ERIC Number: ED017816
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1967
Pages: 1
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
SIMULATION GAMING FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT.
MCKENNEY, JAMES L.
THE PRESENT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL MANAGEMENT SIMULATION GAME WAS DEVELOPED AS A TEACHING DEVICE FOR CLASSES OF 20 OR MORE STUDENTS GROUPED INTO FOUR- AND FIVE-MAN TEAMS CALLED "FIRMS." EACH FIRM COMPETES WITH OTHERS IN AN "INDUSTRY," AN ECONOMIC ABSTRACTION OF A CONSUMER GOODS MARKET PROGRAMED TO BE SIMULATED ON AN ELECTRONIC DIGITAL COMPUTER. BUDGETS PREPARED BY EACH FIRM ARE RUN TO PRODUCE A SET OF ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS ON WHICH THE PARTICIPANTS DETERMINE THE NEXT SET OF MOVES. THE MODEL REQUIRES ABOUT TEN HOURS OF INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS PER MOVE, WITH THREE HOURS ALLOWED FOR EACH MOVE. THE FACULTY ACTS AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, RAISING QUESTIONS AND PROBING STUDENTS' REASONS FOR THEIR DECISIONS. THE SIMULATION WAS DEVELOPED TO INTEGRATE THE FUNCTIONAL COURSES OF MARKETING, PRODUCTION, AND FINANCE INTO AN OVERALL STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION EXERCISE, TO INVOLVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE UTILIZATION OF ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES IN A DYNAMIC PROBLEM SOLVING ACTIVITY, AND TO REQUIRE INDIVIDUALS TO COOPERATE AND COMMUNICATE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME TO SOLVE A COMPLEX PROBLEM. WAR GAMING AS THE BASIS FOR BUSINESS GAMING, THE EVOLUTION OF THE SIMULATION MODEL, AND HOW IT HAS BEEN USED IN VARIOUS BUSINESS GAMES ARE DISCUSSED. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE, FOR $4.00, FROM DIVISION OF RESEARCH, HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL, SOLDIERS FIELD, BOSTON, MASS. 02163. 189 PAGES. (AUTHOR/AJ)
Descriptors: Business, Communication Skills, Computer Assisted Instruction, Decision Making, Distributive Education, Financial Policy, Industry, Management Development, Management Games, Marketing, Problem Solving, Production Techniques, Research, Simulation, Small Group Instruction, Teacher Participation, Time Factors (Learning)
Publication Type: N/A
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: N/A
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Harvard Univ., Boston, MA. Business School.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A