A Computer Simulation Interface for Competitive and Firm Analyses

Abstract

"A computer simulation interface procedure is described whereby the Business Management Laboratory business game was modified to generate data records compatible with dBASE III Plus microcomputer data base software. The data base schema consisted of 108 variable data values which were produced for each firm participating in the business game for each decision cycle. An alternate version of the database was produced as a Lotus 1-2-3 electronic spreadsheet. Students in a graduate business policy course were instructed in the utilization of the database as the source of data for two major analyses. The first analysis effort was a competitive analysis of the industry environment as simulated in the business game. The second analysis effort was an in depth analysis of the student team’s own firm in the business game. Student evaluations of this approach have been very favorable. "