A COMPARISON OF STUDENT PERCEPTIONS WITH ACCEPTED EXPECTATIONS FOR BUSINESS SIMULATIONS


Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 14, 1987 

 135

A COMPARISON OF STUDENT PERCEPTIONS WITH ACCEPTED 
EXPECTATIONS FOR BUSINESS SIMULATIONS 

 
Frank S. McLaughlin, University of North Florida 

Glenn M. Bryant, University of North Florida 
 

ABSTRACT 
 
A question often asked about business games is, do 
participants in business simulations obtain the educational 
benefits they perceive they are receiving? To investigate 
this, selective game participants wrote papers on the major 
benefits and limitations of their experiences, and these were 
compared with similar items found in both the academic and 
more popular business literature. The two groups tended to 
list the same advantages, however, there were significant 
differences in their rankings of relative importance. There 
was even less agreement on the disadvantages of gaming. 
The participants seem to view only one side of these issues 
while the literature often spoke of a second, more positive 
side. 
 

INTRODUCTION 
 
Business games are and have been popular in both academic 
education and industry training programs. Despite their 
popularity, various questions about the educational 
effectiveness of games have not been completely answered. 
One of these is, do participants in business game simulations 
actually obtain the educational benefits they perceive they 
are receiving? This was a major question asked by a group 
of students who were selected to participate in a business 
game competition. The chosen method for investigating this 
question was to have the students complete the game, write a 
critique of the process, and then compare the major benefits 
and limitations found in the critiques with those found in a 
thorough literature search. 
 

STUDENT OPINIONS 
 
After the completion of the simulation, each student 
involved provided a critique of the experience by writing a 
short paper on the experience. The following summaries are 
taken from those papers. 
 
Benefits 
 
An analysis of the student critiques indicated a surprising 
conformity in their assessments of the strengths of the 
learning experience. According to them, the major benefits 
of gaming were, in order, feedback and responsibility, 
integration, group decision-making, and motivation. 
 
Feedback and responsibility. The students became keenly 
aware of the relationship between the quality of the decision 
and the score on the “feedback.” Apparently, the results of 
the game decision made much more of an impact than the 
return of a graded test or case. As one student commented, 
“...not only were concrete decisions going to be made, but 

results based on those decisions would be distributed, 
whereby we could measure our success or failure which was 
a rare occurrence during my experience in a collegiate 
environment [16, p. 1].” 
 
Integration. The students felt the experience integrated 
the knowledge gained from various types of academic 
course work better than cases or “policy” exercises. 
According to one participant, “The experience offered many 
chances to bring to bear ideas and techniques learned in 
previous course work such as accounting, finance, 
management science and others [2, p. 2].” 
 
Group decision-making. One student succinctly 
described the predominant feeling of the group by stating 
“At the beginning, I was unfamiliar and uncomfortable with 
actual group decision-making. By the end of the experience, 
I began to see the group members take on varied roles in 
discussion and decision-making, and that the balancing 
effect of the varied viewpoints is more important than 
individual opinions. I realize that different roles will be 
taken on by group members in any decision-making 
situation [13, p. 1].” 
 
Motivation. The participants truly enjoyed the 
experience, were eager to receive each decision report, and 
put more “extra hours” into this than they would in most 
learning exercises. One student commented, “I appreciated 
the opportunity to participate in an exercise that motivated 
me to want to achieve regardless of outcome [16, p. 3].” 
 
Disadvantages 
 
Likewise, the students tended to show strong agreement in 
what they considered to be the weaknesses of the 
experience. However, there seemed to be little realization 
that trainers and educators might see the same items as 
positive features of the simulation. The weaknesses were, 
first, lack of validation, and second, too little information. 
 
Lack of validation. Almost all of the students complained 
that the game did not represent the “real world.” One asked, 
“Should we make the decisions that would be prudent and 
effective in the real world, or decisions that would seem to 
be effective given the parameters of the computer program 
[13, p. 3]?” Another stated, “...real world results should 
correspond to real world decisions [16, p. 2].” 
 
Too little information. Students noted limited 
documentation, no knowledge of the product, a lack of 
history, and no opportunity to gain knowledge through real 
world research. Students have been taught the value of 
research. They felt helpless because they could not go to the 
library and find information on items such as appropriate 
financial ratios and research and development expenditures. 



Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 14, 1987 

 136

COMPARISONS WITH THE LITERATURE 
 
In order to compare student perceptions with what has been 
written in the literature, a total of 52 articles were reviewed 
and analyzed. Of these, 42 made some specific reference to 
the claimed advantages or disadvantages of business 
simulation and gaming. Articles were chosen from the 
Business Periodicals Index and by matching “management” 
and "business" with “games” in a computer search of a 
DIALOG database using the “ABI/Inform” and 
“Management Contents” files. An effort was made to 
include both academic, professional, and popular business 
journals. Articles appearing in predominantly simulation 
literature such as ABSEL Proceedings, JELS, and 
Simulations And Games were specifically omitted. 
 
Benefits 
 
Motivation. Of the four benefits cited by the students, 
motivation received by far the largest amount of support in 
the literature. Of the 42 relevant articles, 38 included 
increased (or high levels of) motivation as a major benefit of 
using games. Typical comments were: “...games are fun. 
Many instructors have found that this can be a powerful tool 
for motivating learners [4, p. 4],” and games are recognized 
as excellent motivators [12, p. 152].” Perhaps the best 
analysis of the role of motivation is given by Galitz (5, p. 
46]. He states, “It is rare to see a management game that 
does not instill a high level of motivation among the 
participants. This motivation is brought about for a number 
of reasons. First, the game is dynamic, and responds to the 
action of the players themselves. Second, the element of 
competitiveness that is at present in most games, provides an 
additional stimulus for each player to perform well against 
the others. Third, management games are active. A good 
management game encourages a level of interest, incentive 
and involvement that must be seen to be believed.” 
 
Policy and integration. The students belief that the 
simulation allowed them to integrate and use the knowledge 
gained in many functional areas also received a large amount 
of support from the literature. Of the 42 articles containing at 
least 1 benefit, 32 discussed this particular aspect of business 
simulation. Typical comments were: “. . .each player gained 
experience in planning, investment, research and 
development, purchasing, hiring, production and sales [6, p. 
49],” and “It illustrates the interdependence of policies, 
strategies, and decisions in the different functional areas of 
business [19, p. 77].” This argument is fundamental to 
business gaming and it is not surprising that students would 
deduce this benefit or that the literature would confirm it. 
However, there are 3 aspects of this argument that need to be 
noted. First, several references note that the benefits in this 
area can be enhanced by blending the functional 
backgrounds of members of a team. Second, some 
references point out that the “integrating aspects” of some 
games are not properly balanced which leads participants to 
over rely on an area of business such as marketing. Finally, 
it should be noted that all games are not “policy” games. For 
example, there are games that specialize in marketing, 
production, labor relations, banking, and agriculture. 
 
Group decision-making. The importance of the effect of 
gaming on group decision-making is also prominently 
discussed in the literature. However, less attention is given 
to it than the two previously mentioned topics. Out of the 42 
articles, 24 

discussed this aspect of gaming. Typical comments 
included: “Practice is given to managers in group decision-
making and the logical analysis and assessment of a situation 
[14, p. 18],” and “The games certainly show the importance 
of looking at a situation from more than one perspective [8, 
p. 51].” 
 
One reason for the lack of discussion in this area may be that 
some authors believe they may have included this topic in 
discussions of the integration of functions. Such phrases as 
“stand in another’s shoes” and “understanding the other 
person’s problems” are often included in discussions on the 
value of gaming in improving a player’s “integration” skills. 
 
Feedback and responsibility. The students listed this as the 
most beneficial aspect of the business game experience. Of 
the four benefits listed, however, it received the smallest 
amount of discussion in the surveyed literature. Only 15 of 
the 42 articles mentioned it. Typical comments were: 
“Feedback is a critical element in every educational 
endeavor. The immediacy of feedback is a distinguishing 
feature of computer processed management games [3, p. 
15]” and “People very seldom have the opportunity to run an 
organization, then step back and examine their performance 
[8, p. 50]” It is interesting to speculate on why this seems so 
important to the students and yet received what seems to be 
little attention in the published literature. Apparently, 
students consider game results as a much more real and 
important feedback than other types of classroom results 
such as grades on tests, papers, and cases. Furthermore, a 
student often will not rewrite the same paper or retake the 
same test, but in a game, the same decisions must be updated 
in the next time frame. These latter two points seem to be 
almost totally missing in the surveyed literature. 
 
Disadvantages 
 
Lack of real world representation. This problem was 
prominently mentioned in the literature and was noted in 27 
of the 42 articles surveyed. There was not, however, full 
agreement that this item was a short- cowing of business 
games. Some consider it to be an important asset of 
simulation. In fact, the literature was approximately evenly 
split on the issue. Those favoring some lack of “real world 
identity” argued that the player must learn from new 
experiences and be set free from antiquated managerial rules 
of thumb. Typical comments from the “pro” side were: 
“This complexity reduction provides the participants with a 
simplified framework from which to develop heuristic 
devices for understanding vastly more complex real world 
organizations [18, p. 237],” and “The participants are able to 
say yes we tried it, but it didn't works so through market 
analysis we made the adjustments necessary to achieve our 
objectives [8, p. 18].” Articles which side with the students 
do 80 much for the same reason, the pragmatic belief that 
simulations ought to be real. Typical comments include: “If 
you second guess the designer, you can badly beat the game 
[7, p. 82],” and “...games have defects. First of all, 
information is invented [9, p. 66].” 
 
Lack of information. The literature simply does not address 
this as a major issue. Only 9 of the articles noted it. Again, 
some references noted the item as an advantage while others, 
like the students, treated it as a problem area. Typical 
comments were: “Business game simulates certain 
conditions under which managers often have to make a 
decision, that 



Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 14, 1987 

 137

is, with too little firm information in too little time [14, p. 
18],” and “. ..did not allow students to interrogate the 
environment with actual research [Amstutz as quoted in 11, 
p. 17].” 
 
Other Advantages And Disadvantages 
 
The purpose of the literature search was to compare student 
responses with those found in the literature. This discussion 
was given in the above material. Obviously, the search 
yielded other pros and cons and perhaps, for the sake of 
completeness, some of them should be listed. Other cited 
advantages include (but are not limited to): “. ..facilitating 
group interaction [17, p. 31];” “Business people can test new 
strategies and sometimes fail without harming the company 
[10, p. 54];” and “. . .the transfer of facts as in accounting or 
economic principles courses [1, p. 988].” Other cited 
disadvantages centered in primarily two areas. Some authors 
say that games tend to develop mathematical ability rather 
than strategic thinking while others state that students often 
try to beat the game rather than benefit from it. 
 

A NOTE OF CAUTION 
 
This paper would not be complete without noting that there 
m who question the effectiveness of simulation and games as 
educational instruments. An early paper (1976) states that “. 
. .yet there is surprisingly little evidence that games are in 
any sense efficient or effective methodological devices [15, 
p. 99].” A later paper (1984) states “. ..the accumulated 
evidence concerning their learning effectiveness is 
inconclusive and divided [12, p. 152].” Most critics take a 
more moderate role with statements such as “Are they 
useful?” Even though this note of caution is important, the 
literature indicates there is a very large number of writers 
and users who believe in the effectiveness of simulation. 
This paper shares that latter viewpoint. 
 

SUMMARY 
 
This project compares student opinions about the benefits 
and disadvantages of managerial games to similar attitudes 
published in the literature. It serves several purposes. Some 
instructors, who are well-versed in simulation, may hold 
viewpoints which are closer to those expressed in the 
literature than those expressed by students. For some of 
these individuals, it may shed light on why students do not 
always react to games in the expected way. For instructors 
less experienced in gaming, it should give guidance as how 
students may react to this experience. It should also be 
useful to many game administrators in determining how to 
achieve student acceptance of the game and thereby achieve 
the goals of the administrator and the students. Certainly 
games can be used for motivation. Combined with the 
correct instruction, information, and other educational 
devices, simulation can also be a powerful method of 
achieving other educational objectives. 

REFERENCES 
 

[1] Boehlje, M. D., and Eidman, V. R., “Simulation and 
Gaming Models: Application In Teaching and 
Extension Programs.” American Journal of 
Agricultural Economics, December, 1978, pp. 987-
992. 

 
[2] Bryant, G. M., Unpublished student paper, 1986. 

 
[3] Chase, R• M.,, “The Management Game,” Cornell 

Hotel Restaurant Quarterly, August, 1983, pp. 14-22. 
 

[4] Cook, N. H., “Are you Game?”, Training and 
Development Journal, May, 1981, p. 4. 

 
[5] Galitz, L. C., “Management Gaines in Banking,” The 

Banker, September, 1982, pp. 45-49. 
 

[6] “Game Playing-Management Style,” Data 
Management, June, 1983, pp. 37. 

 
[7] “Gamesmanship for Real,” Time, September 8, 1961, 

pp. 81-82. 
 

[8] Greene, J. L., “Games Managers Play,” Black 
Enterprise, July, 1985, pp. 49-52. 

 
[9] Hill, R., “Management Games Move Back Toward 

Reality,” International Management, December, 
1985, pp. 66-71. 

 
[10] Hunter, B. and Price, M., “Business Games: 

Underused Learning Tools?”, Industry Week, 
August 18, 1980, pp. 52-56. 

 
[11] Keys, B., “Business Games and Experiential 

Exercises: An Internal Foundation for Business 
Schools,” Collegiate News and Views, Spring, 1976, 
pp. 17-21. 

 
[12] Klein, R. D., “Adding International Business to the 

Core Program Via the Simulation Game,” Journal of 
International Business Studies, Spring & Summer, 
1984, pp. 151-159. 

 
[13] Lerch, E. M., Unpublished Student Paper, 1986. 
 
[14] Lloyd, D. C. F., “An Introduction to Business 

Games,” Industrial & Commercial Training, January, 
1978, pp. 11-18. 

 
[15] Neuhauser, J.J., “Business Games Have Failed,” 

Academy of Management Review, October, 1976, 
pp. 124-129. 

 
[16] Parsons, T., Unpublished Student Paper, 1986. 
 
[17] Shim, J.K., “Playing Executive Management Games 

to Win,” Data Management, August, 1977, pp. 28-
31. 

 
[18] Siegel, G.B., “Gaming Simulation in the Teaching of 

Public Personnel Administration,” Public Personnel 
Management, July-August, 1977, pp. 236-249. 

 
[19] “Simulation-The Strategic Management Game,” 

Training and Development Journal, August, 1985, 
pp. 77. 


	Table of Contents
	Volume 14, 1987
	Simulation Gaming as An Experimental Context for the Study of Multicriteria Decision Making
	How to Multiply Your Management Game
	Grading the Personnel In-Basket Exercise
	Simulation: The Players™ Perspective
	The Acute Susceptibility of Nominal Grouping to Negativity
	The Relative Value of the National ABSEL Meetings: An Analysis of Perceptions by Faculty and Deans
	A Survey of Behavioral Labs Used by American Business Schools
	A Structured Framework for Applying Conceptual Models to Problem Analysis: Hardening Up
	An Expert System Approach for Teaching Marketing Case Analysis
	From Theory to Practice: A Model for Teaching Beginning Advertising
	The Use of a Simple Forecasting Technique During an Interactive Computerized Business Game
	An Investigation of the Relationship Between Formal Planning and Simulation Team Performance and Satisfaction
	The Exponential Logarithm as an Algorithm for Business Simulations
	Learning macroeconomic Theory and Policy Analysis Via Microcomputer Simulation
	Laptop: A Principles of Marketing Simulation
	Teaching About Sampling in a Marketing Research Class
	Integrating Decision Support Systems and Business Games
	Demand Generation in a Service Industry Simulation: An Algorithmic Paradox
	ABSEL - At a Crossroads?
	Research on Predicting Performance in the Simulation
	An Expert System for Financial Planners
	"Developing Various Student Learning Abilities Via Writing, the Stock market Game, and Modified Marketplace Game in Beginning Macroeconomics"
	Professional Activity Reports: Getting back to Basics ΠA Preliminary Investigation
	"A Comparison of Performance, Attitudes, and behaviors of MBA and BBA Students in a Simulation Environment: A Preliminary Investigation"
	Decision Styles and Student Simulation Performance: A Replication
	Personal Power Strategies: An Experiential Exercise
	LTL I: A Trucking Simulation Game
	Total Enterprise Business Games: An Evaluation
	Can the Skill of Management be Taught?
	Developing Critical Thinking and Effective Communication
	Meaningful Notebooks and Enhanced Learning Using a Totally Menu-Driven Data base and Decision Support (DSS) Program
	Using a Computerized Menu-Driven Data Entry and fiWhat-Iffl Program as a Pedagogical Enhancement for Management Simulation
	Using a Joint Project Involving MBA Marketing Management and Undergraduate Marketing Research Students to Teach Marketing Research
	Testing the PAGE Technique: Results and Further Developments
	A Comparison of Student Perceptions with Accepted Expectations for Business Simulations
	"Conflict Management in Action: Verbal Strategies, Nonverbal behaviors and Conflict Styles"
	Dramatic Monologues as Surrogates for Experiential Learning
	Influencing One™s Superior: An Assessment and Exercise
	Personality Traits and Organizational Cultures: Two One-Hour Experiential Learning Exercises
	Computype: A Strategic Marketing Game
	Open System Simulations and Simulation Based Research
	"Teaching Forecasting to the Masses: Little Decision Support Training, But a lot of Answers"
	Goal Setting and Performance Evaluation with Different Starting Positions ΠThe Modeling Dilemma
	The Gamesmanship of Pricing: Building Pricing Strategy Skills Through Spreadsheet Modeling
	Teaching MPR Experientially Through the Use of Lotus 1-2-3
	Business Simulation Through Activities of a Manufacturing Company
	Simulated Stock Broker
	Teaching Employee Counseling Skills to Management Students: A Simulation
	Airline: A Strategic Management Simulation
	Developing Simulations and Experiential Exercises on the Personal Computer: Some Critical Issues
	A Powerful Tool ΠFor What?
	An Integrative Systems Approach to Simulating Free Enterprise in a Small Business Course in a Business School
	Profits: The False Prophet
	The Use of Expert Systems to Develop Strategic Scenarios: An Experiment Using a Simulated Market Environment
	An Interdisciplinary Workshop: Spreadsheet Modeling and Case Analysis Techniques for Beginning Executive MBA Students
	An Innovative Approach to an O. D. Class ΠThe Creative Interaction
	The Application of Spreadsheet Software Technology to Complete Taxpayer Elections
	Experiential Learning as the Cornerstone of an Industry Management Course
	"Identifying, Exercising and Enhancing Right Brain Skills in the Business Classroom"
	Utilizing Envisionary Technology in the Business Policy Course: An Experiential Pedagogy
	Business Simulation in the Policy Course: A Survey of American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business
	The Moving Van: Vehicle to Success of Disaster for the Two-Gender Work Force
	Oil and Gas Well Investment Analysis Using the Lotus 1-2-3 Decision Support System
	Team Cohesion Effects on Business Game Performance