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Hi everyone: Can anyone send me recommendations for a good business simulation that can be used in an executive MMBA capstone course? I'm very familiar with the CAPSTONE simulation, but I was wondering if there was another one out there which also focused on ethical and international/global issues. These are two issues that I've missed in the capstone simulation.

In fact, I don't recall ever coming across a simulation involving ethical issues.

Thanks in advance.

I will be happy to summarize all responses received.

Hi Vikas,

I have not used CAPSTONE, however, I have reviewed it and if memory serves me, there is an ethics "add in" to that program.  I assume you're familiar with that as well and have found it unsatisfying.  I'm aware however of a new computer based simulation developed by Ed Freeman and Bobby Parmar here that very distinctly raises ethical issues-but perhaps less on the strategic issues as in CAPSTONE.  I'll refer you to Ed and Bobby for more information.

Regards,

Hi everyone: Can anyone send me recommendations for a good business simulation that can be used in an executive MMBA capstone course? I'm very familiar with the CAPSTONE simulation, but I was wondering if there was another one out there which also focused on ethical and international/global issues. These are two issues that I've missed in the capstone simulation.

In fact, I don't recall ever coming across a simulation involving ethical issues.

Thanks in advance.

I will be happy to summarize all responses received.

On a similar note to Jim Clawson, I had students fill in the details to make Capstone's products "more real".  The students then had to pick a country and then determine a market needs assessment and plan to integrate the product into that country.  While it does not capture all the realism of an international simulation, we used the policy course to teach competitive strategy and to assess knowledge learned in the functional business courses – and the Capstone simulation was the best at those two aspects. Currently, a more international simulation is used, but the rational planning aspect of competitive strategy is lost as a consequence.

Ethical issues could be raised in various aspects of the simulation.  We invited recent graduates back to watch final presentations and to ask real questions (clinical correlation) of the students.  One dilemma students faced was how much information to give them. Some students about ten years out were not familiar with Capstone and the current students had to figure out how much to tell the audience.  There was social pressure for other current students not to say anything – which became a topic for discussion. These groupthink and Ringleman effect (belief that as group size increases, each person commits less effort to group goals) phenomena then become topics for group dynamics of strategy. Ethical issues abound when dealing with information asymmetries, use of power dynamics, and any means-ends continua. 

Mike Card

Hi Vikas,

I have not used CAPSTONE, however, I have reviewed it and if memory serves me, there is an ethics "add in" to that program.  I assume you're familiar with that as well and have found it unsatisfying.  I'm aware however of a new computer based simulation developed by Ed Freeman and Bobby Parmar here that very distinctly raises ethical issues-but perhaps less on the strategic issues as in CAPSTONE.  I'll refer you to Ed and Bobby for more information.

Regards,

Hi everyone: Can anyone send me recommendations for a good business simulation that can be used in an executive MMBA capstone course? I'm very familiar with the CAPSTONE simulation, but I was wondering if there was another one out there which also focused on ethical and international/global issues. These are two issues that I've missed in the capstone simulation.

In fact, I don't recall ever coming across a simulation involving ethical issues.

Thanks in advance.

I will be happy to summarize all responses received.

Jim and Michael: Those are great suggestions and thanks for getting back to me....Since I posted the initial query y'day I've received numerous requests to share the results but very few actual suggestions (I am appending a reply from Precha Thavikulwat below). It appears that we probably don't have simulations that simultaneously capture aspects of international business, Ethics and a capstone function...so I'd like to modify my request a little bit:

a)       Need suggestions for any good simulation that captures both capstone/strategy and international aspects.

b)       Need suggestions for experiential exercises involving ethical judgment – especially applicable at the top management level..

Greatly appreciate feedback and emails from all in response to my original request....

Vikas Anand

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message from Precha Thavikulwat

A colleague forwarded to me the e-mail inquiry you posted on MG-ED-DV. I do support an international/global simulation, a demo of which is available at: http://pages.towson.edu/precha/geonetd5.exe. Select Run/Open at all security warnings. Do not save the program, as I upgrade the server regularly. A saved program may not work correctly after an upgrade.

When the program unzips and launches itself, an Access-to-GEO dialog box will appear. Select the Register button, and register yourself using a fictitious name. When you OK the registration, the program's main frame will appear. You can do anything you like at that point as it's a demo.

When the demo exits, it cleans up after itself, leaving nothing on the computer. You must have Microsoft's .Net Framework installed for the demo to work. If you don't have it installed, you can download it free (I suggest Version 2) from Microsoft's Web site: http://www.msdn.com.

I don't market the simulation, so there's no cost to you or to your students. I do ask interested parties to send me a postal letter of request on institutional letterhead giving me information about intended usage: class size, course name, course level, number of students, start dates, stop date, and institutional Web site. Depending on circumstances, more than one party may be joined in a simulation experience.

The simulation does focus on international/global issues. The ethical issues you mentioned in your posting is more of a challenge. The simulation is not designed to entrap students in ethical dilemmas (Wouldn't that be unethical?). On the contrary, it's designed to make unethical conduct, such as bribery and price fixing, difficult. It even makes free-riding, perhaps the most pervasive ethical problem of business simulation experiences, difficult.

Best,

Precha
--
Precha Thavikulwat, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
+---------------------------------------+
| Department of Management              |
| <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Towson</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>                     |
| <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">8000 York Road</st1:address></st1:street>                        |
| <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Towson</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">MD</st1:state> <st1:postalcode w:st="on">21252-0001</st1:postalcode></st1:place>                 |
| <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.A.</st1:place></st1:country-region>                                |
| t. 410-704-3230                       |
| f. 410-704-3236                       |
| pthavikulwat@towson.edu               |
| Skype: pthavikulwat                   |
| AIM: prechathav                       |
| http://pages.towson.edu/precha        |
+---------------------------------------+

On a similar note to Jim Clawson, I had students fill in the details to make Capstone's products "more real".  The students then had to pick a country and then determine a market needs assessment and plan to integrate the product into that country.  While it does not capture all the realism of an international simulation, we used the policy course to teach competitive strategy and to assess knowledge learned in the functional business courses – and the Capstone simulation was the best at those two aspects. Currently, a more international simulation is used, but the rational planning aspect of competitive strategy is lost as a consequence.

Ethical issues could be raised in various aspects of the simulation.  We invited recent graduates back to watch final presentations and to ask real questions (clinical correlation) of the students.  One dilemma students faced was how much information to give them. Some students about ten years out were not familiar with Capstone and the current students had to figure out how much to tell the audience.  There was social pressure for other current students not to say anything – which became a topic for discussion. These groupthink and Ringleman effect (belief that as group size increases, each person commits less effort to group goals) phenomena then become topics for group dynamics of strategy. Ethical issues abound when dealing with information asymmetries, use of power dynamics, and any means-ends continua. 

Mike Card

Hi Vikas,

I have not used CAPSTONE, however, I have reviewed it and if memory serves me, there is an ethics "add in" to that program.  I assume you're familiar with that as well and have found it unsatisfying.  I'm aware however of a new computer based simulation developed by Ed Freeman and Bobby Parmar here that very distinctly raises ethical issues-but perhaps less on the strategic issues as in CAPSTONE.  I'll refer you to Ed and Bobby for more information.

Regards,

Hi everyone: Can anyone send me recommendations for a good business simulation that can be used in an executive MMBA capstone course? I'm very familiar with the CAPSTONE simulation, but I was wondering if there was another one out there which also focused on ethical and international/global issues. These are two issues that I've missed in the capstone simulation.

In fact, I don't recall ever coming across a simulation involving ethical issues.

Thanks in advance.

I will be happy to summarize all responses received.

Hi,

On the ethics piece, again, I encourage you to contact Ed Freeman or Bobby Parmar on their new simulation.  It may be what you need.

Cheers,

Jim and Michael: Those are great suggestions and thanks for getting back to me....Since I posted the initial query y'day I've received numerous requests to share the results but very few actual suggestions (I am appending a reply from Precha Thavikulwat below). It appears that we probably don't have simulations that simultaneously capture aspects of international business, Ethics and a capstone function...so I'd like to modify my request a little bit:

a)       Need suggestions for any good simulation that captures both capstone/strategy and international aspects.

b)       Need suggestions for experiential exercises involving ethical judgment – especially applicable at the top management level..

Greatly appreciate feedback and emails from all in response to my original request....

Vikas Anand

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message from Precha Thavikulwat

A colleague forwarded to me the e-mail inquiry you posted on MG-ED-DV. I do support an international/global simulation, a demo of which is available at: http://pages.towson.edu/precha/geonetd5.exe. Select Run/Open at all security warnings. Do not save the program, as I upgrade the server regularly. A saved program may not work correctly after an upgrade.

When the program unzips and launches itself, an Access-to-GEO dialog box will appear. Select the Register button, and register yourself using a fictitious name. When you OK the registration, the program's main frame will appear. You can do anything you like at that point as it's a demo.

When the demo exits, it cleans up after itself, leaving nothing on the computer. You must have Microsoft's .Net Framework installed for the demo to work. If you don't have it installed, you can download it free (I suggest Version 2) from Microsoft's Web site: http://www.msdn.com.

I don't market the simulation, so there's no cost to you or to your students. I do ask interested parties to send me a postal letter of request on institutional letterhead giving me information about intended usage: class size, course name, course level, number of students, start dates, stop date, and institutional Web site. Depending on circumstances, more than one party may be joined in a simulation experience.

The simulation does focus on international/global issues. The ethical issues you mentioned in your posting is more of a challenge. The simulation is not designed to entrap students in ethical dilemmas (Wouldn't that be unethical?). On the contrary, it's designed to make unethical conduct, such as bribery and price fixing, difficult. It even makes free-riding, perhaps the most pervasive ethical problem of business simulation experiences, difficult.

Best,

Precha
--
Precha Thavikulwat, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
+---------------------------------------+
| Department of Management              |
| <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Towson</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>                     |
| <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">8000 York Road</st1:address></st1:street>                        |
| <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Towson</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">MD</st1:state> <st1:postalcode w:st="on">21252-0001</st1:postalcode></st1:place>                 |
| <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.A.</st1:country-region></st1:place>                                |
| t. 410-704-3230                       |
| f. 410-704-3236                       |
| pthavikulwat@towson.edu               |
| Skype: pthavikulwat                   |
| AIM: prechathav                       |
| http://pages.towson.edu/precha        |
+---------------------------------------+

On a similar note to Jim Clawson, I had students fill in the details to make Capstone's products "more real".  The students then had to pick a country and then determine a market needs assessment and plan to integrate the product into that country.  While it does not capture all the realism of an international simulation, we used the policy course to teach competitive strategy and to assess knowledge learned in the functional business courses – and the Capstone simulation was the best at those two aspects. Currently, a more international simulation is used, but the rational planning aspect of competitive strategy is lost as a consequence.

Ethical issues could be raised in various aspects of the simulation.  We invited recent graduates back to watch final presentations and to ask real questions (clinical correlation) of the students.  One dilemma students faced was how much information to give them. Some students about ten years out were not familiar with Capstone and the current students had to figure out how much to tell the audience.  There was social pressure for other current students not to say anything – which became a topic for discussion. These groupthink and Ringleman effect (belief that as group size increases, each person commits less effort to group goals) phenomena then become topics for group dynamics of strategy. Ethical issues abound when dealing with information asymmetries, use of power dynamics, and any means-ends continua. 

Mike Card

Hi Vikas,

I have not used CAPSTONE, however, I have reviewed it and if memory serves me, there is an ethics "add in" to that program.  I assume you're familiar with that as well and have found it unsatisfying.  I'm aware however of a new computer based simulation developed by Ed Freeman and Bobby Parmar here that very distinctly raises ethical issues-but perhaps less on the strategic issues as in CAPSTONE.  I'll refer you to Ed and Bobby for more information.

Regards,

Hi everyone: Can anyone send me recommendations for a good business simulation that can be used in an executive MMBA capstone course? I'm very familiar with the CAPSTONE simulation, but I was wondering if there was another one out there which also focused on ethical and international/global issues. These are two issues that I've missed in the capstone simulation.

In fact, I don't recall ever coming across a simulation involving ethical issues.

Thanks in advance.

I will be happy to summarize all responses received.