Purpose
This paper aims to address the necessity of allowing non-formal and informal processes to unfold when using business games for leadership development. While games and simulations have long been used in management training and leadership development, emphasis has been placed on the formal parts of the process and especially on the gaming experience.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a qualitative study of a French management game on change management, in which the game-based learning process is examined in light of adult learning.
Findings
This paper concludes that less formal dialogues that stem from formal activities make important contributions to the learning process. Consequently, the use of business games in leadership development should be didactically designed to facilitate such dialogues. While playing the game takes center stage, activities such as theory presentations, reflective processes, and less formal discussions must be allowed a place in an otherwise crammed learning process and to take up that space at the cost of playing the game.
Research limitations/implications
As the study is based on a qualitative assessment, the impact of the different parts of the process is not assessed.
Practical implications
This paper suggests that the use of business games in leadership development should focus more on the processes and activities surrounding the game rather than narrowly focusing on the game.
Originality/value
This paper suggests a novel approach to using business games that is not aligned with the current practice of emphasizing the game as the focal point of the process.
Denne artikel undersøger, om 'performance management'-eller på dansk præstationsledelse— er et effektivt svar på de udfordringer, som organisationer står overfor i krisetider. I tiden efter finanskrisen i september 2008 er det blevet endnu mere relevant for ledere at kunne navigere i en brydningsfyldt krisetid, hvor fast grund under fødderne er svær at finde. I artiklen argumenteres for, at ledelse i en sådan krisetid godt kan drage inspiration fra præstationsledelsesparadigmet og dets fokus på styring, kontrol og læring, men kun hvis lederne formår at integrere og balancere netop styring, kontrol og læring.
Mål- og performanceindikatorer, som fokuser på kontrol, styring og optimering af kortsigtet kvantitativ resultatskabelse risikerer at gøre det på bekostning af udvikling af medarbejdernes og organisationens langsigtede performance. På trods af en høj grad af organisatorisk disciplineringsforsøg fx gennem formelle KPIer og måltal, kan der opstå lokale praksisser, hvor der afsættes tid til ikke-formelt målsatte aktiviteter, som fx udvikling af kvalitet og teamsamarbejde. En undersøgelse af tre mellemlederes målstyrings-praksis i en dansk global medicinalvirksomhed illustrerer hvordan.
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