Business Simulation Research Articles

How to Use Artificial Intelligence to Improve Entrepreneurial Attitude in Business Simulation Games: Implications From a Quasi-Experiment

Business simulation games (BSGs) have been widely used in entrepreneurship education with positive effects. However, there are still some deficiencies in the BSGs, such as limited guidance, low uncertainty and limited simulation environment, which make it impossible to exert the maximum effect. Artificial intelligence (AI) can solve the above shortcomings. The combination of AI and BSGs is the possible development direction of BSGs. But how to effectively combine BSGs with AI is still an open question. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to analyze how participants’ entrepreneurial attitude changes in BSGs. The results show that BSGs can effectively improve entrepreneurial attitude, and there are four types of promotion configurations. These four configurations consist of five antecedent conditions. According to the above conclusions, AI can improve entrepreneurial attitude in BSGs in various ways, such as simulating competitors, providing targeted feedback for failures, and improving game experience. The contribution of this paper is to highlight the possibility of combining AI with BSGs, and to provide suggestions on how AI can intervene in BSGs.

Decision dilemma at Biziga

Learning outcomes The learning outcomes are as follows: introduce the concept of the decision-making process, decision-making unit and hierarchy of effects and marketing strategy; identify the critical aspect of segmentation, targeting and positioning; and highlight the critical element of pricing and communication media. Case overview/synopsis In early January 2017, Mr Ashish and Mr Rahul, co-founders of Biziga, a company engaged in training through simulation for management education, was at crossroads. Keeping in view the challenges of the emerging Indian market, Biziga envisioned creating participant-centric business learning simulations. The initial responses and feedback received from several top B-schools were promising. However, the euphoria did not last long. Biziga retained only a few of its initial clients from the Tier-1 B-schools who had adopted the product. But the response received from other categories of B-schools was not very encouraging. Acquiring new clients from these institutes was the major challenge. The founders of Biziga had differences in their thought about the strategic path they should pursue to achieve future growth. There were several options to achieve the goal of a target revenue of INR 1bn in the next five years and be known as a virtual gamification company with a complete bundle of business simulation products. They had to finalize for the financial year 2017-18 the most feasible and promising option/s that would have a long-term impact on the company’s future growth and success in the upcoming meeting scheduled in the last week of February 2017. Complexity academic level Postgraduate students and executive students. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing.

How Flow Experience and Self-Efficacy Define Students' Online Learning Intentions: View From Task Technology Fit (Framework).

The ongoing pandemic has transformed communication modes globally. Especially in the case of higher education, where countermeasures against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have affected students’ learning experience. This study emphasized the case of business simulation games, where critical factors were underlined to define learners’ intention to use an online learning environment through the lens of task technology fit (TTF) as a theoretical stance. This study considered the statistical analysis of 523 students who attended the business simulation module online at the tertiary level of education. Findings conclude that flow experience is the most critical factor to define learners’ perceived TTF in the case of an online learning experience. However, the learners’ self-efficacy is significant enough to map learners’ intentions to use an online environment for learning. The study discussed several theoretical and practical implications for learners’ educators and policymakers.

Developing and validating a business simulation systems success model in the context of management education

Business simulation game systems (BSGs) have become an important learning tool for higher education in business and management fields in recent years. However, few studies have investigated how BSG systems affect perceived learning effectiveness and entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). Based on the previous information systems literature, this study developed and validated a BSG systems success model. The newly proposed success variable of model-reality fit, which was conceptualized as the fit between the BSG model and the real-world business environment, was also examined. Data collected from 152 college students in Taiwan was tested against the research model using the partial least squares (PLS) approach. The results indicate that system quality and model-reality fit positively influence user satisfaction, which in turn promotes reuse intention, learning effectiveness, and ESE, while service quality and information quality do not. Furthermore, service quality and model-reality fit play a critical role in determining reuse intention, although system quality and information quality do not have a significant effect on reuse intention. Other than the insignificant impact of user satisfaction on ESE, the results also confirm that user satisfaction and reuse intention positively predict learning effectiveness and ESE.

Applying a business simulation game in a flipped classroom to enhance engagement, learning achievement, and higher-order thinking skills

Engagement forecasts positive education outcomes such as learning and skills development. Business simulation games (BSGs) are linked to skills development, and the flipped classroom is acknowledged as a successful approach for encouraging student-centered learning through engagement. This study investigated the impact of BSGs in a flipped classroom on student engagement, learning achievement, and higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). A quasi-experimental design was employed in an undergraduate entrepreneurship course. The sample consisted of 48 students in a business university. The flipped classroom was designed for both the control and experimental groups, but the instructional material was implemented using a BSG with the experimental group. The results of quantitative and qualitative analyses indicated that the use of the BSG had positive impacts on behavioral engagement, cognitive engagement, and learning achievement and improved HOTS such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.

Exploring the Experiences of Senior High School Students on Business Simulation in the New Normal: Basis for a Proposed Intervention Program

Work immersion is a subject in senior high school that is being taught to prepare learners for their future endeavors. As part of the preparation of the Department of Education to secondary students for work, entrepreneurship, and higher education. Immersion can also help students strengthen their skills or expertise, preparing them for future careers. This study is a qualitative research study that focuses on the business simulation experiences of Senior High School students in the midst of pandemics. The main purpose of this study is to determine the different components that contribute to Entrepreneurial sustainability through business simulation in work immersion subjects and to assess the long-term implications of the entrepreneurial desire of learners to engage in small businesses for senior high school students in time of Covid-19 pandemic and to provide The proposed intervention is not simply focused on the school; the data gathered from the students is heavily influenced by the community. The schools, in collaboration with the teachers, lead learners through their school activities, preparing them to meet the obstacles they will face as they enter the profession. The school can aid the learner in preparing their product and assisting with the planning stage of their business simulation activity. Learners' business simulations require community assistance to be effective. The students urge for support structure that the community and local government can provide in the form of product marketing, patronage, and financial support to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs like the learners to keep their small businesses running.

Exploring the Experiences of Senior High School Students on Business Simulation in the New Normal: Basis for a Proposed Intervention Program

Work immersion is a subject in senior high school that is being taught to prepare learners for their future endeavors. As part of the preparation of the Department of Education to secondary students for work, entrepreneurship, and higher education. Immersion can also help students strengthen their skills or expertise, preparing them for future careers. This study is a qualitative research study that focuses on the business simulation experiences of Senior High School students in the midst of pandemics. The main purpose of this study is to determine the different components that contribute to Entrepreneurial sustainability through business simulation in work immersion subjects and to assess the long-term implications of the entrepreneurial desire of learners to engage in small businesses for senior high school students in time of Covid-19 pandemic and to provide The proposed intervention is not simply focused on the school; the data gathered from the students is heavily influenced by the community. The schools, in collaboration with the teachers, lead learners through their school activities, preparing them to meet the obstacles they will face as they enter the profession. The school can aid the learner in preparing their product and assisting with the planning stage of their business simulation activity. Learners' business simulations require community assistance to be effective. The students urge for support structure that the community and local government can provide in the form of product marketing, patronage, and financial support to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs like the learners to keep their small businesses running.

Collaboration and emotions during simulation-based learning in general management courses

Simulation-based learning (SBL) as a learner-centred educational approach fosters students‘ experiential learning by providing authentic tasks in a real-world oriented learning environment. SBL settings are supposed to integrate different dimensions of learning including cognitive, affective and social aspects. Simulation games as a widely used tool in SBL are characterized among others as collaborative, team-based environments fostering learners’ understanding of concepts and improving their ability to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical fields. The use of and research on simulation games has strongly increased throughout the last decades, but the few empirical findings in the literature are ambiguous. The present study contributes to a better understanding of relations between collaborative facets, emotional experience, in-game success as a performance index and learning outcomes during a complex general management simulation. It also focuses on the use of process journals to gather data during the simulation game process in classes of business informatics students in their last semester at a German Cooperative State University. Data of 49 third-year students (m = 36, f = 12, missing = 1; age ranged from 20 to 25) was collected on three occasions: (1) A self-report questionnaire prior to the simulation game. (2) A periodic process journal was administered during the simulation game at the end of each of the six team phases to collect data on participants’ perceived team collaboration and emotional experience. (3) After the simulation game, declarative, conceptual, and procedural knowledge was assessed. Correlation analysis showed medium scores in a range between 0.38 < r < 0.76 when significant, U-test showed results between 0.39 and 0.81 when significant. Our results indicate an association between a cohesive atmosphere including psychological safety and a structured team organization and positive epistemic emotions on the one hand with performance and conceptual as well as procedural knowledge on the other hand. Hence, we argue for the need to organize and support team processes during business simulation games carefully when facilitating such environments with students, whereas we could not find support for a strong connection between learners’ personality with simulation game outcomes.

The difficulties of context: An exploratory study of learning transfer from a business simulation game

AbstractStudies show that learning is situated—or that learning in one context does not easily transfer to a new context. Because business simulations are often used to provide a learning context, we wondered if this context‐specific learning would transfer. To explore this issue, we used situated learning theory to ask undergraduate students in an operations management class to apply their learning in both familiar, simulation contexts, and unfamiliar, nonsimulation contexts. Using contextually based exam questions, we empirically measured learner performance on low and high cognitive effort questions. We were able to provide some support for the constructivist learning theory's hypothesis that learners can take the principles constructed in a business simulation and apply them in other contexts. Additionally, we explored the implications of confidence/self‐efficacy theory and demonstrated that transfer may differ based on cognitive effort.

Diagnostics of internal affairs officers’ motivation during the assimilation period

The authors represent a research material describing the specificity of motivation of young specialists during the assimilation period at internal affairs agencies as an important factor in the field of HR management, which is the research subject of this article. According to the research subject, the authors formulate the goal to conduct a psycho-diagnostic research of 150 young employees studying at a subordinate education institution. To detect the peculiarities of motivation, the authors use the following methods: interview, test, and association experiment. For the interview, the authors prepared a set of questions about the reasons for enrolling at law-enforcement agencies. For testing, the authors use the questionnaires &amp;laquo;Labor activity motivation structure&amp;raquo; and &amp;laquo;Diagnostics of motivational structure of a personality&amp;raquo;. The authors use the method of association experiment to study self-motivation. In the result of the research, the authors arrive at the following conclusions: &amp;nbsp; Young employees don&amp;rsquo;t have enough motivation, particularly self-motivation as self-actualization, at the same time they declare external positive motivation as a need for a paid job allowing them to supply their capital needs. It is necessary to form motivation, especially self-motivation, of young employees during their assimilation period as internal affairs officers using such methods as assimilation and motivation training, business simulation, psycho-diagnostics, conversation, discussion, and many others. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the study of external and internal motivation of young officers of internal affairs agencies during their assimilation period, the analysis of peculiarities of manifestation of their external and internal motivation, and the formulation of the ways to form their motivation, particularly self-motivation, promoting the development of their professional skills. &amp;nbsp;

The Impact of Serious Games in Economic and Business Education: A Case of ERP Business Simulation

Digitalisation nowadays impacts business environments significantly. Therefore, if higher education wants to educate students properly for a successful career path, the business and economics curriculum must be enriched with innovative teaching approaches covering actual topics, such as, for example, the implementation of the ERPsim business simulation, a representative of serious games. The ERPsim business simulation is based on SAP ERP, and is aimed at teaching ERP concepts. It covers different business processes, and allows students to learn using a hands-on approach, simulating real-life scenarios. The presented research focuses on using an ERPsim business simulation as the introduction to the course. The simulation was implemented to ease the introduction of ERP and IT concepts to the business and economic oriented students. Considering the positive effects of serious games and gamification, our research was formed and focused on knowledge acquisition and future student engagement. We researched whether participation in the introductory simulation results in significant knowledge gain and impacts students’ future course engagement. The data were gathered using a self-assessment questionnaire before and after an introductory simulation. The results were highly positive, confirming many positive aspects of business simulation, among others, significant knowledge increase in the domains of business process and ERP transactions, and in the domain of technical knowledge for SAP ERP. The results confirmed that the introductory simulation is appropriate for introducing ERP concepts to newcomers, and, nevertheless, confirmed the positive impact on their intent on future course engagement.

Business Simulation Training Using Monsoonsim

Business simulation training has been conducted by the School of Information Technology, Information Systems Department, Ciputra University, using MonsoonSIM. The aim of this activity is to introduce the concept of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to students through virtual business simulation game. This training was conducted online, due to to Covid-19 pandemic. By using MonsoonSIM software, students can manage a virtual company and learn the company's business processes. Learnings in this training were in the form of material module explanations, simulations, discussions, and evaluations. This program was attended by students from Junior High School and Senior High School. Participants not only play individually to learn from the game experience, but also in a team to compete to be the best virtual company that can dominate the market within a predetermined period of time. By participating in this training, students can manage the operational processes of a virtual company, understand existing resources, and can make a company planning strategy in order to survive and grow.

БИЗНЕС-СИМУЛЯЦИЯ КАК ИНТЕРАКТИВНЫЙ МЕТОД ПОДГОТОВКИ ЭКОНОМИСТОВ

n the article, the authors identified the essence of the main categories of research: simulation, computer simulation, business simulation. Business simulation is viewed as an interactive method for training economists, which has a system of rules and objectives and is aimed at forming a set of competencies that will help the student in subsequent economic activities. Business simulation has a clearly defined educational goal — the development of practical skills and competencies by the participants. The authors identified the key advantages of using business simulation, including: differentiation and adaptability of model changes; an integrated approach to the study of an object, verifiability of various approaches, the possibility of solving a variety of problems. The authors noted the disadvantages of using business simulation: psychological characteristics of the transition to innovative methods of training students, poor awareness, lack of digital competencies, low motivation of teachers, problems with access to resources and tools. With the use of a systematic analysis of the advantages and disadvantages, the expediency of introducing business simulation into the educational process in higher educational institutions for students of economic training is substantiated. The authors analyzed the experience of using business simulations popular in foreign universities and business schools, including Blue Ocean Strategy Simulation (BOSS), Capsim Capstone Business Simulation, Capsim Foundation, Cesim, Edumundo, Online Simulations Harvard Business Publishing Reality Works Business Education Simulations, Traction. The authors considered Russian projects of business simulations: Business course: Corporation Plus, Nixdorf «Exchange», Nixdorf «Delta», ViAL +. The authors identified economic disciplines, in teaching which business simulation should be used (accounting and audit, economic theory, finance, enterprise economics, management, trade, investment analysis, marketing). This will allow updating education and bringing new business graduates to the market and, as a consequence, increasing the efficiency of the national economy. It was emphasized that further research requires studying the experience of using business simulation games in universities and business schools

БИЗНЕС-СИМУЛЯЦИЯ КАК АДЕКВАТНАЯ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ РЕАЛЬНОСТИ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНАЯ ТЕХНОЛОГИЯ

The authors proposed to consider business simulation as a modern educational technology adequate to economic reality, as an interactive model of the economic system, which, by its internal conditions, is as close as possible to the corresponding institutional unit: a division or an entire enterprise, industry, country. Based on the expert analysis, it was revealed that employers and students in universities have different assessments of the skills required for employment. This gap in the assessment of competencies can be partially leveled through the implementation of business simulation. The authors gave an analysis of the business simulation from the point of view of a competency-based approach. They identified groups of tasks that can be solved with the help of this educational technology, and formed the corresponding general cultural, general professional and professional competencies of students in economic areas of training. The authors identified the advantages of using business simulation in teaching, which lay the foundation for the formation of competencies: the possibility of using it in a distance form, activation of creative abilities, the development of creative thinking, independence and self-discipline of students, great interest of students in the learning process due to gamification, applied nature and a high degree proximity to economic reality, the ability to simultaneously solve many problems. The disadvantages of using business simulation were also considered: a lack of contact work between a teacher and a student, an increase in the time spent in front of the screen, the need for special training of teachers, excessive involvement in the game part of a business simulation, financial costs for technical development and the creation of the necessary infrastructure. Foreign business simulations are characterized, the use of which makes it possible to hone the skills of doing business and making optimal economic decisions. The problems and prospects of development in Russia of training based on business simulation were identified. It was emphasized that further research requires studying the experience of using business simulation games in universities and business schools.

Exploiting Discrete Event Simulation to Improve a Chicken Supply Chain

This article focuses on improving supply chain management (SCM) at a poultry processing plant. The strategies applied in SCM are dependent on understanding customers’ demand, the ability to forecast accurately, and maintaining smart inventory management to achieve the full advantages of SCM. This study exploits the integration of SCM concepts with business simulation, along with exploring strategies to improve the whole operation of a chicken supply chain. Witness Horizon software is utilized to model the supply chain of Company X, and information gathered on the demand and sales of poultry (chicken) is applied and computed in the simulation. The study investigates several ordering strategies, which are based on the previous week’s demand (PWD), weighted (forward) 3-point average demand (WAFD), weighted (backward) 3-point average demand (WABD), and moving average demand (MAD). Each simulation result obtained from different ordering strategies indicates the effectiveness and potential of the proposed methodology. These strategies are successfully developed and simulated, in which the results obtained demonstrate a desirable level of inventory, and profitability can be achieved by implementing these strategies in real time. The study concludes with MAD as being a suitable forecasting method for the given scenario.

Exploiting Discrete Event Simulation to Improve a Chicken Supply Chain

This article focuses on improving supply chain management (SCM) at a poultry processing plant. The strategies applied in SCM are dependent on understanding customers’ demand, the ability to forecast accurately, and maintaining smart inventory management to achieve the full advantages of SCM. This study exploits the integration of SCM concepts with business simulation, along with exploring strategies to improve the whole operation of a chicken supply chain. Witness Horizon software is utilized to model the supply chain of Company X, and information gathered on the demand and sales of poultry (chicken) is applied and computed in the simulation. The study investigates several ordering strategies, which are based on the previous week’s demand (PWD), weighted (forward) 3-point average demand (WAFD), weighted (backward) 3-point average demand (WABD), and moving average demand (MAD). Each simulation result obtained from different ordering strategies indicates the effectiveness and potential of the proposed methodology. These strategies are successfully developed and simulated, in which the results obtained demonstrate a desirable level of inventory, and profitability can be achieved by implementing these strategies in real time. The study concludes with MAD as being a suitable forecasting method for the given scenario.

Business Process Analysis and Simulation: An Industrial Application

Business Process Analysis and Simulation: An Industrial Application

Simulation games in business education: the experience of business simulation &amp;quot;Startup: the Limits to Growth&amp;quot;

The article reveals how simulations can be used in the teaching of management disciplines. Despite the high demand from students for interactive teaching methods, simulation games are still of a limited use in business education. This is largely due to the lack of high-quality simulation games, especially considering unique domestic simulations. The article reviews the author’s experience of teaching of “Startup: Limits to Growth” Simulation Game based on the agent approach to modeling in business education. By reviewing the outcomes of many simulation sessions, we analyze the key strategies of participants’ decision-making and their misperception of complex systems. We show that business game participants on average poorly perform the simulation even considering a rather moderate nature of complexity embedded in the game provided by a couple of feedback loops and delay effects. We suggest active use of business simulations in training of contemporary managers to develop their system thinking skills and to train their holistic analysis capabilities in business.

Modeling Perishability in MIT Beer Game Business Simulator

COVID-19 pandemic showed that customers tend to create an excessive inventory, and these demand shocks caused by disruptions or disruption anticipation destabilize the supply chains. The consequences of such demand shocks are hard to predict and model. We present a modified version of the MIT Beer Game which includes product perishability constraints. The model is implemented in Python 3 and uses a client-server architecture and the internet or a local server for players’ interaction. The increased complexity of the game dynamics affects the players’ behavior. The work is aimed at identifying the specifics of supply chain actors’ decisions under constraints of the limited shelf life of a product. The main hypothesis is as follows: when the number of uncertainty factors in the supply chain operation increases, the ability of the supply chain links (players) to implement an effective algorithm for an order and shipment planning decreases. Additional operational measures can help to allocate risks in a more equal way within the supply chain.

Business computer simulation supporting competencies. Potential areas of application and barriers.

The main obligation of higher education is to provide graduates with a set of competencies that will enable them to obtain viable employment. One of the tools which can support this process can be applying business computer simulations which can be the perfect instruments to increase student engagement, but also stimulate creativity or develop communication skills. It turns out that there is a demand for a specific set of skills in the labour market, which is currently in short supply among graduates. That is why there is a need to improve this area. Considering new approaches in education we decided to penetrate usage of business simulation – looking for novelties and contextual implementation. The purpose of the research is to present the important role of business computer simulations in supporting competencies and highlights areas of possible application and specifies key barriers that determine their implementation.