College Students Need Simple Computer Simulations, Especially for International Business Courses

Abstract

"In teaching an undergraduate course entitled, International Management Environments: Europe, I searched for a computer simulation that would assist students in learning about the dynamics of international business, especially exchange rate factors. I selected the excellent Multinational Management Game, but realized too late that the simulation was far too sophisticated for my class, both in terms of my teaching objectives and for the background of too many students. With the benefit of this experience, I now realize that what I needed was a simple simulation that did not require elaborate cash flow calculations or sophisticated accounting knowledge. There is a place for advanced simulations--capstone courses where students are well educated and considerable classroom time is available. For an introductory course in international business, a simple simulation which takes about sixty to ninety minutes of classroom time for each of approximately five sessions would be ideal. Such a simulation would give students an opportunity to practice international strategies and to learn about exchange rate dynamics, but would require little student or teacher preparation Most teachers of international business courses struggle to cover the complexities of their subject within the constraints of a single semester—too much classroom time for a computer simulation could require sacrifices of other material that may not be acceptable. "