Design Considerations For Computer Simulation Games in the Management Discipline

Computer simulations have been utilized for well over twenty years as an instruetional tool in business currieulums. According to Joseph Wolfe (1993), use of business computer simulations is no longer cutting-edge. Simulation games have become common place with utilization widespread in the university community. The reasons for implementing business computer simulations are varied but typically emphasize provision of decision-making experiences simulating the real world and role playing (Hsu 1989). Increased interest and utilization of computer simulations in the business curriculum arose after the general acceptance of experienced-based learning theory. Such experiential learning requires participants to be actively involved in learning situations. Business simulations should serve as vehicles to provide experiential learning environments not to deliver knowledge according to Hsu (1989) in Role-Event Gaming Simulation. The envirormient should be monitored and controlled by the game administrator