The Impact of Involvement on Performance in Business Simulations: An Examination of Goosen's “Know Little” Decision-Making Thesis

Some game users have contended that students can be successful in games even if they “know little” about the rules and the underlying business theories driving them. Thus, if teams are uninvolved, it is possible that successful game play may not impart the learning typically found in experiential exercises nor that designed into games by their creators. In this study, the authors examined the performance of companies led by varying levels of involvement in decision-making strategies. Firms with less involvement performed poorly relative to engaged simulated “ghost” firms and engaged real-student firms.