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Abstract

Business school students need experience working in large problem spaces with messy, realistic data. THE UTILITY COMPANY (TUC) simulates a gas and electric company preparing for deregulation, with deeply embedded problems related to customer service, information technology, human resources, and social justice issues in serving diverse clients. Students take various paths through TUC’s data, watching video interviews with employees and analyzing text and data documents to unravel these problems. The authors analyze how one class of 15 students used this simulation and show how students used higher order skills of analysis, synthesis, and critical thinking. Another strength of this simulation was that it allowed the instructor to give effective but minimally intrusive midstream direction to student groups when they missed important content areas. Students found the experience both challenging and rewarding, as indicated by course evaluations. Shortcomings and future directions for this type of consulting simulation are also discussed.

Keywords

consulting simulation critical thinking deregulation multimedia problem solving problem space analysis problem-based learning project-based learning utility video

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A simulated consulting project with a deregulating utility company

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