The Optimal Timing for Introducing Business Simulations

While every simulation user must decide when during the course of the school term he or she will introduce the simulation, virtually no literature exists to guide simulation users. We suggest factors likely to affect the optimal timing for introducing a simulation. In addition, we present the results of a case in which students engaged in a simulation very early in the semester — before they were exposed to any of the concepts of the discipline. We conclude that the early introduction of simulations can be an effective tool for increasing student motivation and openness to learning concepts of the course