Business Simulation Games are a teaching methodology extensively used in academia and business training programs. There is a great interest in understanding how simulation enhances learning (Gosenpud and Washbush, 1996; Wolfe, 1997; Snow et al, 2002; and Faria and Wellington, 2005), but nonetheless there is not so much evidence of the beliefs and feelings of simulation participants regarding learning results. Such opinion is important not only because it shows the attitude of the game final “users”, but also because it reflects students’ motivation to increase efforts, and provide considerable incentive to learn the course content (Lucette and Nichols, 1996; Brown, 1989).
This paper empirically examines how participants value their experience and the effort put into it, how they value the learning process, also compared with other learning methods, and how they think the simulation game increased their skills and competences. The findings show the same results as McKenna (1991), Washbush and Gosenpud (1991), and Yahr (1995): business game participants have very favourable reactions toward simulations as a learning tool.
Members of an undergraduate business administration class were surveyed about their attitude and opinion towards the game experience. Their valuation of the business simulation game was higher than the valuation for text books, case method and traditional lessons. Results also seem to show that student consider that the business simulation game had a bearing on the acquisition of certain abilities and skills, specially team working and decision-making process; and also on the acquisition of knowledge and competences related to complete understanding of information, realizing the close relationship between past and future strategic decisions, and evaluating their most likely effects.