Using Complex Simulations in Policy Courses in Institutions with Limited Resources

Authors

  • L. E. Baldwin

Abstract

"Complex and open business simulations can be an excellent means of teaching business policy or capstone type courses in graduate and undergraduate curricula. Instructors in small and medium sized institutions frequently dismiss the possibility of using complex computerized simulations in their curriculum because of the limited availability of computer related resources in their school. The memory and storage core requirements of the complex simulations can be considerably larger than that of the small computers available at the institution. One look at the language and complexities of the instructor’s manual of a complex simulation can be very discouraging for the would-be game user. The instructor faced with these obstacles can use a simpler and less suitable game or retreat to using the case method of teaching business policy courses. The would-be users of complex simulations have two sources from which to choose a game for use in a business policy course. The most readily available source is the list games being published and commercially available. However, most of the published games are designed for use in teaching or illustrating a particular business function or decision tool. These simulations are usually closed, require little in the way of computer related skills on the part of the instructor, and can be readily adapted to run on most small computers."

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Published

1974-03-13