Peer Review

Organization Simulation (Bolman & Deal)

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: May 1, 2009 by Business

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: The simulation is a 60 to 75-minute, team-based experiential class activity that is designed for face-to-face delivery. The simulation authors provide the following description: Our organizational simulation incorporates in a relatively brief format a variety of organizational dynamics, particularly around structure and power. The simulation creates a three-tier firm whose business is producing slogans. There is also a client group that wants to buy slogans. The question is whether they can make a deal, and the vendor can produce and deliver the product. Three versions of the simulation materials allow instructors to tailor the exercise to the private sector, the education sector, and the public sector.
Type of Material:: This can be used as class exercise or a simulation.
Recommended Uses:: The simulation is designed as a F2F, team-based class activity that provides experiential support for reading and lectures in the areas of organizational structure and power. Instructors could augment the experience by asking students to write a paper in which they reflect upon the significance of the experience and discuss new learning.
Technical Requirements:: The simulation is intended for F2F delivery. No technical requirements are specified.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Students will learn about the impact of organizational structure and power on key organizational outcomes.
Target Student Population:: Undergraduate and graduate students (particularly in professional masters programs) who are studying topics in organizational behavior, leadership, and/or management. The authors specifically assert that the simulation is very flexiblewith respect to experience levels and kinds of participants. It may be appropriate for entry level managers as well.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: No prerequisite knowledge or skills are required to participate in the activity. However, the authors recommend these simulations only to instructors or trainers with experience in doing experiential activities.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: The material is based upon a 1979 article that the authors published in the Organizational Behavior Teaching Journal. It provides a compelling opportunity for learners to experience and reflect upon the impact of power and structure in organizations.
Concerns:: +Instructors may need to read over the material several times before understanding how it works. Though the concepts still hold, the simulation is a bit dated. Todays students are accustomed to simulations with a bit more complexity and more bells & whistles. [Creative instructors could update the delivery by allowing learners to use computers, cell phones, or other electronic devices.] The simulation is only available in F2F format. A more detailed debriefing outline would be helpful. [Instructors can find more information in the original 1979 article which is linked to the simulation site.] Given the emergence of new theoretical perspectives and emphases in the field of organizational behavior, instructors who use this simulation may wish to incorporate additional organizational concepts in the learning objectives and in the debriefing (e.g., the quality movement, human capital, ethics challenges).

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: An extensive guide is provided Through participating in the simulation, students will experience the concepts firsthand. The relationship between power & structure and organizational outcomes (e.g., production) will be clearly demonstrated. Through the debriefing, students will take away both organization-level and individual-level learning.
Concerns:: The simulation calls for no prerequisites, but students receive very limited simulation instructions. Prior exposure to certain concepts in OB (in the area of organizational processes, for example) would be very useful to students and would likely enhance their ability to perform effectively and/or meaningfully in the simulation.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The simulation requires no particular set-up or materials. The instructions have been prepared, and the 1979 journal article provides informative detail regarding the simulations purpose and possible outcomes. The simulation offers a high-interaction opportunity for students.
Concerns:: The simulation is dated; the materials appear quite informal (vs. professionally prepared and presented). The simulation is not available for online students.[It should be noted that the simulation was not intended for online delivery.]

Other Issues and Comments:: Experiential exercises are wonderful contributions to the classroom experience, and this simulation is no exception. The material provides a super and straightforward opportunity for engaging students in the learning process.
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