Replying to LO30964 --
Hi, Margaret,
I can make some paper-and-pencil simulation games on various
managerial responsibilities are available - there is only a cost of
$55.- plus shipping and handling, per set of five reusable game
booklets and one reproducable copy of the workbook. The workbook can
be copied for distribution to students. The instructor would have to
work out the logistics for passing the game booklets from class to
class.
There is a brief general description of the simulation games below, as
well as a list of available titles. There are also some pure games
listed.
1. SIMULATION GAMES
About Simulations/Games
- These simulation games are paper-and-pencil participative exercises
for small teams of 3 to 5 learners. There is no limit to the number
of teams which can participate simultaneously (they have been used
with audiences of from 1 to 250 teams); breakout rooms are not
required.
- Most simulations games fit into a two-hour session. It is also
possible to use only selected specific issues/decisions and ignore the
others.
- No specific training by the facilitator is needed.
- In most simulations games, participants all assume the same role.
They are presented with specific challenges from a relevant
hypothetical scenario. They usually first make personal decision and
then discuss them to come to a team consensus. Sometimes they have to
prepare personal plans which are then combined into a team plan.
There is immediate feedback with personal and team scores.
* * * * * * *
DESCRIPTIONS OF SPECIFIC SIMULATIONS/GAMES
Titles with one asterisk (*) were originally published by Science
Research Associates in Simulation Series for Business and Industry;
titles with two asterisks (**) were originally published by the
American Management Association
Assigning Work
Provides for an opportunity to explore skills for appropriately
matching staff members to tasks, enhancing cooperation, orientation to
new tasks, approaching sub-standard performance, and ensuring
appropriate recognition.
Communications: Problems and Opportunities
This popular simulation concerns adapting messages to the needs of
receivers, responding effectively to emotional statements, recognizing
inferences, matching messages to the listeners, enhancing upward
communications, and approaches for dealing with rumors, and giving
complete instructions.
Constructive Discipline
This title provides practice in handling situations which influence
morale and discipline. Beyond exploring the relationship between
morale and discipline, specific decision concern joint setting of
realistic goals, keeping staff members posted on performance,
criticizing constructively, providing recognition, assigning equipment
equitably, preventing loss of face, and providing help, support and
recognition.
Effective Supervision
This simulation addresses defining of objectives and priorities,
integrating personal and organizational goals, drawing meaningful
conclusions from unrelated or partially related facts, effective
utilization of human resources, communications up and down, attitudes
toward various work groups, and dealing with undesirable practices.
Financial Analysis
This simulation requires decisions on preparing the information base
for analysis, allocating common costs, drawing conclusions from
numerical data and designing the framework for an optimum financial
information system.
Grievance Handling
Decisions involve identification of potential grievances and causes,
effective disposition of various types of grievances, and policies for
reduction of incidence and severity of grievances.
Handling Conflict in Management - Conflict Among Peers
Though entitled Handling Conflict, this simulation and the other two
in the series concern primarily communications issues. This title
involves facing the conflict situation, approaching the protagonist,
recognizing emotional reactions, establishing an open communications
climate, and de-escalating a conflict.
Handling Conflict in Management - Manager/Team Member Conflict
This title concerns taking the first step, analyzing the team-member's
reaction, dealing with defensiveness, evasiveness, hostility and
withdrawal, and preparing for disciplinary action.
Leading Groups to Better Decisions
This learning experience if for all involved in meetings, regardless
of organizational authority. It involves defining the challenge,
dealing with premature solutions, separating facts from inferences,
defining applicable intangible considerations, obtaining participation
from all group members, copying with obstacles to effective group
problem-solving, task assignments, and planning for meeting follow-up.
Management for Supervisors
This simulation involves decision on goals, delegation, vertical
communications in both directions, assigning jobs, dealing with overly
assertive staff members, and decision participation style.
Managing Through Face-to-Face Communication
This title explores issues in communications such as perceived
differences in meaning, the ladder of abstractions and its
implications, tailoring a message to the receiver, etc.
Market Planning
Decisions concern identifying the information base, searching out
opportunities, preparing for the market plan, and product line
requirements.
Principles of Effective Salesmanship
Decisions pertain to various aspects of identifying client/customer
needs and developing effective selling tactics.
Transactional Analysis - Improving Communications
This simulation provides a brief discussion of communications
implication of Transactional Analysis (TA) with various situations in
which the team members identify ego states and apply appropriate
communications strategies.
* * * * * * *
2. PURE GAMES
Pure games are structured activities for which the meeting leader can
decide on specific learning objectives.
DESCRIPTIONS OF AVAILABLE PURE GAMES
Deelie Bobbers
This is a multi-use construction game which can serve as an
ice-breaker with significant learning content, or as a vehicle for
other learning objectives such as planning, organizing, problem
solving, team work, group dynamics, and various communications
objectives.
Qubic
This game uses a commercial three-dimensional tic-tac-toe game for
group planning, group problem solving and decision making, as well as
other learning objectives such as the ones from Deelie Bobbers. The
Leader's Guide suggests a far more controlled process for this game
which places considerable pressure on teams to communicate effectively
under severe time constraints and other restrictions. This game is
therefore useful for organizations where people sometimes have to
respond to important situation in an environment imposing significant
stress.
--Didactic Systems, with address (P.O. Box 457, Cranford, NJ 07016) and telephone number (908-276-5413)
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