The Role of Management Games in Education and Research

TLDR

A few management games are described in some detail, while many others are only briefly mentioned. The authors aim to survey the current and potential role of management games in education and research, evaluate their uses, propose hypotheses linking design to educational outcomes, suggest improvements, and explore their potential as research laboratories. The study characterizes current development of business games, distinguishes general from functional types, evaluates their use as teaching tools, proposes a “game case” improvement, and discusses methodological challenges for research applications.

Abstract

This paper is intended to be a broad survey of both the present and the potential role of management games in education and research. Against a background of the history of business games, we first try to characterize the present development of these games. A few management games are described in some detail, and a number of others are mentioned only briefly. The differences between general and functional business games are discussed. Present uses of management games as a teaching device are surveyed and evaluated. Some hypotheses regarding the relations between the design and administrative characteristics of a business game and its educational properties are also formulated. What might be a major improvement over existing management games, here named the “game case,” is then suggested. In the concluding portion of this paper, the potential use of management games as a laboratory for business and social science research is surveyed. Some methodological problems which would arise from research uses of business games are also discussed.