Testing Strategy Simulation Efficacy

Strategy simulation software packages (e.g., Glo-Bus©, Capsim©, Marketplace Live©, Micromatic©, Business Policy Game©, etc.) are a standard tool in both undergraduate and graduate business capstone courses (Gove, 2012, Halpin, 2020). In the literature, there has been a call for more focus on teaching methods to assure strategy simulations are maximally effective (Clapper, 2015, Schmeller, 2019). This analysis examines foundational learning theories, particularly Novak’s (2010), to explain which elements of strategy simulation correspond to those needed for Novak’s meaningful learning (2010). This analysis will help business capstone professors who use strategy simulations to improve student learning.