Enhancing students' employability through business simulation

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce an approach to business simulation with less dependence on business simulation software to provide innovative work experience within a programme of study, to boost students’ confidence and employability.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on analysis of existing business simulation literature, which is synthesised with contemporary pedagogic trends and the outputs of the authors’ longitudinal research on improving the effectiveness of business simulation as a teaching method.FindingsThe use of business simulation as a pedagogic tool can be considerably extended beyond built‐in functionality to match the needs of various business‐related disciplines. Learning from their own mistakes enabled students to appreciate the gap between theory and its application.Research limitations/implicationsBusiness simulation can provide an innovative provision of work experience for students, if its design utilises continuous formative feedback and reflective practice amongst other pedagogical elements rather than relying on sophisticated business simulation software.Practical implicationsThis paper offers a blueprint for the provision of business simulation exercises in higher education as means for equipping participants with a work‐like experience.Originality/valueThe article presents a fresh view on the use of business simulation in the educational process, while contributing to the long‐standing debate on bridging the gap between theory and practice.

What do job adverts tell Higher Education about the ‘shape’ of Biomedical Engineering Graduates?

“…Many argue that it is outside the scope of academic programmes and that there is insufficient time available to cover the technical aspects of the programme and that including generic skills development is a step too far. Other HEI's have rethought their pedagogy completely and now employ techniques that simultaneously develop technical and generic skills [20]- [23].…”

Employing Case Studies To Develop Professional Skills In South African Accountancy Students: A Comparative Follow-Up Study

“…The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants' (SAICA) Competency Framework (CF) includes these pervasive skills as an important requirement for prospective chartered accountants (CAs) (SAICA, 2014). Van der Merwe (2013) cites numerous papers where case studies (e.g., Ashbaugh & Johnstone, 2000;Ahmad, 2011;Ballantine & McCourt Larres, 2004;Hassall & Milne, 2004;Healy & McCutcheon, 2010;Weil, Oyelere & Rainsbury, 2004;Wynn-Williams, Whiting & Adler, 2008) and business simulations, including role play (e.g., Avramenko, 2012;Fortin & Legault, 2010;Fouché & Visser, 2008;Hassall & Milne, 2004;Steenkamp & Rudman, 2007;Towler, Lean & Moizer, 2009;Xu & Yang, 2010) have been used successfully in promoting the development of soft skills in accounting, but highlights the lack of integration of all the core subject areas (auditing, financial accounting, corporate governance, managerial accounting and taxation) in a review of four years of accounting education literature by Apostolou, Hassell, Rebele and Watson (2010). Integration is an important feature of the assessment of professional competence (APC) that is written before qualifying as a South African CA, and the Higher Education Qualifications…”

Mind the Gap: Exploring Hospitality Teachers’ and Student Interns’ Perception of Using Virtual Communities for Maintaining Connectedness in Internship

“…This finding is quite important since Fournier and Ineson (2011) stressed the industry professionals value student interns' professional skills more than technical skills and for students of net generation, professional skills can be cultivated virtually through internet technology (Barnes, Marateo, & Ferris, 2007). More importantly, in the future, as the higher education goes more multicultural in terms of student population as well as internship placement, adopting technologies to communicate stakeholders synchronously and asynchronously will be more important and realistic than before (Avramenko, 2011). Drawing on results of this study, it is advised that we adopt various genres of social media for interactions since they all have their own advantages and disadvantages.…”