Gaming Simulation for Business and Management Education – A Case Example of an University Curriculum and Didactic Approach

Abstract

This article presents methods of gaming simulation as didactic approach for an innovative university curriculum for business and management education. As an overview we show how different types of simulation games are part of the university education in the business programs. In addition we discuss in more detail one module of “systems management” as best-practice case example of the curriculum. The design of simulation game prototypes is part of the didactic approach. In the first part of the paper, we discuss in the format of a literature review building blocks of gaming simulation, principles of gaming simulation and learning, and gaming simulation’s potential to improve the understanding of business and management through implementation in the curriculum. In the last part, the structure, contents, and innovative hybrid game-design approach of one specific module is shown in detail.