Strategy Simulation in Experiential Learning: soft versus hard skill development
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This document summarizes a study on using a competitive strategy simulation at the start of an MBA program. The simulation aimed to provide students with a realistic decision-making experience, allow self-assessment of skills, preview program content, and facilitate team building. Research was conducted to measure the effectiveness of simulations in developing students' hard and soft management skills. Preliminary results found that simulations may help raise students' ethical awareness by diminishing mild opinions and increasing strong beliefs both for and against ethics. The study aims to provide implications for when simulations are best used in an MBA program to support different types of learning.
Strategy Simulation in Experiential Learning: soft versus hard skill development
- 1. Serge Poisson - de Haro Experiential Learning Congress ESMT Berlin 25-26 November 2010
- 2. Our inspiration Use of a competitive strategy simulation at the start of the MBA program at HEC Montréal. Four main goals: “Live” decision-making process of a management team Self-assessment of skills and experiences by students Preview of content of MBA program Team building effort - work together for next 12 weeks. Feedback of the students always ecstatic what is happening exactly?
- 3. What is happening? What makes simulation so special? Sense of reality Enough illusion of reality to induce real world-like responses Sense of enjoyment Excellent feedback from students Good fit with strategic management objectives?
- 4. Strategic management course objectives To integrate (usually used at end of MBA program) (Stephen, Parente, & Brown, 2002) interdependent functional areas analytical process that incorporates multiple perspectives To develop necessary skills needed to manage firms (Mintzberg & Gosling, 2002)
- 5. Simulation in strategic management education Most realistic business decision-making environment possible in a classroom setting (Hornaday & Curran, 1996). Join together theory and various real world decisions, and encourage strategic thinking (Faria, 2001) Understand the integration of several functions of the firm in a bird’s eye view (Keys and Wolfe, 1990) Widely used (Wolfe & Luethge, 2003), but not as much as cases (Fowler & Scott, 1996)
- 6. Why simulation is less widely used than cases? Overemphasis on analytical skills in MBA programs Learning is less related to professor performance Professor is expected to give continuous feedback Time and energy consuming
- 7. More insights on our study! Hard versus soft skills (Wagner and Moffett, 2000) Hard skills are linked to analytical decision making Technical skills: knowlege in main disciplinary and functional areas of business Conceptual skills: ability of problem solving
- 8. More insights (Contd.) Hard versus soft skills Soft skills are linked to dealing with human nature (Elmuti, 2004) Human skills: people management and interpersonal skills (Helfhill and Nielsen, 2007) Societal skills: dealing with issues surrounding the firm’s environment
- 9. More insights (contd.) Conventionally accepted that simulations are useful tools in developing hard skills (Gunz, 1995) Less accepted that simulations are of use to soft skills development (Kachra and Schnietz, 2008) Something to explore…
- 10. Constructs 1st Management Skills level 2nd Hard Management Skills Soft Management Skills level 3rd Technical skills Conceptual skills Human skills Societal skills level (H1A) (H1B) (H2A) (H2B) 4th Accounting/Finance (1Aa) Goal setting (1Ba) Helping (2Aa) Ethics (2Ba) Production/Logistics (1Ab) Action orientation (1Bb) Leadership (2Ab) Quality of worklife (2Bb) level Marketing/Sales (1Ac) Initiative taking (1Bc) Relationship (2Ac) Org.-env. fit (2Bc)
- 11. Research Methodology Data: 200 MBA students representative of MBA students (high undergraduate GPAs, previous business experience and substantial GMAT scores) Instrument: use of internet questionnaire before starting and after finishing the simulation Constructs: measurement of the effectiveness of the simulation method in developing management skills by taking students’ perceptions before and after the use of the simulation.
- 12. Research methodology (Contd.) Scale: 5-point Likert scale, 1 standing for minimum and 5 standing for maximum. Variables: dependent variable: perception of simulation’s effectiveness Independent variable: utilization of simulation Control variables : previous business industry (CV1), educational background (CV2), gender (CV3) and ethics course (CV4) Method Quantitative descriptive analysis and regression analyses/ANOVA for inferential purposes
- 13. Preliminary results Before: some students tends to have no or mild opinions while others have very deep beliefs regarding ethics After: number of students at 3 level has diminished significantly whereas number of students at 2 or 4 level has increased (students with strong opinions before remains or increases). Going through the simulation seems to raise ethical awareness.
- 14. Forthcoming Perform deeper analysis including questions on strategy and team behavior Repeat the study with more control variables (incl. ability to track student profile and teams) Implications: use of simulation at beginning or end of program create different dynamics of learning of soft and hard management skills. Students with science background perceive a greater learning in soft skills whereas students with a social science background perceive more hard skills development. Thank you! Welcome to your suggestions…
- 15. Contact Serge Poisson-de Haro Assistant Professor in Strategic Management HEC Montréal serge.poissondeharo@hec.ca www.hec.ca THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.