USING JOB CONTROL LANGUAGE (JCL) OR GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL SIMULATION1 Exploring Experiential Learning: Simulations and Experiential Exercises, Volume 5, 1978 164 USING JOB CONTROL LANGUAGE (JCL) OR GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL SIMULATION1 William F. Muhs The University of Texas at El Paso The last decade has seen the introduction of a large number of simulated business games in schools of business. In many courses, a common pedagogy is to play the simulated game on a group or team basis. Typically, each group represents the management of a firm which must make certain decisions for each play of the game. The group is expected to reach a consensus decision. However, as in the real world, the group decision may not in fact be a true consensus decision. This is perhaps highly desirable since the players can obtain considerable experience in group dynamics and group decision making. On the other hand, many of us who use simulation games have frequently heard students comment: “I didn’t totally agree with my group’s decision and wish I could see the results of my own ideas (decisions).” Whatever the reason for individual differences, a potentially exciting learning experience is lost. In addition, by comparing his results to his groups’ decision, a number of interesting behavioral phenomena may occur. LIMITATIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL SIMULATION There are a number of limitations in implementing a system where the individual student can substitute his decision for the group decision. First, while some simulation games can be played on an on-line interactive computer system basis, many games cannot. The majority of simulation games are written in FORTRAN which is typically not implemented on an interactive basis at most computer installations. Second, with large classes and many groups, the pure logistics and expense of batch processing may become prohibitive. For example, with 100 students in 20 groups with four groups comprising an industry in a game such as THE IMAGINIT MANAGEMENT GAME [1] batch requirements increase by a multiple of twenty, This is due to the fact that every team member’s decision is substituted for the groups decision, one by one, while holding everything else constant. The end result is 100 computer simulations each period versus five simulations. In the IMAGINIT game, total printed lines per simulated period would increase from 9,000 to 180,000 lines if all the output was printed. 1 The author acknowledges the excellent programming assistance of Ben Ayres and Jim Ward; and also the College of Business Administration, Texas Tech University, for providing the computer support. Exploring Experiential Learning: Simulations and Experiential Exercises, Volume 5, 1978 165 AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD In order to overcome some of these limitations for both pedagogical and research purposes, a special set of computer programs2 was developed for the IMAGINIT MANAGEMENT GAME. This simulation game was played in the author’s senior business poi- icy courses. The programs were specifically designed to allow students to see the results of their decision for a given year. This was done on an ex post basis at the end of the semester but the process could be done anytime. The program is flexible in that the user can select the amount of output to be printed after each individual simulation. DESCRIPTION OF PROCEDURES Through the use of Job Control Language (JCL) it was possible to design a system which allowed students to substitute their individual decisions for the groups decision at a fraction of the time and cost if normal procedures were utilized. The basic procedures are flow charted in Figure 1 which summarizes the major job steps. The basic procedure is to set up several data sets containing the carryovers (prior results for each year) and annual decisions of each team within a given industry. The team decision for one year is temporarily removed and then the individual decision is inserted and IMAGINIT executed. The output is saved until all the individual decisions for the team have been executed. This process is repeated for the individuals in each of the other teams. After printing the results of the individual decisions the temporary files are deleted so that the next industry (groups of teams) may be loaded and the process repeated until every individual decision is simulated. It is important to note that the individual decision is substituted on a year by year basis. It is not the individual results which carry forward but rather the team results. In other words, the individual is not playing a continuous game of his own. APPLICATIONS The basic system can be adapted by the user for a number of purposes. The author has successfully used the system for behavioral research in decision making [2]. In this application, students were given only the market quotes of the firm’s common stock price resulting from their decision together with the market quotes of the other teams. Thus, students could only surmise what changes in their decision led to a market quote which was different than his teams. The user could extract whatever output information he desired by merely altering one of the programs very slightly. 2 The Programs are available upon request to the author. Exploring Experiential Learning: Simulations and Experiential Exercises, Volume 5, 1978 166 Exploring Experiential Learning: Simulations and Experiential Exercises, Volume 5, 1978 167 Exploring Experiential Learning: Simulations and Experiential Exercises, Volume 5, 1978 168 Another potential application of this system is a more effective means of teaching the mechanics of the simulation game. Instructors can generate numerous situations using decisions supplied by students. CONCLUSIONS The discussion has illustrated one method of overcoming the inability of many simulation games to be played on an online basis. Although it does not represent a true on-line system, the procedures can be utilized to increase the value of simulation games for both pedagogical and research purposes. REFERENCES 1. Barton, Richard F., The Imaginit Management Game, (Lubbock: Active Learning, 1974), 2. Muhs, William F., A Comparison of Individual Versus Group Decision Making Under Uncertainty Utilizing a Simulated Management Game. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Texas Tech University, 1976. (University Microfilms No. 77- 6220). Table of Contents Volume 5, 1978 Debriefing: The Key to Effective Experiential Learning A Kiss Before Debriefing Debriefing with Serialized Theory Development for TaskTeam Learning Insights Into Debriefing Experiential Learning Exercises The Two-Step Flow of Experiential Learning: A Preliminary Investigation Programmatic Experienced-Based Learning in an MBA Program The New Research Focus: An Analysis of the Simulation Game User An Analysis of Performance in Simulation Games Compared to Performance on Structured Course Criteria: A Case Study Le's Simplify the Administrative Requirements of Computerized Educational Simulations Assessment of Sex Stereotypes Within Task Group Simulation The Use of Program BAYAUD in the Teaching of Audit Sampling The Effectiveness of Progressively Complex Accounting Simulations in Increasing Decision-Making Performance The Natural Learning Project The Application of a US-USSR Trade Simulation to the Reaching of Business Russian The Use of Semi-Autonomous Work Group in Graduate Management Education: An Australian Experience Evaluation of an Experimental Course in Organizational Behavior for Managers of Japanese Banks Berkshire II: An Experiential Decision Making Exercise: An Exercise in Hegelian Inquiry Creating a Responsible Managerial Experience A Framework for Determining the Pedagogical Value of Simulation Gaming: Implications for Future Simulation Gamin Research Emergent Simulations in Administration Courses Measurement of Administrator Role for Feedback on Structure and Goals An Experiment in Assessing the Theoretical Recognition and Application Leaning Skills of Student Case Writers Some Game Information Systems Experience Using Job Control Language (JCL) for Group and Individual Simulation Considerations for the Use of Computerized Business Simulations Assessing the Effectiveness of Learning Styles as Predictors of Performance within Three Distinct Pedogogic Methodologies Learning Style and Performance A Psychometric Analysis of Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory Learning to Identify and Satisfy consumer Wants: A Classroom Game An Experiential Exercise in Product Benefit Segmentation Sales and Sales Management: A Case/Simulation Approach The SBI Case as Experiential Learning The Use of a Live Case in Teaching Organization Theory and management Principles to Graduate Students The Residency in Hospital and health Administration as Experiential Learning The Extended Live Case Approach to Teaching Marketing Research Experiential Learning in Marketing: Student Consultants The Brazil-Columbia Coffee Marketing Negotiations: An Experiential Exercise Aimed at Highlighting the Dynamics Involved in the International Business Negotiation Process Educational Values of Simulation Gaming Business Simulation Re-Revisited Simulation and Experiential Learning as Human Subject Research An Experiential Evaluation of a Didactic - Experiential Apporach for Teaching personnel Management Experiential Learning in Wage and Salary Administration Integrating Structured Experiences into Personnel Simulation Locus of Control and Performance in a Management Simulation Correlations Between Academic Achievement, Aptitude, and Business Game Performance Suggestions for Student Input of Decisions in General Management Simulations An Exploratory Investigation of Student Perceptions of Computer Simulation as an Educational Tool Time to Sell?: An Experiential Learning Approach to Stock Market Decisions through Interactive Gaming