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The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of simulators as pedagogical complements to traditional case studies. The research performs experiments with a case and its accompanying simulator to assess the additional learning attained by the use of a case with its simulator as compared to using the case alone. The paper also describes the development and proposed use of cases and simulators combined.

The paper describes the development of one companion simulators, it outlines its proposed use, and it shows the results of an experiment to assess marginal learning with the simulator.

The research finds that simulators increase the understanding of subjects when used to support a case study. Students and teachers perceive the use of companion simulators as valuable.

The research provides ground for developing a new generation of case studies in which the traditional case is enhanced and augmented by simulators developed for one particular case and intended to be used only with that case.

This research has practical implications in how management is taught and learned.

The paper has implications in terms of possible changes that can be introduced to the teaching of management in business schools.

This research provides one of the few extant assessments of the learning that can be attained with the use of simulators in management education. The research proposes the creation of a new entity, the “Case+Sim” that draws on the traditional strengths of managerial case studies to be used in educating managers, but complements the case studies with simulators, which provide an added value in permitting students to test their thinking using a realistic interactive learning environment.

Computer‐based enterprise simulation is increasingly being used as a pedagogical tool in educational courses and training programs. However, the learning benefits from this activity have not been fully understood. In this study, we focus on the participant’s ability to translate a company’s strategy to a set of decisions in a simulation exercise, and the learning they derive from it. The simulation follows the iterative nature of experiential learning and reinforces the objectives of the course. Results show that the simulation encourages strategic decision‐making and group behavior consistent with long term strategy.

The purpose of this paper is to outline the relevance of a well-defined and well-led strategy execution process with respect to corporate success. It proposes customized business simulations as an effective solution for a smooth strategy execution.

Business simulations can help to bridge the strategy–execution gap. To illustrate this, three representative real-life business cases from different industries are described and analyzed, which successfully utilized simulation-based strategy implementation.

Recent studies have shown that poor alignment between the executive board and the operational business levels, insufficient understanding as well as a lack of accountability within the process are the key reasons for faulty strategy execution. Bespoke business simulations can address these issues.

There are several existing tools for strategy execution at hand. However, business simulations strongly increase the personal involvement of the employees by fostering high interactivity and gamification to boost the strategy transformation process.

The spatial conflicts and congestion of construction resources are challenges that lead to the reduction in efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to enable users to detect and resolve workspace conflicts by implementing four resolution strategies in a five-dimensional (5D) CAD model. In addition to resolving conflicts, the model should be able to optimize time and cost of the projects. In other words, three variables of spatial conflicts, time and cost of project are considered simultaneously in the proposed model to find the optimum solution.

In the first step, a 5D simulation model is developed that includes time, cost and geometrical information of a project. Then, time-cost trade-off analysis was carried out to distinguish optimum schedule. The schedule was imported to the 5D CAD model to detect spatial conflicts. Finally, a novel algorithm was implemented to solve identified conflicts while imposing minimum project’s time and cost. Several iterations are performed to resolve all clashes using conflict resolution algorithm and visual simulation model.

The proposed methodology in this research was applied to a real case. Results showed that in comparison to the normal and initial schedule with 19 conflicts, the finalized schedule has no conflict, while time and cost of the project are both reduced.

Implementing the proposed methodology in construction projects requires proper technical basis in this field. In this regard, the executive user should have a proper understanding of the principles, concepts and tools of building information modeling and have project management knowledge. Also, the implementation conditions of the basic model requires the determination of the construction methods, estimated volumes of working items, scheduling and technical specification. The designed methodology also has two limitations regarding to its implementation. The first is the fact that strategies should be applied manually to the schedule. The other one pertains to the number of strategies used in the research. Four strategies have been used in the conflict resolution algorithm directly and the two others (spatial divisibility and activities breakdown strategies) have been used as default strategies in the visual simulation model. Since the unused strategies including the changing of construction method and the activity resources are subjective and depend upon the planner and project manager’s personal opinion, the authors have avoided using them in this research.

The method proposed in this research contributes the coordination of the working teams at the planning and execution phases of the project. In fact, the best location and work direction for each working team is presented as a schedule, so that the space conflict may not come about and the cost can be minimized. This visual simulation not only deepens the planners’ views about the executive barriers and the spatial conditions of the worksite, it also makes the construction engineers familiar on a daily basis with their executive scope. Therefore, it considerably improves the interactions and communication of the planning and construction teams. Another advantage and application of this methodology is the use of initial and available projects’ documents including the schedule and two-dimensional drawings. The integration of these basic documents in this methodology helps identify the spatial conflicts efficiently. To achieve this, the use of the existing and widely-used construction tools has facilitated the implementation of the methodology. Using this system, planners have applied the strategies in an order of priority and can observe the results of each strategy visually and numerically in terms of time, cost and conflicts. This methodology by providing the effective resolution strategies guides the practitioner to remove conflicts while optimum time and cost are imposed to project.

Contrary to the previous models that ignore cost, the proposed model is a 5D visual simulation model, which considers the variable of cost as a main factor for conflict identification and resolution. Moreover, a forward-pass approach is introduced to implement resolution strategies that are novel compared to other investigations.

The aim of this article is to introduce business wargaming as a tool for ex ante strategy evaluation. Reviewing criticism of other approaches, such as scenarios and computer‐based simulations, this article explores whether business wargaming is a suitable response to this criticism.

This article reviews and discusses the literature on strategy testing and business wargaming.

Business wargaming is capable of responding to criticism of scenarios and computer‐based simulations when applied to the ex ante evaluation of strategy. Business wargaming, which arose from military wargaming, is a strategic simulation that is dynamic and participative, allowing managers to experience how their strategy will compete and endure in their business environment.

Additional research is needed to explore the application of business wargaming in practice as a tool for the testing of strategy.

The article suggests that business wargaming is a valuable tool for testing strategies in a simulation, which is participative and dynamic.

This article fills the research gap on strategy testing and points to a tool – business wargaming – that has been applied intensively in the military field.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of simulations in strategy teaching. The authors’ conceptualization is built upon the benefits and limitations of simulations by establishing a link between the skills required to be a competent manager and the capacity of simulations to develop them.

Using deductive theory building, the authors pinpoint the shortcomings of simulations, and offer a framework categorizing managerial skill development using simulations to teach strategic management.

The authors propose a new perspective on the use of simulations to teach strategic management by elaborating on their effectiveness in developing soft skills related to social issues often overlooked in simulations’ learning outcomes. The framework provides propositions concerning the ability of simulations to develop both soft (societal and human) and hard skills (technical and conceptual) needed by managers.

Literature shows that computer‐based platforms significantly increase the learning process. While such tools are widely used in teaching hard skills for decision making, they are relatively absent from teaching soft skills for decision making. Future studies should empirically explore the extent to which computer‐based platforms help cultivate soft skills.

Simulations are one of the most praised learning tools by management students. MBA administrators and strategy instructors would benefit from improved simulations that take into account the social environment surrounding managers. Expanded simulations, then, might lead to better preparation of management candidates for their tasks. In addition, simulation developers may find guidance in the authors’ conceptualizations to construct more effective teaching aids.

Contrary to the mainstream literature that focuses on hard‐skill development through simulations, this study calls attention to simulations’ capacity to foster the soft‐skills required to be a competent manager.

The purpose of this study is to create a framework that integrates GIS and microscopic simulation to optimize the placement of road barriers in emergency evacuation and assess the effectiveness via simulation. Human populations are at risk from many hazards including man-made and natural disasters, sudden events that are difficult to predict and prevent, but have catastrophic consequences. A critical issue in disaster management is timely evacuation that considers the dynamic traffic demand and congestions under dynamic hazard conditions. University campuses face a unique challenge in developing effective emergency evacuation plans due to their complex site configurations, high-dense buildings and dynamic spatial-temporal distribution of population.

The framework was implemented and tested on the main campus of the Western Michigan University to optimize the placement and configuration of road barriers to achieve an effective utilization of road network when the demand way exceeds the capacity. The resulting system was also used to test the effectiveness of the phased evacuation notification strategy, both with and without the optimal road barrier strategy.

It concluded that the newly created framework and its implementation could assist emergency evacuation planning for university campuses. It also concluded that placing road barriers at appropriate locations could reduce the evacuation time by 20 per cent or more under a variety of evacuation scenarios.

The originality of this research lies in three aspects of: a university campus context, the integration of GIS and microscopic simulation in emergency evacuation and the simulation based turn restriction strategy.

It is crucial to consider the multitude of possible building adaptation design strategies for improving the existing conditions of building stock as an alternative to demolition.

Integration of physics-based simulation tools and decision-making tools such as Multi-Attribute Utility (MAU) and Interactive Multi-objective Optimization (IMO) in the design process enable optimized design decision-making for high-performing buildings. A methodology is presented for improving building adaptation design decision making, specifically in the early-stage design feasibility analysis. Ten residential building adaptation strategies are selected and applied to one primary building system for eight performance metrics using physics-based simulation tools. These measures include energy use, thermal comfort, daylighting, natural ventilation, systems performance, life cycle, cost-benefit and constructability. The results are processed using MAU and IMO analysis and are validated through sensitivity analysis by testing one design strategy on three building systems.

Quantifiable comparison of building adaptation strategies based on multiple metrics derived from physics-based simulations can assist in the evaluation of overall environmental performance and economic feasibility for building adaptation projects.

The current methodology presented is limited to the analysis of one decision-maker at a time. It can be improved to include multiple decision-makers and capture varying perspectives to reflect common practices in the industry.

The methodology presented supports affordable generation and analysis of a large number of design options for early-stage design optimization.

Given the practical implications, more space and time is created for exploration and innovation, resulting in potential for improved benefits.

This paper builds on the debate regarding the application of Lean strategy principles and tools in modern organizations, specifically focusing on the healthcare (HC) sector. The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to highlight the potential role played by Lean strategy tools for strategic planning and management, particularly in reference to the Hoshin Kanri policy deployment system and the “focus, alignment, integration, and review” (FAIR) method; second, to discuss how Lean strategy can be operationalized, specifically relying on the X-Matrix reporting tool; and third, to explore how simulation techniques, in the form of role-playing (RP), may support the aforementioned operationalization of Lean strategy while at the same time promoting policymaking and knowledge sharing.

This research adopts a case study approach. Specifically, the paper relies on the use of a RP Lean strategy project developed in a HC setting.

The paper highlights the potential for the Hoshin Kanri policy deployment process in HC, also emphasizing the main strengths of X-Matrix reporting and the usefulness of the RP technique to support learning acquisition and decision making.

The paper demonstrates how a Lean strategy simulation project may be effectively used for strategic planning/management and to train professionals in HC. To achieve these aims, a methodology to design and implement simulation-based Lean strategy projects in HC is presented and discussed.

A review of the academic literature indicates that Lean strategy is still an emerging research topic addressed by only a limited number of articles. The paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of Lean strategy (particularly Hoshin Kanri and X-Matrix) with particular reference to the HC sector.

This paper presents some simulation‐oriented techniques, particularly the resource allocation point (RAP) heuristic rule, for an activity‐based construction (ABC) simulation that requires only one kind of element to model construction operations. RAP heuristic rule provides the simulation with the decision‐making ability for allocating limited resources during simulation. Predefined entity management strategies control the movements of simulation entities so as to model some complex features of construction operations. An activity object‐oriented (AOO) simulation strategy based on object‐oriented approach for the implementation of the ABC simulation by regarding activities as objects controls the mechanism of the ABC simulation by checking only relevant activities at certain time, other than checking all activities for each simulation time unit. An easy‐to‐use animation aims at enhancing understanding of simulation and assisting modellers in verifying and validating model.