IACBE
How a Business Simulation Game
Enhances Course Curriculum
Mark P. Stevens MBA, JD, LL.M
Bellevue University, College of Business
Florida
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How a Business Simulation Game
can Enhance Course Curriculum
Business Simulations
Benefits of a Business Simulation
Simulation Features
Sample Course Assignment/Assessment Chart
Simulation Course Assignments
Quality Matters
Student Perceptions
Course Rating by Term
Student Activities
Simulation Walk-thru (time permitting)
Business Simulations
Business Simulations
How a Business Simulation Game can
Enhance Course Curriculum
A Business simulation:
Offers a useful set of integrated features for developing robust course
content that enhances the student experience;
Ideal for a capstone course because a simulation challenges students to
apply a variety of the skills they acquired in previous courses; (e.g.
finance, accounting, supply chain management, human resource.
information management, international business, marketing, business
law, ethics, etc.)
Promotes interactive communication between the instructor and
students;
Creates a platform that facilitates group activities;
Provides data analysis and market projection reports; and
Provides an element of competition to motivate students.
Simulation Features
e-Textbook – Full or supplemental electronic copy
Case Studies – In depth and relate to Chapter Topics
Quizzes – Chapter, Mid-term, and Final
Tests or Exams – Chapter, Midterm, Final
Exercises - Chapter
Peer Reviews – Mid-term and Final
Reports – Financial, Operations, Marketing
PowerPoint Slide Presentations – Chapter Specific
Competitive Gaming – Motivate students to succeed
Instructional Videos and Help Screen – Build student confidence
Student and Instructor Support – Email and Telephone
Course Assignment/Assessment Chart
Assignments
1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 2.3 3.1 3.2 4.1 4.2 4.3 5.1 5.2 6.1 6.2 6.3 7.1 7.2 7.3 8.1 8.2 9.1 9.2 10.1 10.2 11.1 11.2 12.1 12.2 Sum %
Discussion Board
30
30
30
Quiz 1
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
330 33 Personal
25
25 2.5 Personal
Quiz 2
50
Case Study
30
30
30
Peer Review
Report
Assignment
50
30
30
150 15 Personal
20
30
30
30
30
25
30
30
45 4.5 Personal
180 18 Group
Simulation
3-Year Plan
5 Personal
100 10 Group
60
Final Report
60
60
6 Group
60
6 Group
1000 100
•
The BSG Simulation represents 48% of the course assignments/assessments.
•
Both objective and subjective assessments.
•
To stress the importance of group activities, 40% of the student’s grade is based on group assignments.
Simulation Course Assignments
Weekly Discussion Board - assignments to encourage research, critical
thinking, analytical reasoning, communication, and technical writing skills.
Rubric provided.
Mid-term & Final Quiz – each quiz consists of 20 randomized test bank
questions.
Case Studies - selected by the instructor from a list in the Simulation. Work
in conjunction with chapter reading assignments. Case studies use focus
questions so students perform a more detailed examination of the particular
points the instructor wants to emphasize. Rubric provided.
Two Peer Reviews – Mid-term and Final.
The Report Assignments are group research paper assignments developed to
address specific business issues that corresponds to that weeks course
reading material. The six address the following topical areas: 1. Strategic
Decisions; 2. Porter’s Five Forces; 3. SWOT Analysis; 4. Competitive
Strategies; 5. Six-step Performance Analysis; 6. Company Valuation. Rubric
Provided.
Simulation Course Assignments (cont.)
Simulation – Team ranking based on performance in the
simulation.
3-Year Plan - Tests students ability to forecast their
performance over 3 subsequent periods.
The Final Report is a narrated PowerPoint presentation that
presents the team’s strategic vision, performance targets,
competitive strategy, production strategy, financial strategy,
market-share strategy, competitor analysis and lessons learned.
Guidelines Provided.
Quality Matters (QM) Compliance
Developing a simulation based course will help ensure compliance
with the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric (QM Rubric)
standards and should significantly reduce course development time.
The 2014 QM Rubric is comprised of a set of eight General Standards
and forty-three Specific Review Standards used to evaluate the design
of an online or blended course.
Simulations operate on their own proprietary LMS platform and their
suite of integrated features will facilitate course compliance with the
QM Standards.
Course alignment is one measurement unique to the QM Rubric and is
well adapted in simulations where critical course components are
integrated to work together to help ensure students achieve the desired
learning outcomes.
Quality Matters Compliance
Simulations aligns to the QM General Standards in the following manner:
Course Overview and Introduction – Simulations offer well written instructions, help videos, online
support services, and practice rounds so students quickly develop confidence in playing the simulation
and understanding the impact of the strategic data points.
Learning Objectives (Competencies) – Simulation objectives are provided in the Student and
Instructor’s manuals. Course developers can include other assignments and assessments than those
provided in the simulation, so course objectives vary accordingly.
Assessment and Measurement – Quizzes, examinations, peer reviews, and other simulation activities
help evidence compliance with the learning objectives.
Instructional Materials – Detailed Instructor and Student Manual, instructional videos, technical guides,
and templates facilitate student learning activities.
Course Activities and Learner Interaction – Student learning activities are promoted through
imputing strategic data points, Discussion Board posts, file exchanges, instructor comments, an
integrated e-Textbook, and preparing a final narrated PowerPoint presentation.
Course Technology – In addition to operating on a stand-alone LMS, simulations provide Help videos,
PowerPoint presentations, Help screens, and popup videos for each strategic decision to help students
understand the course material and how to play the simulation.
Learner Support – Simulations provide tools and media support instructions such as Help videos and
screens, tutorials, sample course schedules, player tips, awards, and online technical support to help
guide students while playing the simulation.
Accessibility and Usability – Simulation videos are closed captioned. The web pages, decision entry
screens, and reports are all in HTML5 making them functional with screen reader software.
HOW STUDENTS FEEL A
SIMULATION HELPS PREPARE
THEM TO BECOME BUSINESS
PROFESSIONALS
Student Simulation Rating by Term
How well does the simulation in MBA 639 prepare you to become a business professional?
BSG Simulation
The MarketPlace Simulation
Winter 2014
Fall 2014
Summer 2014
Spring 2014
Winter 2013
Fall 2013
Summer 2012
Spring 2012
9
10
8
6
10
9
7
9
8
9
9
10
10
9
8
9
3
9
10
10
9
8
10
9
8
7
10
9
8
9
8
9
9
9
8
10
10
10
10
10
10
8
8
9
9
10
9
10
10
9
9
9
10
10
10
7
8
9
10
8
8
10
9
9
9
10
10
10
8
8
10
9
7
10
9
10
9
9
10
10
8
8
7
9
5
10
8
9
10
9
9
4
10
8
9
10
10
10
10
10
9
10
8
9
10
8
8
9
10
8
9
10
9
10
8
10
8
10
9
10
9
8
9
7
10
9
134
8
8
10
8
10
9
9
9
8
9
9
10
8
152
7
155
154
162
160
10
9
10
9
9
9
9
10
173
178
9
9
Student Simulation Activities
Students can use the simulation to test their own ability, and their ability to work with a
group. They use their skills to analyze the health of their business and determine its current
market health. These skills are useful to business professionals, and especially useful to the
executive leadership of a company, business owners, and investors.
Some of the many activities students perform include:
Assess the current financial state of the company by analyzing data from the Income
Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement;
Calculate various financial ratios to indicate the financial health of the company;
Understand how to control the company’s operating performance by adjusting its cost
elements;
Analyze the market and the competitive forces facing the company using marketing
reports;
Analyze and interpret marketing data for rival companies;
Perform various analysis, including SWOT, PESTEL Analysis, Porter’s Five Forcer,
BCG Matrix, and other forms of analysis;
Understand factors that can increase market share and profitability;
Craft innovative and creative strategies that take advantage of reported market
conditions;
Able to communicate and contribute as a valuable group member;
Understand corporate responsibility and ethics, and the challenges they pose.
A Simulation Will Help Students Articulate Business
Concepts, Strategies and Analysis
A simulation can help students improve their technical,
conceptual, analytical, ethical, moral, and managerial
skills.
It can give students practice and build their confidence in
making strategic decisions that demonstrate good business
judgment.
Students who played the simulation report they have a
better understanding how the many departments of a
manufacturer co-operate, how product costs may be
reduced, and how efficiency can be increased.
Why Students Pursue Higher Education
An interesting article by Cengage researcher, Tami Strang, Why Nontraditional
Students Decided to Attend College, offers the view that all students generally
pursue higher education for the same reasons, and offers the following ten
major themes:
1. They want to enter or transition into a specific field.
2. It’s the right time in their lives to do so.
3. They’re preparing themselves for today’s job market.
4. They want to learn, and hone, particular skills.
5. They want to fulfill their dreams.
6. They want to finish what they’ve started.
7. They’re pursuing an advanced degree.
8. They found the right school.
9. They want to provide for—and inspire—their loved ones.
10. They simply value and love learning!
FINITO