Why Do We Bother with Games and Simulations: An Organizational Learning Perspective

Abstract

The accelerating rate of change and the increasing uncertainty in the outcomes of change are evident across the whole business arena of today. This uncertainty is the result of the very complex and often inexplicable nature of our environment and the problems within it. Successful organizations are not trying to respond to this challenge by predicting the future, but are developing their ability to continuously learn and adapt to changes in their environment. This ability to adapt requires the organizational ability to learn. The process of developing and implementing games and simulations is one of the most effective approaches in enabling such organizational learning. Games and simulations help organizations develop symbolic thinking and gestalt understanding; help them create memories of the future; enable shared experiences and the building of shared intelligence; and, possibly most important, develop their members’motivation and confidence to act.