The Business Simulation Blog

[Interview] Olivier Cateura On Business Simulations

Posted by Zsuzsa Jakab on Thursday, May 10, 2012 | Reading time: 3 min.

Olivier CateuraOur recent business simulations workshop organized by our friends at Grenoble Ecole de Management was a roaring success. We want to thank participants for spending a great day with us learning about how to strategize with business simulation games (in French: Comment former à la stratégie par la simulation?).

After an intensive business games marathon, we asked the co-organizer of the workshop, Olivier Cateura, to tell us a bit about his experience with these learning tools:

 

1. What got you interested in business simulators and when have you first used one?

"I used business simulations when I was myself a business school student nearly 15 years ago now, and I really enjoyed it. You can imagine that since that time most of these tools have radically changed. As a professor, I was really interested to propose it to my students. And they have not been disappointed! It's now very easy to use, online, interactive and very rich!"

 
2. Tell me a little bit about your decision to integrate Cesim Global Challenge into your course.

Free Download Cesim Global Challenge Guide BookWhat type of course it was (blended, online classroom), topical focus, and in what ways did you intend the business strategy game to complement it?


"I mainly use business simulations in my strategic management classes. It is complementary to a more traditional class. With the simulation, students can really understand, and "learn by doing" why strategic management is a complex, long term and collective work! My way of using simulations is mainly based on a one week intensive class, with many decisions, analysis, reports and presentations to produce. I have very useful and deep discussions with my students at each step of the process."


3. How did your students react to the simulation?

What was the overall engagement level with Cesim Global Challenge and what strikes you as the most exciting thing in your students behavior during the course of the game?


"The students (Master level at Grenoble Ecole de Management) really enjoy this class. The game is fun and interesting, the environment (telecom industry) is attractive for the managers that we train who are fond of technology and innovation. During this class, which is also a competition between themselves, the engagement is very high. When they like it, they work a lot!"
 

4. What do you think your own role was during the simulation game? How did you help your students get the most out of the experience?


"As a professor and a former practitioner, as my team of teachers, we are very involved in the game. We spend a lot of time to help them to understand how to analyze their situation and what are the best ways and tools to structure a sustainable competitive strategy. At the end of the week, they have learned a lot, on strategy, finance, HRM, and Supply Chain Management!"

 
5. What are some of the most important takeaways you have learned over the years about simulation based courses?


"Have fun! It's a great tool to connect our students (Y Generation) to knowledge, content and process. Learning by doing with business simulations is an excellent opportunity to complete their training and to change from traditional lectures or case studies analysis."

 
6. What tips or words of advice would you give to other educators who are planning to use business simulator games in their course(s)?

"Just do it! You'll like it, your students too and I'm sure you will also learn a lot!"

 

Find out about other educators' simulation experience in our collection of expert interviews.

 

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Tags: Cesim Insider, Case study, How to use business simulations

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