COMPUTERIZED MANAGEMENT SIMULATIONS AND SOME CORRELATES OF STUDENTS’ SATISFACTION Developments In Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 19, 1992 225 COMPUTERIZED MANAGEMENT SIMULATIONS AND SOME CORRELATES OF STUDENTS’ SATISFACTION Charles S. White, U.T. Chattanooga Dale Von Riesen, University of Wyoming ABSTRACT Student satisfaction, effort, and performance were investigated in a junior-level, semester-long management simulation. Self-reported survey data and group performance measures supported the relationship between student participation and satisfaction. INTRODUCTION Because simulations are becoming common place in business curricula, students are increasingly being expected to participate in this method of instruction. Anecdotal evidence suggests, however, there is substantial variation in students’ satisfaction and learning with their use. Since students are increasingly being expected to participate in simulations, it is appropriate to investigate some of the correlates of performance and satisfaction. METHODOLOGY One hundred and forty students participated in a team- oriented business simulation in a junior-level management concepts course. The simulation, Allison Industries, is a total enterprise management game requiring students to formulate strategic and tactical plans for the purpose of operating a simulated factory. Decision inputs included price, factory capacity, production amounts, marketing and financial information. Students were organized into teams of between three to five members. Students were randomly assigned to their teams with the constraint that students majoring in the different functional areas of business were evenly dispersed. Teams competed against each other for a total of two practice sessions followed immediately by ten graded iterations. Students were provided income statements, balance sheets, and summary information of opponent’s decisions at the end of each period of play. During the middle and then again at the conclusion of the simulation, bonus grading points were assigned to each team based on their overall success relative to each other. At the end of the semester, each student was asked to complete a questionnaire, which included questions regarding their majors, their effort, and their satisfaction with the simulation. Students were guaranteed anonymity with regard to the reporting of data. HYPOTHESES H1: A student’s satisfaction with the simulation is determined by his or her participation H2: The academic credit earned by the student directly affects his or her satisfaction with the simulation. H3: The student’s influence on other team members is positively related to his or her satisfaction with the simulation. H4: The student’s self-reported effort directly affects the actual bonus points earned by the team on the simulation. H5: The students effort expended on the simulation influences his or her desire to participate in other simulations in future classes. RESULTS Students were asked if the simulation was realistic. Of 133 responses, 116 (87.2%) indicated they felt the simulation was realistic. A contingency table was constructed cross- tabulating the student’s perception of realism with the desire to play more simulations. The contingency table indicated there was a signif icant relationship (X2 = 14.39, p < 0.001). Hypothesis 1 examined the relationship between the student’s participation and his or her satisfaction with the simulation. The dependent and independent variables were measured with likert scaled questions and both variables were considered to be intervally scaled. Satisfaction was regressed on the students self reported participation with his or her team. The hypothesis was strongly supported (R2 0.30, p < 0.001, = 2.12, = 0.39). Hypothesis 2 examined the relationship between the bonus points earned by the student with his or her satisfaction. Bonus points were assigned based upon each team’s performance relative to the other teams. This hypothesis was strongly supported (R2 = 0.493, p < 0.001, = 2.44, B1 = 0.19); that is, the more bonus points earned by the student, the higher the students self-reported satisfaction level. Hypothesis 3 investigated the relationship between the student’s self-reported influence on the group and satisfaction. Both variables were measured with a likert scaled question and were considered to be intervally scaled. The hypothesis was strongly supported (R’= 0.347, p < 0.001, = 2.06, B1 = 0.44). Therefore, the more influence perceived by the student, the higher the Student’s satisfaction. Hypothesis 4 investigated the relationship between credit earned and self-reported effort. Self reported effort was measured with a likert scaled question which was considered to be intervally scaled. The correlation coefficient (R2 0.172, p < 0.05, B0 = 3.95B1= 0.172) demonstrated a weak relationship between the two variables. Hypothesis 5, which related self-reported effort to the student's desire for more simulations, was not supported by the data. CONCLUSION This study indicates a student’s satisfaction with a simulation is a function of multiple factors. First, the games realism affects a students desire to participate. A student’s satisfaction appears to also be a function of his or her participation’s Students who exercise substantial influence in their teams are also more satisfied with the process. Whereas participation is a direct choice of the student, influence can be moderated by the influence-seeking behavior of fellow team members. Therefore, an instructor’s ability to balance team memberships may enhance a student’s opportunity to enjoy the game. Finally, satisfaction is affected by the amount of academic credit received. If a student’s effort is translated into actual performance, and if performance is tied directly to academic credit, then the structures exist to link student effort with satisfaction. This increases student responsibility an objective of higher learning. Table of Contents Volume 19, 1992 The Pedagogical Utility of a Management Simulation Game in a Business Policy Course Modeling Economic Environments in Business Simulations: Some Comparisons and Recommendations Experiential Learning and TQM Principles: Teaching Behavioral Science in a Business School The Use of Poster Presentations as a Final Project in the Business Policy Course The Device Business: A Management Simulation for Strategy Formulation The Advantages of Experiential learning in the Auditing curriculum A Framework for the Identification of Moderated and Mediated Performance consequences of Pedagogical Alternatives Simulating Qualitative Research Relating to Values and Lifestyle Segmentation A New Market Demand Model for Business Simulators Interactive Optimization Using the Method of Relative Improvement Preferences: Methodology and Empirical Evaluation The Service Trainer Simulation Benefits of Internet Computer Networks for ABSEL Members How Should We Measure Experiential Learning? An Assessment of Simulation Usage in Management Accounting Courses The Influence of Myers-Briggs Type and Group Dynamics on Simulation Performance Effective Leadership Behavior in the Desert Storm Arena: An Application of the Vroom-Yetton-Jago Model Installing and Consolidating Work-Team Values: The Effects of a Multicultural Outdoors Experiential Program Key Determinants and Decision performance in a Business Simulations and Experiential Learning environment Multi-Cultural Experiential Learning: A Computer Simulation in Indonesia Attitudes Toward and Emotions Related to Women as Managers: A Replication and Beyond Scenario Approach to Simulating Consumer Expenditures: A Cross-Cultural Analysis Insights into Ethical Decision making Activities and Organizational Performance: A Management Simulation Analysis of College Students and Managers Evaluating a Business Simulation Program for Joint Venture Negotiation and Management Teaching Business Interviewing Strategies with an Experiential Approach Cooperative Learning Across the Business Curriculum Modeling Total Quality Elements into a Strategy-Oriented Simulation Teaching Business Decision making using a Simulator Extending the Educational Utility of a Simulated Competition within the Confines of an Established Undergraduate Marketing Curriculum Expert Systems Versus Traditional Methods for Teaching Accounting Issues Confidence Extremes Diminish Quality Performance in a Total Enterprise Simulation Can Ethics Be Taught? A Simulation Tests a Traditional Ethics Pedagogy Through The Looking Glass, Inc.: Organizational Climate Research as Experiential Pedagogy The use of Cluster Analysis for Business Game Performance Analysis Power and Ethnicity: An Experiential Learning Exercise (How to Sensitize Students to Diversity) Directed Development of Critical and Creative Thinking Skills for Case Analysis Implementing Total Quality Management in a Computerized Business Simulation Product Quality in Business Simulations Use of Simulation for Ethics Education in Management Satisfying the University's Customers through Total Quality Management Instruction: A Case Study Personality Characteristics and Group Performance in Total Enterprise Simulations Concepts of Interval Estimation and Quality Control Charts via Computer Simulated Sampling An Examination of the Effect of Team Cohesion, Player Attitude, and Performance Expectations on Simulation Performance Results The Effectiveness of Inventory Management and Production Scheduling Training in a Total Quality Management Environment Peer Group Indicators of the External Validity of Business Games: A five-year Longitudinal Study Political Strategies and Personal Actions Does Practice make Perfect? Observations on Simulation Trial The Use of A Non-Business Computer Simulation to Teach Marketing Management BankPro Commercial Bank Simulation The Production Game Pursuing Excellence: Work Strengths, Assets and relevant Values (An Exercise) Test of a Short Outward Bound Experience for College Students What is it that we want Student To Learn? Using Two TQM Philosophies when Playing Blackjack The Lagged Effects of Decision Variables on Financial Performance Measures Used in Two business Simulations The Development of an Experiential Exercise for Career Planning and Effective Job search Performance Measuring Quality in Management of Business Pedagogy Exploring Quality and Productivity Improvement: Using and Experiential Process Toward a Generalized Architecture for Intelligent Reactive Management Systems The Quality Game TQX: Using Expert Systems to Improve Training in Total Quality Management A Simulation of the Effect of the Medicaid Payment Lag on the Financial Position of Community Pharmacies The Use of a Board of Directors to Evaluate and Validate Decisions in a Competitive Graduate Management Simulation Course The Impact of Academic Dishonesty on Business Simulations and Experiential Learning Activities Picture Project: An Experience of Icebreaking and/or Decision-Making An Effective Role-playing Exercise for Teaching Requisite TQM Supervisory Attitudes/Behavior Computerized Management Simulations and Some Correlates of Students' Satisfaction The Timing and Stability of Reactions to Market Structure in a Single Player Simulation Environment A Graphics Application Extension for a Simulated Decision Support System Environment Aspects of a Group Project Utilizing Actual Business data and a Computerized Accounting System The Role of Universities' Extended Learning Department in Assisting Organizations Implement Total Quality Management A three-dimensional Learning Experience to Develop Total Quality Management Skills Estimating Quality Costs by Computer Simulation Applications and Examples of Quality Control Software Assessing Business Pedagogy A Demonstration of an Experiential Process for Exploring Quality and Productivity Improvement Processes An Action-Ethics Dilemma: A Demonstration Org Sim Jr.: A 2-3 Hour Version of the 2-Day Blanchard/Murrell Organization Simulation Building Buildings: An Experiential Exercise in Organizational Structure, Communication, Leadership and Group Dynamics Expert Systems for Organization Design: A Demonstration A Demonstration of Product Quality in a Business Simulation: Version 2 of CEO Two Revolutions, Total Quality Leadership, and the Baldy: The Story of Milliken Total Quality after the Award - The Xerox Story Building a Competitive Advantage through Customer Satisfaction and Reengineering Human Resource Planning: Managing the Only Renewable Resource for a Competitive Advantage Using Simulations to Teach International Issues: An analysis of the Multinational Management Game's Learning Environment Quality Function Deployment: A Tutorial Care and Nurturing of Teams Making a Good Thing Better: Adding TQM to Participative management Empowering Organizations to Redesign and Transform Themselves - Eastman Chemical Using Simulations in Field Management Development of an International Life Insurance Company Reinforcing the TQ Environment via Simulation Transforming a Business College into a Total Quality College