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Purpose – This paper seeks to discuss the development of a strategy game for enterprise education. It is argued that requiring students to initially struggle with the game’s rules and strategies results in a worthwhile test of their persistence and ability to manage ambiguity. Further, that in the absence of uncertainty, students will not benefit from the game’s potential contribution to their overall learning. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is constructed around the infusion of student narratives and the author’s self-reflective thoughts. The papers explores the process of developing a game that: provides the students with access to an enterprise reality; strengthens their engagement with the theoretical foundations of their studies; and provides a process for serious self-reflection. Findings – Despite the mixed views presented in this paper, the game’s development thus far has been very successful. Students do enjoy and benefit from enduring the frustration of a pure contest. Having to work through uncertainty is a good practice for students in higher education, especially those engaged in enterprise education. Practical implications – Whilst the use of games in experiential education is not uncommon, consideration of how and why they are developed is not always well understood. This paper suggests that enterprise educators have significant opportunities to develop games that genuinely provide student access to the entrepreneur’s way of life. Originality/value – This paper provides evidence of how a game can be constructed to add significant value to an existing curriculum. It also provides evidence of the inner thoughts of students frustrated by a challenge on which they refuse to give up. As such, it provides a valuable window through which to contemplate the minds of tomorrow’s nascent entrepreneurs.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Education, Management activities, Management games, Teaching aids, Australia
Research Division:	Education
Research Group:	Curriculum and pedagogy
Research Field:	Economics, business and management curriculum and pedagogy
Objective Division:	Education and Training
Objective Group:	Other education and training
Objective Field:	Other education and training not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Jones, C (Dr Colin Jones)
ID Code:	49853
Year Published:	2007
Web of Science® Times Cited:	6
Deposited By:	Management
Deposited On:	2007-08-01
Last Modified:	2012-03-30
Downloads:	0