STUDENT AND TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF A MANAGEMENT SIMULATION COURSE Developments In Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 22, 1995 124 STUDENT AND TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF A MANAGEMENT SIMULATION COURSE Michael A. Yahr, Robert Morris College ABSTRACT This paper offers some instructor thoughts and student perceptions of CORPORATION: A GLOBAL BUSINESS SIMULATION by Gerald R. Smith and Peggy A. Golden. These perceptions favorably depict CORPORATION as a useful cognitive and affective pedagogical tool. Students appear to favor a simulation approach to learning. Recommendations are made for improving the simulation approach to learning. INTRODUCTION Team business simulations such as CORPORATION: A GLOBAL BUSINESS SIMULATION by Smith and Golden (1994), potentially allow for collaborative learning and development of interpersonal skills. At Robert Morris College, CORPORATION, a simulation of the information systems industry, has been employed for five semesters in the final management course, Management Simulation. An anonymous thirty-three-question survey (Appendix) was administered at the conclusion of three classes of Management Simulation to gauge both cognitive and affective outcomes of learning. A continuum was employed and means and modes were calculated for each question. STUDENT PERCEPTIONS AND LEARNING One informal objective of the course was to create enjoyment. Overwhelmingly, students enjoyed a simulation approach to learning and they agreed that they would like to use a simulation again. Students strongly perceived CORPORATION as a “learning experience” and not as “too much of a game” as well as a reasonable simulation of the real world. A variety of perceived outcomes were measured to assess learning. Students believed they learned as much in the simulation course as in other courses and they were strongly motivated to do their best for their teams. With regard to specific course objectives, students perceived an integration of knowledge and skills acquired in other courses, learned more about the business environment, and better understood strategic planning, financial management, the functions of planning and organizing and the concerns of upper level managers. Similarly, three-fourths of the students gained insights on group dynamics. INSTRUCTOR THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS Team Selection Teams, comprised of 4-6 persons, are gender balanced and include at least one person with strong financial skills and one with extensive computer experience. Students are asked if there is anyone with whom they would prefer not to work and students do not choose their own teams. Perhaps the most important criterion in team selection is to form teams on the assumption that a heterogeneous group with regard to personality and problem solving abilities is more suitable than a homogeneous group when performing complex tasks. To this end a personality instrument such as the Personal concept instrument, Mohler and Associates (1981), appears to be appropriate. Number Crunching While Smith and Golden provide many forms to assist in the number crunching, our teams construct computer spreadsheets to efficiently test their decisions and predict results, as time is a critical element. Peer Evaluation To encourage equitable and accurate ratings, an informal peer review should be conducted at the midpoint of the simulation and shared with coworkers, giving each person an opportunity to improve. In a similar vein, we employ a role- negotiations technique, where students privately and in writing, direct comments to each teammate about his contribution. Incentives To stimulate competition throughout the simulation, we reveal aggregate performance points (calculated by the computer program). To prevent teams from only focusing on performance points and to enhance the management decision-making experience, each firm is required to present a “project” at the annual stakeholders meeting. Developments In Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 22, 1995 125 Difficulties Another problem, albeit one that occurs in many courses, is the occasional student who is “turned off” by the learning approach. A clear explanation of the course’s procedure and requirements, a persuasive discussion of the potential benefits of a simulation and continuous encouragement clear the path for a more effective learning experience. CONCLUSION CORPORATION: A GLOBAL BUSINESS SIMULATION has proven to be a valuable management tool from both the perspectives of students and the instructor. APPENDIX SA = strongly agree = 5 points A = agree = 4 points U = uncertain = 3 points D = disagree = 2 points SD = strongly disagree = 1 point Mode/Mean SA 4.28 1. I enjoyed the simulation approach to learning. A 4.28 2. I thought the CORPORATION simulation was interesting. D 2.02 3. I thought the CORPORATION simulation was too complex. A 3.98 4. I prefer a simulation approach to learning to a lecture approach. A 3.74 5. I prefer a simulation approach to a case study approach (e.g. as in Business Policy). A 4.08 6. I feel that I learned as much in this course as I typically do in other courses. A 3.56 7. I enjoyed working in a group. AD 3.04 8. I would prefer less group work. D 2.28 9. The amount of reading in the course should be increased. D 2.12 10. I would have preferred more learning activities (e.g. exercises, cases, lectures) in this course. A 4.06 11. The “critical incidents” made the course more interesting. A 3.92 12. I learned from the “critical incidents.” D 2.72 13. There was too much “number crunching” in the simulation. SA 4.52 14. I tried to do my best for my team. D 2.36 15. It was difficult to learn how to use the CORPORATION simulation. D 2.42 16. I would have preferred more assignments involving the computer. A 3.36 17. The course required too much out of class group time. A 4.14 18. The course helped to familiarize me with the business environment. A 4.08 19. The course helped me to understand the concerns of upper level managers. A 4.28 20. The course required me to integrate knowledge and skills learned in other courses. A 3.16 21. It was too difficult to predict the outcomes of decisions in the CORPORATION simulation. A 3.98 22. I better understand strategic planning as a result of this course. A 3.9 23. I better understand financial management as a result of this course. A 3.76 24. I gained insight into how to function effectively within a group setting. A 3.38 25. I feel more comfortable speaking to a large audience as a result of this course. A 3.68 26. The “group project” was a positive learning experience. A 3.62 27. I thought the amount of teacher interaction with the groups was just right. D 2.86 28. I would have preferred more teacher interaction with my group. A 3.98 29. I more fully understand the functions of planning and organizing as a result of this course. A 3.76 30. I would like to use a simulation approach again. D 2.08 31. The simulation was too much of a “games and not enough of a learning experience. A 3.56 32. The CORPORATION program is a reasonable simulation of the real world. D 3.56 33. I would have liked more in-class group time. REFERENCES Mohler, J. (1981) THE NAME OF THE GAME IS YOU!: HOW TO ZERO IN ON YOURSELF AND OTHERS: THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUES AND BEHAVIOR Garwood, NJ: Jack Mohler and Associates. Smith, J.R. and Golden, P.A. (1994) CORPORATION: A GLOBAL BUSINESS SIMULATION. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Table of Contents Volume 22, 1995 Simulation Performance, Learning and Struggle Are Good Simulation Performers Consistently Good? Cognitive and Behavioral Consistency in a Computer-Based Marketing-Simulation-Game Environment: An Empirical Investigation of the Decision-Making Process Chalk & Cheese: Executive Short-Course vs. Academic Simulations Revisiting Personality Bias in Total Enterprise Simulations Are Good Strategies Consistently Good? Investigating the Use of a Computer Simulation as an Effective Pedagogical Tool for the Application of a Strategic Model The Problem of determining an Individualized Simulation's Validity as an Assessment Tool A Simulation Based Analysis of the Value of Information in the Hrebiniak Joyce Typology of Adaptation Relative to Porter's Generic Strategies The Impact of Sales and Income Growth on Profitability and Market Measures in Actual and Simulated Industries A Comparison of a Stand Alone Version of a Simulation with the Traditional Competitive Version Computer-Assisted Gaming of International Business Analyzing Simulations with Computer-Based Programs and Applying the Experience to a Real-World Business A Preliminary Investigation of the Use of a Bankruptcy Indicator in a Simulation Environment Graduates' Views on the Use of Computer Simulation Games Versus Cases as Pedagogical Tools An Analytical Advertising Model Approach to the Determination of Market Demand Dealing with the Complexity Paradox in Business Simulation Games A Prototyping Approach for Incorporating Large Data Bases into Media Planning Simulations: An Example Using Magazine Media Through the Looking Glass, Inc: Superior-Subordinate Personality Type and the Leniency effect Evaluating the Effectiveness of Role Playing Simulation and Other Methods in Teaching Managerial Skills Student and Teacher Perceptions of a Management Simulation Course Performance Evaluation: The Effect on the Propensity to Create Budgetary Slack Management Team Formation for Large Scale Simulations Comparative Static Analysis with the Complete PPA Package: A Strategic Market Planning Tool Consistency in Intent: Learning Objectives at the 1994 Intercollegiate Business Policy Competition A New Twist on an Old Game: The Business Strategy Game: A Global Industry Simulation 3ed Evaluation of Performance in Management Simulation: A Management Coefficients Model Building SimuWorlds: Strategic Management Games of the Future Bulls and Bears: A Stock Market Simulation A Systems Thinking Paradigm and Think Computer Simulation Model of Broadcast and Cable Television Industry Competition Jacket Factory The Sales Management Simulation The Marketing Management Simulation A Demonstration of Promodel Demonstrating A New, Cross-Functional Business Simulation: Vision+ A Cost Chain For The Business Strategy Game Simulation Special Session On Experiential Teaching Compensation Dilemmas: An Exercise In Ethical Decision-Making Organizational Storytelling: Telling Tales In The Business Classroom Evaluating Experiential Training: Case Study And Recommendations The Internship Portfolio: An Innovative Tool For Experiential Learning, Critical Thinking, And Communication An Ethnographic Analysis Of The Pedagogical Impact Of Cooperative Communicating Consumer Behavior: A Long-Term Integrated Exercise Using Personal Consumption Journals And Consumer Analysis Papers An Experiential Paradigm For Teaching Business Problem Solving Developing Leadership Skills The Spss® Student Assistant: The Integration of A Statistical Analysis Program Into A Marketing Research Textbook Negotiating With Your Students Using TQM Principles To Transform Accounting Systems Into An Experiential Exercise Enhancing The Effectiveness Of Outdoor-Based Experiential Training Using Virtual Reality Concepts Case Writing In A Developing Country: An Indonesian Example Experiential Learning Using Focus Groups How Real Should Experiential Pedagogy Be? A Viewpoint From Our Students Reengineering The Internship: A New Approach To Experiential Learning Utilizing The Cosmopolitan/Local And Marginal Man Constructs To Measure Students' Propensity For Creativity Developing Experiential Processes For Teaching Quantitative Techniques For Business Team Learning Roles: A Cooperative Learning Technique Creating the Ultimate Small Business Student Experience: Melding Score/Ace with SBI The Development of Trust in Work Teams: The Impact of Touch Some Outcomes of Experiential Learning: How the Cultural Dynamics of Different Countries are reflected in Workplace Norms & Values Incorporation of Job Analysis Results in Various Forms of Selection Interviews Chudesno, Inc.: An Evaluation of an Experiential Training and Development Simulation An Exercise for Exploring the Relationship between Jungian Psychological Types and Organizational Dynamics Partnership: A Radical Approach to Experiential Learning Partnership: A Nice Idea, But How Do I Get Started? Recognizing Discrimination at Work Using Critical Incident Skills Questions to Help Students Become More Successful at Job Interviewing The Video Project Introduction to Psychological Type Theory Come On Down Understanding Facilitation for Development and Continuous Learning: A Micro-Workshop Leadership and Empowerment: An Experiential Exercise in Decision Making Experiential Exercises and Pedagogy Track Workshop: Selecting a Manager for Maquiladora, Inc. Experiential Training In Multi-Cultural Corporate Settings The Role of Facilitation as an Aid to Complete Learning An Experiential Exercise to Illustrate Difference in Information Processing Behaviors and Styles How to Deliver Accessible Survey Results Age Diversity in the Workplace- Family Feud Style Nafta Standoff: A Cross-Cultural negotiating Role-Play Three Strikes and You're Out!: A Downsizing Experiential Exercise