation/gaming simulation game design Web-based simulation

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Dessouky, M. , Verma, S. , Bailey, D. , & Rickel, J. (2001). A methodology for developing a Web-based factory simulator for manufacturing education. IIE Transactions, 33(3), 167-180.

Duserick, F. , Enke, E. , Huang, W. , & Robana, A. (1999). Financial simulation using distributed computing technology. Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Learning, 26, 52-57.

Faria, A.J. , Nulsen, R.O. , & Roussos, D.S. (1994). COMPETE: A dynamic marketing simulation. BurrRidge, IL: Richard D. Irwin.

Fujita, K. , & Murahara, S. (2000). Management game review system development. Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Learning, 27, 239-241.

Gray, C.F. (1972). Performance as a criterion variable in measuring business game success: An experiment with a multiple objective performance model. Proceedings of the American Institute of Decision Sciences, Memphis, TN.

Oleck, J. (1999). I want my NYSE: Teens meet the market. Business Week, 3649, 227-230.

Overby, J. , Griffin, R. , Joyner, E. , Schmidt, T. , Tuck, L. , & Mansfield, K. (2000). Using the Internet and shareware to facilitate computer simulation in distance learning classes. Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, 27, 32-33.

Page, E. (1998). A survey of Web-based simulations. Retrieved from http://ms.ie.org/websim/survey/survey.html

Peach, B. , & Platt, R. (1998). Total enterprise simulations and the Internet: Improving student perceptions and simplifying administrative workloads. Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, 25, 44-50.

10.

Peach, B. , & Platt, R. (1999). Total enterprise simulations and the Internet: Assessing student perceptions and preferences. Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, 26, 352-353.

11.

Vance, S. (1960). Management decision simulation. New York: McGraw-Hill.