Edwiygh Franck Article Review #1 Article Review #1

ADE 6265 Spring 2013

This paper presents a summary of an article which examined the effectiveness of using online simulation games to address corporate collaboration challenges. Collaboration in any setting, whether it is corporate or non-corporate, is a key element which contributes to the success of the setting. In todays technological and global world, corporations have to learn to collaborate across states and continents; therefore, it imperative that they figure out creative ways to communicate effectively in order to reach the goals of the organization. The authors of the article express that effective collaboration allows corporations to identify and replicate operational best practices and to optimize business activities (Anghem, Maxwell, 2009). Without such collaboration, the work of the corporations become very difficult, they start duplicating efforts and they do not perform as productively as they should. The authors emphasized that although collaboration is key, many people in the workplace do not want to collaborate because they do not see the value in it, they do not share the same goals and vision with the people they are asked to collaborate with, they have bad experiences before, and there is a lack of trust among the collaborators ((Anghem, Maxwell, 2009). In an attempt to address this important issue, the authors created a system called EagleRacing. EagleRacing is a collaborative decision-making simulation that requires participants to work in teams to make crucial decisions and then allows them to see the consequences of those decisions play out (Anghem, Maxwell, 2009). The simulation system allows the participants to learn and experience the art of collaboration through its many stages and give them a feel for what the results would be if certain decisions were made. The simulation game uses real life business experiences so that the participants can have a point of reference, and it is designed to promote adult learning principles. It uses Kolbs (1984) theory of experiential learning which consists of four (4) elements: obtaining concrete experiences, observing and reflecting upon the experiences, formulating abstract concept to respond to the observation and reflection, and experimenting to test the validity of the concepts (Anghem, Maxwell, 2009). The simulation allows the participants to try out several solutions to a particular in a safe environment which removed the anxiety of making the wrong decision. Once the most beneficial decision is tested, they can move forward with making the decision for the organization. The simulation is composed of three (3) crucial dilemmas that the participants have to go through and make decisions on. Each dilemma is very complex and has many dimensions that can potentially lead to severe consequences based on the decisions that are made by the participants. Participants have to work in teams to solve the dilemmas and come up with decisions that will benefit the organization. EagleRacing has proven to be very beneficial when it comes to helping participants learn how to collaborate and the impact that every decision can have on the organization based on the level of thought and teamwork that is used to make the decisions. The authors advised that when Eagle racing is combined with targeted debriefing, the participants can really benefit from the process by teaching them how to deal with collaboration challenges and arrive at more beneficial and sound decisions as a team for their organizations. It also encompasses adult learning principles, which makes the experience more valuable and relevant for the participants. The authors advised that the main lessons that they have learned from the whole process are that diversity is needed in order to simulate debate, facilitators must actively observe the participants so that they know when to intervene, and a structured reflection and debrief component is needed to bring the process together. In the future, they plan on adding a negotiation component that would allow the participants to take their collaboration skills to next level.

Edwiygh Franck Article Review #1 References

ADE 6265 Spring 2013

Angehrn A.A., Maxwell K. (2009). EagleRacing: Addressing corporate collaboration challenges through an online simulation game. Innovate (5) 6. Retrieved from http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=681 Kolb, D. A. 1984. Experiential learning. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.