Learning and Team Attributes in an Enterprise Systems Simulation

Abstract

A team-based enterprise systems simulation is used in an MBA class to enhance students’ knowledge of business processes and enterprise systems’ capabilities. Before the simulation begins, and after each distinct phase of the simulation exercise, student perceptions regarding individual learning and team attributes are assessed. The authors then investigate the relationship between team performance, individual knowledge, team attributes, and the simulation phase. All teams showed a similar increase in business process knowledge and enterprise systems skill as the simulation progressed to more advanced phases, while some behavioral attributes – such as team potency and individual satisfaction – appeared relatively constant across simulation phases but differ significantly depending on the team’s performance. Other attributes, such as role clarity and the number of within-team interactions, appeared to change over time more for certain types of teams than for others