Business games. Theoretical foundations of the formation of a business game Business games on management theory

FEDERAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

MOSCOW STATE INSTITUTE OF RADIO ENGINEERING, ELECTRONICS AND AUTOMATION

(TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY)

Laboratory work No. 5.2

in the discipline "Foundations of the theory of creative activity"

Business games

Lecturer: Ermakov A.N.

Students: Blazhko E.E. Vasiliev I.A.

Group: IS-1-01

MOSCOW, 2006


Introduction ................................................. .................................................. ...........................................
The history of business games ............................................... .................................................. .........................
Classification of business games ............................................... .................................................. ............
The principles of organizing a business game .............................................. ...............................................
Goals of the business game ............................................... .................................................. ............................
Signs of a business game ............................................... .................................................. ....................
The structure of the business game ............................................... .................................................. ...................
The procedure for conducting a business game .............................................. ..................................................
The role of the facilitator in the business game ............................................. .................................................. ..........
Examples of business games ............................................... .................................................. .....................
Conclusions................................................. .................................................. ...........................................
List of references................................................ .................................................. .........................

Introduction

A business game is a method of imitating decision-making by executives or specialists in various production situations, carried out according to given rules by a group of people or a person with a computer in an interactive mode, in the presence of conflict situations or information uncertainty.

In a business game, the process of making decisions takes place in the conditions of a phased, multi-step clarification of the necessary factors, analysis of information that comes in additionally and is generated during the game. In the course of the game, the participants analyze the situation, make and discuss decisions, and also enter into certain relationships with each other, which can be in the nature of rivalry, cooperation, formal interaction, etc.

The business game was born as a tool for finding management decisions in conditions of uncertainty and multifactoriality. Currently, they are used in the educational process of universities, as a pedagogical technology, or one of the methods of active learning, when conducting socio-psychological trainings and in production to solve industrial, social and psychological problems. In all cases, there is a "two-dimensionality of the business game" and not only game or professional tasks are solved, but at the same time training and education of the participants takes place.

Recently, business and simulation games have found more and more widespread use in various fields: mainly in economics and politics, as well as in sociology, ecology, administration, education, urban planning, and history. Simulation games are used to train specialists in the relevant fields, as well as to solve research problems, forecast, and test planned innovations. Simulation games are also being developed as a way of communication between specialists in different fields, as a special language of the future.

Different terms are used to describe this method. Usually, if the game is conducted by economists, then it is called a business game, less often - a management game or operational. In the field of politics, urban planning, as a rule, the term "simulation game" is used. The most widespread and common, perhaps, in the West is the term "imitation game", or "play imitation", although there is no consensus on terminology issues among specialists. The use of the term "imitation game" is associated with highlighting the essential characteristics of this method. On the one hand, imitation is understood very broadly as a replacement for direct experimentation by creating and manipulating models, layouts, replacing the real object of study. In the social sciences, machine imitation has become widespread, realizing the formal model of a particular system under study. On the other hand, there are actually play methods in which participants assume certain roles, interact directly with each other, seeking to achieve their role goals. It is assumed that "imitation play" or "imitation play" combines the two approaches. It is based on specific situations taken from real life, and is a dynamic model of simplified reality. Thus, the business game is based on a simulation model, but this model is realized thanks to the actions of the participants in the game. They take on the roles of administrative workers or politicians and play out a given economic, managerial or political situation, depending on the content of the game. It is also traditional to emphasize the fact that business or imitation games are "serious" games for adults, and not entertainment, not recreation, etc.

It should be specially noted that business or imitation play must be distinguished from other active teaching methods, on the one hand, and from the methods of social and psychological training, on the other. It must be admitted that there is a lot of confusion on this issue: terms are used carelessly and sometimes such different methods as group discussion, role-playing games (also a rather heterogeneous area in itself) and business games fall into one company and are denoted by the general concept of "business game". The difficulty lies both in the insufficient theoretical reflection of the data of empirically established methods, and in the absence of those theoretical criteria, on the basis of which it would be possible to compare such practices and their classification. The existing attempts at classification are either purely empirical (enumeration of different methods as they have historically developed in different areas of knowledge and practice) or quasi-theoretical in nature.

The history of business games

Historically, business games are associated with war games that served to train military leaders (chess, card games, games on "boxes of sand").

IN our country, DIs originated in30s. Their name and form were somewhat different from modern ones, but the basic concepts have already been reflected in them. The author of the first CI was M.M. Birshtein, a young Leningrad economist. Back in 1932, at the Leningrad factory of typewriters, and in 1936, at the Leningrad factory "Krasny Tkach", she organized a series of play experiments, calling them "organizational and production tests." The factory workers took part in them. The topic of "testing", for example, was the process of a factory transitioning to new products without stopping production. Thus, the first games were not focused on educational goals, but were created as a means of preparing real management decisions. The tragic events of the late 30s, the war, the blockade of Leningrad interrupted the development of Soviet scientists in the field of business games.

In the 50s. years came to the idea of \u200b\u200bCI in the USA. The JIs that emerged there were used to train students in economics or future managers of firms. In 1956, the first computer game was developed in the USA, which marked the beginning of the use of simulation business games in industry. In the 60 70s. the development of business games abroad has taken the path of complicating the content, increasing their scientific and technical level, increasing the duration, complicating the structure, creating modifications, increasing the number of participants, and using extreme situations. The methodological materials of the business game are widely replicated and are available to all interested parties.

They began to engage in DI again in our country in 1975. In Zvenigorod, near Moscow, on the initiative of the CEMI of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Faculty of Economics of Moscow State University, the issue of the prospects of using computers for modeling economic systems that make up the "plots" of DI was discussed.

Scientific and methodological centers, laboratories, departments were created, conferences, schools-seminars were held. In the early 80s. business games passed into the phase of formation of thematic and educational complexes, integrated systems of active teaching methods, unified programs for the development of business games on a national scale.

Employees of the Novosibirsk State University (V.F. Komarova, N.V. Syskina), the Leningrad Institute of Finance and Economics (I.M. Syroezhin, S.G. Lipshits), at the Leningrad Regional Council of Scientific and Technical Societies (MM Birshtein), at the employees of the Kiev Civil Engineering Institute (VI Rybalsky and others).

The listed institutions and their employees, enthusiasts of game methods, formed the core of the modern field of scientific, pedagogical and practical management activities in our country, which continues to this day. Not only more and more DI began to appear, but also theoretical works, imitation games arose not only on economic, but also on other topics, for example, biological, medical, architectural.

Gradually, psychologists and sociologists became interested in imitation games. Games began to appear that introduce young people to the social environment in which they will find themselves in the future.

Seminars on active teaching methods are held periodically, the main topic of which is imitation games in the learning process.

Domestic specialists participate in international meetings, for example, at the annual ISAGA (International Simulation and Games Association) seminar. During the seminar, theoretical and practical problems arising in the living process of creating imitation games, their performance in various audiences and for various purposes and their theoretical understanding, as well as the classification of business games, are hotly discussed.

Classification of business games

One of the main signs of classification is purpose. A number of works define three options for business games, depending on the purpose, namely:

1. Educational. They are used in the educational process in the preparation or retraining of specialists, as well as in the system of economic education;

2. Manufacturing. They are used to solve real issues of current activities or development of a specific enterprise, as well as to improve qualifications directly at enterprises using real information material;

3. Research. Conducted when experimenting in management and economics.

TO production includes, for example, business games for the certification of workers, the development or improvement of the organization of labor at a specific production site, the modernization of a real enterprise or organization, etc. The highest form of production business game can be considered a game of a certain profile (for example, the formation of an annual planresearch work of a certain organization), which is repeated regularly (for example, annually, when forming a plan for next year). Such a business game becomes a functional block of the current control mechanism. Research games are, for example, games to study the relationship between industry and regional management, etc. Initially, all business games created were research games.

In a report at a conference dedicated to the 60th anniversary of business games, in 1992 M.M. Birshtein noted the role of research IDs: “Just as projects of technical innovations are necessarily tested in laboratory conditions before they are put into production, so projects of innovations of an organizational nature in the socio-economic sphere can and should be tested prior to their implementation by RI for quality and their suitability in the given specific conditions. "

Business game organization principles

This principle is a necessary condition for achieving educational goals. Only dialogue, discussion with the maximum participation of all the players can generate truly creative work. A comprehensive collective discussion of educational material by students allows them to achieve a comprehensive presentation of professionally significant processes and activities;

simulation principlespecific conditions and dynamics of production. Modeling the real conditions of a specialist's professional activity in all the variety of service, social and personal ties is the basis of active learning methods;

game simulation principlecontent and forms of professional activity. The implementation of this principle is a necessary condition for the educational game, since it carries educational functions;

principle of joint activity... In a business game, this principle requires implementation through the involvement of several participants in the cognitive activity. It requires the developer to select and characterize roles, define their powers, interests and means of activity. At the same time, the most typical types of professional interaction of "officials" are identified and modeled;

principle of dialogical communication... This principle is a necessary condition for achieving educational goals. Only dialogue, discussion with the maximum participation of all the players can generate truly creative work. Comprehensive collective discussion of educational material by students allows them to achieve a comprehensive presentation of professionally significant processes and activities.

the principle of two-dimensionality.The principle of two-dimensionality reflects the process of development of real personal characteristics of a specialist in "imaginary", game conditions. The developer sets two kinds of goals for the learner, reflecting the real and play contexts in learning activities.

problem principlethe content of the simulation model and the process of its deployment in game activities.

Alekseev A.A., Diaghileva N.V.
Table of contents of the book

Theoretical foundations of the formation of a business game

Characteristics of the main imitation methods of active learning
Assessment of improving the business game as a form of improving the training and retraining of economic specialists
Features of the implementation of business games using personal computers

In game simulation modeling, DIs are widely represented (military, political, industrial, research, educational); certification games for the selection and appointment of personnel, to assess the level of their qualifications; organizational and activity games for solving regional problems; innovative games for solving problems that have no analogues in the national economy; reflexive games to relieve stress and form innovative thinking; search and testing games for the development of a specific program of activities by the team, etc.

Platov V.Ya. examines the main characterological features of simulation methods of active learning.

I. Method of analysis of specific situations,

lies in the fact that learners (students or listeners) are presented with a situation associated with a certain moment of functioning of a specific situation of the socio-economic system. The task of the trainees is to make collective management decisions in a specific situation. To activate the lesson, groups can be organized, each of which offers its own solution (in the form of a review or public defense). The result is summed up by the teachers conducting the lesson.

The characteristic feature of the analysis of a specific situation are:

The presence of a model of a socio-economic system, the state of which is considered at a certain discrete moment in time.

Collaborative decision making.

One goal of the group when making decisions.

The presence of a system of group assessment of trainees' activities.

The presence of controlled emotional stress of trainees.

The application of the method of analysis of specific situations is advisable in those cases when a separate, relatively complex organizational, economic or managerial task is considered, the only correct solution or correct solution of which is known in advance to the teacher. He has the last word when summing up the results.

II. Role-playing games.

In such games, the ability to lead people is usually practiced. Up to 40% of all issues resolved by a manager relate to team management, that is, the success of leadership depends on the leader's ability to interact with other people. To play the game, it is necessary to simulate control systems that are part of the structure of specific socio-economic systems. Among the participants in the game, when analyzing the proposed situations, roles are distributed that can be of a group nature. The task of the game is to develop an optimal behavior strategy for the performer of each role in each game.

Characterological signs of role-playing games:

The presence of a model of the governing system included in a specific socio-economic system.

The presence of roles.

The difference in the role values \u200b\u200bof the participants in the game playing different roles (competence).

Interaction of roles.

Having a common goal for the entire playing team.

Multiple alternative solutions.

The presence of a system of group or individual assessment of the activities of the game participants.

The presence of controlled emotional stress.

In contrast to the analysis of specific situations in role-playing games:

a model of the control system is required;

the decision made by the trainee affects only the control system, not the control object;

the complex-model of the control system is of a dynamic nature, where there is role-based communication, in which communication can depend on the course of communication between partners.

III. Imitation games,

these are games with a different target orientation, for which some of the listed characterological features of role-playing games are not characteristic.

In such a game there can be only one role ("Robinson"), which is replicated by each participant, who in turn prepares his decision.

There is no model of the management system and the object of management, only the model of the environment in which it is necessary to make a decision remains. Here, the activities of specific managers or specialists are modeled.

Lack of a conflict situation.

IV. Organizational and activity games (ODI).

The class of these games includes: problematic role-playing games, problem-oriented business games, testing and search games, and innovative games. ODI is used in solving complex social and production problems, when it is required to combine the efforts of specialists in different directions. The game is based on the initial information presented to the players about the state of the real socio-economic system. Next comes the development, discussion and decision-making on the management of the specified system. In such games, the issues of not operational management are often solved, but the development of a management program. The game reveals a set of problems in managing the socio-economic system and ways to solve these problems. In ODI, the states that are in crisis for the system are usually considered, providing increased motivation of the participants in the game and the development of solutions that bring the system out of the crisis. To conduct the game, it is advisable to involve specialists from different directions who carry different functions in the game (support group, consultants, group leaders, and others).

The organizational task of the head is to coordinate the collective activities of the participants in the game, their personal and intergroup communication at all stages of solving the problem. In ODI, in principle, an unconditional solution to the problem is not laid down, sometimes the game can end with a negative result.

The preparation and conduct of the ODI is carried out in several stages.

Pre-game stage (can last 2-3 months). Here, diagnostics of the state of the socio-economic system is carried out, crisis problems are identified, the general strategy of the game is determined, and its structure is formed. Next, the selection of the playing team is carried out, the compositions of the playing groups are thought out. Each group has a representative from the game management. Its role is to create a benevolent moral and psychological climate in the group, control its activities, if necessary, correction, as well as informing colleagues in the game about the state of the group and solving the problem to coordinate the game.

Entering players into the game. Here, the game team is oriented towards the goals and objectives of the game, the psychological preparation of the participants (mobilization of their creative and intellectual potential). Among the methods of mobilizing participants, one can single out such as "calling the fire on oneself" - provoking the players into a discussion with the head; among the positive methods there can be comic contests and other methods that cause positive emotions. The task of this stage is to create a workable team from disparate specialists, capable of solving the task.

Working in groups. This stage during the game can be repeated many times when solving certain aspects of the problem. To analyze the course of the game, experts-specialists who do not participate in the course of the game (jury) may be involved here. The analysis of the course of the game is carried out by the management of the game without the participation of the game teams according to the decisions developed by the participants in the game, according to the information of the consultants about the activities of the group. As a result, a further strategy for the game in the next cycle is developed. Thus, during the course of the game, its content can be corrected, while the overall structure of the game is preserved.

Generalization of the results obtained. At the end of the game, the management develops the main final documents containing the statement of the problem, its structural consideration and proposals for its solution.

After the end of the game, it is appropriate to discuss the course of the game together with the participants and listen to their opinions, suggestions and wishes on the methodology for conducting the game, as well as on the relationship between the game management and the participants.

Characterological signs of ODI can be formulated as follows:

The activity of specialists in solving complex complex problems of managing socio-economic systems is modeled on the basis of real information about their state.

Roles in ODI are conditional. Decisions are made outside the framework of staff structures.

The difference in role goals and the interaction of roles are ensured, which is ensured by the presence of personal interests of the participants in the game.

The use of collective activities.

The team has a common goal.

Collective decision-making by the game participants.

Implemented in a "decision chain" process.

Multiple alternatives are provided.

Special means are provided to control the emotional stress of the players.

Decisions made in the game do not affect the control object. The consequences of making decisions in the game are not traced.

A system for assessing the activities of game participants is often absent. There is no need for an assessment because of the high degree of motivation for the players in solving the problem.

The listed characterological signs can be considered as CI signs in full. At the same time, feature 1 refers CI to imitation teaching methods, signs 2-4 define CI as a game teaching method. According to the characteristics of 5-6, CI is a method of collective learning. Features 8-9, 11 rank it among the most effective methods of business training, and feature 7 distinguishes it among all the methods mentioned.

The above characterological features of CI help to represent the functional diagram of CI.

Figure: 1 Functional diagram of a business game

For the organization and conduct of MD, the following is required:

preparation of the game management and support team;

preparation of methodological and technical support;

preparation of instructional tasks and a trial game with a support group;

adaptation of MD to the corresponding contingent of participants and the conditions of its implementation;

carrying out the necessary calculations to assess the consequences of various decision options, the formation of an optimal or rational solution for each fragment of the game;

preliminary formation of the composition of the game groups;

preparation of future participants in the game, assessment of the level of their readiness to play.

When assessing the effectiveness of CI as an active form of training, the following parameters can be noted:

One of the main sources of CI efficiency is the time savings obtained by comparing CI results with traditional teaching methods for a relatively short period of time, CI participants develop skills and qualities that cannot be practiced by other teaching methods.

The effectiveness of the training is manifested in the interested attitude of the participants to the educational DI. This psychological factor activates trainees, which contributes to a more intensive assimilation and memorization of the necessary educational information related to the professional training of specialists in the economic field.

CI allows to control the knowledge of the participants of the game groups directly in the process of the game, which reduces the time for conducting special current control of knowledge. The analysis of students' progress allows us to conclude that the introduction of CI in the educational process significantly increases the level of academic performance and professional preparedness.

Based on the results of assessing the activities of participants during business games, you can get a fairly complete picture of professional and personal qualities participants, their readiness for leadership activities, for solving practical problems currently facing enterprises.

Game modeling of situations is an important tool in shaping the thinking of students in the process of studying disciplines in the course of marketing and management. The issues of considering the market situation when making managerial decisions in a competitive market are urgent due to the current economic conditions in the road transport market. At the same time, of course, it is necessary to be able to take into account and analyze a whole range of issues of the market situation, ranging from the analysis of goods and services provided to the peculiarities of the psychological influence of the nature of the decisions made on production teams. Within the framework of the proposed research, the issues closely related to tactical analysis of market conditions and decision-making based on this analysis in the framework of a business game for the course marketing and management are considered in detail.

Unfortunately, not a single modeled collective ID can consider a sufficiently large number of factors simultaneously and at the same time maintain a real time scale. Moreover, each DI still does not fully utilize the entire stream of trainees, bringing leaders to the first roles and leaving "in the shadow" lagging, more poorly trained trainees.

The emergence of computerized means of communication and teaching allows for interactive communication with a personal computer and focusing on many factors, and individually, regardless of the degree of preparedness of the student. Within the framework of computer ID, a multifunctional socio-economic system is usually analyzed, in which the main factors controlling the system are idealized instruments of market influence.

Among the computer DI considered by the author, the most interesting and fully functional, from the point of view of the factors considered, is the computer strategic game "Capitalism" by Interactive Magic.

CAPITALISM is a real-time business strategy game that simulates the modern business world with unprecedented depth and complexity. You will be surprised by the range of business activities that spans retail, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, administration, marketing, financial management, accounting, economics and the stock market. In "CAPITALISM", you can (compiled from):

* Create your own legend, become the new Henry Ford of the automotive industry.

* Climb one of the 100 Billionaires Chart at a younger age than Billy Gate.

* Capture more market share in soft drinks than Coca Cola and Pepsi combined.

* Quickly lose your wealth after playing a dirty game in the process of stock manipulation.

* Build a shopping "storm" in the market with a new product innovation marketing campaign.

* Become a leader in the computer market by selling computers that have scientific and technical secrets developed by you.

* Increase the productivity of your firm by investing in training and the installation of advanced equipment.

* Apply the theory of economy by increasing production, reduce costs, and raise profits.

* Formulate an expansion or diversification plan, issue new shares and increase capital.

* Reorganize a dying corporation.

* Build a retail empire by establishing department stores in every territory that has consumers around.

* Form an agricultural kingdom, and manage the wheat supply of an entire nation.

* Win the market by triggering a reduction in the price war.

* Strengthen financial leadership by integrating all of the campaign's synergistic capital.

* Monopolize raw material production and prices by capturing every available natural resource.

* Defeat your competitors in the stock market with hostile actions towards their shareholdings.

* Double your market share by creating a trade union.

* Diversify more than 40 types of products, including: car, drink, chemical products, cigarette, computer, electronic products, food, shoes, furniture, jewelry, livestock products, toys, watches, etc.

This business game was created by the computer company Interactive Magic (INTERACTIVE MAGIC, PO Box 13491 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709) in 1995 and is designed for use on IBM compatible computers. This game has the following requirements computer technology (minimal configuration):

386DX CPU;
4 MB RAM;
12MB Hard Disk when using the CD version of the game and 103 MB in the floppy version;
Vesa compatible video driver;
mouse manipulator;
if possible a sound card;
SVGA monitor 256 colors (640 * 480).

In addition to the requirements for the computer hardware, there are also a number of software requirements:

MS DOS 5.0 or later or Windows "95;

Microsoft compatible mouse driver if Windows is not installed "95.

The modern economy poses challenging tasks for professionals that need to be solved using creative thinking. To develop the necessary skills, you need to be able to think creatively. But how do you learn this? Good way development of lateral thinking - business games... They allow within the group to create good conditions for personal development and the formation of powerful professional skills.

This material has been prepared by us for business coaches who are ready to implement business games as part of staff training. The manual provides an overview of the formation and formation of such a teaching method as business games. The methods given below have already been tested and used in the practice of managers in the UK, USA, Canada, Hungary, Greece, Romania.

The emergence of business games

Let's pay attention to the origin of business games. Explaining where they came from will allow us to understand how you can benefit from them.

The prototype of business games can be sports competitions, which were practiced in ancient times. The gladiatorial competitions that took place in Ancient Rome, although they seem too cruel to us, are nevertheless in the nature of intellectual competitions: the confrontation scenario was carefully developed, more than a dozen gladiators participated in the fight, who were directed, though bloodthirsty, but nevertheless skillful directors.

Then came the turn of games in salons and in the fresh air - among the aristocracy. So, practiced "non-fake" military battles, where each participant was responsible for his army. For example, the aristocracy gathered peasants in the meadow, dressed them in the clothes of Napoleon's soldiers and played brilliant battles.

The games gradually became more and more elaborate. A tinge of science appeared in them. Such terms as "strategy", "tactics", "behavior", "perspective" were introduced.

There is information that in the Soviet Union, at the Ligovsky typewriter plant, business games were held back in 1932, when the introduction of new products was required.

But it is believed that more "advanced" games began to be developed in the United States. There machine games were born, and in 1957 the seminar "Imitation of management decisions for managers" was held, which, in fact, was the prototype of modern business games.

In the 60s, business competitions began to take root in all business schools. In their meaning, these games were market games: they were used to introduce models of behavior of businessmen, alternative types of searching for business solutions. More and more mathematical models were accepted into the work of teams, which allowed them to minimize risks. Intra-company games began to be introduced, which today amount to tens and hundreds: during such events, employees of one company simulate reality events and make possible decisions.

The business games used in the USSR are numbered in the hundreds, but many of them carry a distinct ideological subtext, and therefore cannot easily be transferred to modern reality. Anything that was conceived for shop floor workers does not work for modern managers. Hence, there is such a clear interest in new game scenarios, which only modern training companies can satisfy. Scientific research is used as a basis for their development:

the idea of \u200b\u200bdecentration (J. Pivche, L. S. Vygodsky);
k. Levin's school (the idea that group activities increase motivation and involvement);
installation theory of DN Uznadze;
p. Ya. Galperin's theory of the stage-by-stage formation of mental actions (that the skills acquired in the game can be transferred to life).

The theory of implementation of business games does not stand still - more and more new solutions appear that allow improving existing models of business behavior.

Moving away from children's fun

In order to consciously use business games, you need to understand their content and understand the difference between:

children's;
business games.

If in the first games the observance of the rules is the main condition, then for the second - the rules are only the initial moment, which provides the basis for building free game behavior.

The game is quite appropriate where there is a need to go beyond schemes, and the versatile nature of children's games does not fit well with business tasks.

Scientists pay attention to the functioning of parameters in games:

Opportunity - Necessity
Conditional - unconditional
Not utilitarian - utilitarian
Unlimited - limited
Imagination - Efficiency

The business game is gradually becoming a tool for modeling new conditions of professional reality - at the level of action and concept. This makes it possible to search for new methods of fulfilling work obligations. The game creates an imitation of versatile human activities and social connections.

The originality of the game does not allow for the combination of the concepts of "imitation" and "play", since its main participants are people, preferring more freedom to reveal their potential. It is difficult to reconcile the concepts of "control" and "play", although they are interrelated - the better the control is realized, the more vividly the game moment is expressed.

Game concept

Numerous attempts to define the "business game" as a concept have led to inconsistency due to the complexity of interpretation. At the moment, the business game is considered:

as part of scientific and technical knowledge,
as an area of \u200b\u200bactivity,
as a teaching and research method,
as a way to solve practical problems
as a simulation experiment.

In the existing definitions of the concept of "business game" all this variety of qualities is presented superficially.

We suggest analyzing several formulations:

A business game is a consideration of a situation that includes a time factor and feedback.
A business game is a way to recreate processes that harmonize economic interests.
A business game is a group training to develop a sequence of decisions within the framework of “fake” conditions that mimic the reality of the work environment.
An administrative simulation game is a model that simulates the work of an organization.
An imitation game is a game that is a model that imitates the processes of activity of organizational and economic systems, and is designed to study these processes.
A business game is a non-standard system of recreation of management processes that take place in the past and may be relevant in the future. During the game, the relationship and patterns of the existing method of making effective decisions in production at the moment, or in the future, are determined.
A business game is the creation of a game image in the process of overcoming the basic rules adopted voluntarily.

To determine the basis of the concept, an analysis of the theoretical essence of business games, their main characteristics, purpose and structure is required. It is very important to understand the role of the business game in the humanization of work processes and to realize this method as the embodiment of the dialogical principle in professional training.

Let's highlight the main attributes of a business game:

play is an imitation of any aspect of purposeful human activity.
each participant in the game is assigned a role corresponding to his interests and motivation in the game.
game actions are subject to a system of rules.
in a business game, the spatial and temporal characteristics of the reproduced activity are transformed.
the game is symbolic.

Game control boundaries consist of several parts:

scenario,
theoretical,
scenic,
staged,
from elements of criticism and self-knowledge,
judges
the moment of providing information.

A clearer and more complete understanding can be obtained after getting acquainted with the classification of business games, a detailed consideration of each individual game that illustrates this classification. The standardization of the same name was carried out taking into account the following criteria:

For the object of modeling - general functional and administrative criteria (imitation of financial and production activities).
By the presence of approvals - non-dialogue and dialogue.
In terms of business, it is complex and simple.
By the obviousness of the win, they are not rigid and rigid.
By the existence of random events - both specific and precise, and unpredictable, chaotic.

Three-dimensional classification

A three-dimensional classification has been adopted to fully account for the main parameters of the business game.

The first axis represents an ongoing relationship with real work activities and training activities - teams are independent and there is no assignment of roles.
The second axis determines the level of interconnection - its extreme manifestation in meetings on the sidelines and lunar play.
The third axis shows the nature of the feedback - from the assessment in points to the assessment by the system of indicators characteristic of the modeled system.

Applications of business games

1. Comparative analysis traditional teaching methods and business games.

Business games are used for research purposes:

to diagnose the individual qualities of their participants,
for training and organizing the decision-making process.

It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that this method combines the advantages:

expert,
analytical
experimental methods.

Today, business games are in demand in teaching students, businessmen and in the school system of economic education.

The advantage of a business game over traditional teaching methods is fixed by several points:

The aim of the game is more in line with the real needs of the students. The element of play in the learning process eliminates the discrepancy between the conventionality of the academic subject and the reality of professional activity, between the belonging of knowledge to different disciplines and their systematization.
The playful way makes it possible to combine the depth of awareness of problems and their wide scope.
The game method provides business communication skills, includes the factor of social interaction and corresponds to the logic of reality.
The game component attracts more trainees.
Compared to traditional methods, the business game has more ways of meaningful and effective feedback.
With the help of the game, self-esteem is corrected, work goals are formed and stereotypes are broken more easily.
IN traditional ways the dominance of the intellectual sphere is assumed, and individuality is manifested in the game.
The business game serves as an impetus for making your own non-standard decisions and gives an opportunity for their original interpretation, as well as helps to comprehend the results obtained.

The experience that the participants gain in the course of the game is more productive than the experience gained in the course of professional activity. There are several reasons for this:

In a business game, reality seems to be "enlarged", it is easier to see it.
There is an opportunity to see the consequences of the decisions made.
It is possible to test alternative solutions.

Incomplete and inaccurate information that is provided to a person in reality is not credible. In a business game, information is not always complete, but always accurate - this gives confidence in the correctness of the conclusions made and stimulates the process of taking responsibility.

The analyzed advantages determined the benefits this method in the process of studying.

Business game design

When designing the game process, it is envisaged to organize the interaction of the game participants, which is of an agreed nature, corresponding to the rules and regulations. The goal is achieved in the process of group and individual decision-making.

When developing a business game, the same mistake is often made - it is not an activity that is imitated, but an environment, while the gameplay should be based on the logic of interaction and activity. The activity should reflect the alignment of disparate interests, not the structure of the enterprise or other elements of the environment.
The basis of a business game can be a goal, for the implementation of which there are several ways, both practical and theoretical, and they are due to different semantic positions of the players. The picture of events should reflect the constant conflict of interests of the participants in the game - the game is created on a hidden dialogue of meanings.
The game situation presupposes the ambiguity of the decisions made and must include an element of uncertainty that ensures the problematic nature of the game and contributes to the manifestation of the individuality of the players. At the same time, a direct indication of the problem is not given, and the norms and rules are formulated clearly and unambiguously.
The scenario of the game should include the possibility of making a decision for each participant and ensuring that the players are aware of this possibility. For this, a package of regulatory documents is formed, which facilitates the conduct and development of the game process. Each document is focused on a specific participant and allows you to better understand the rules of the game.

In a business game, it is necessary to reflect the most significant factors that act in reality, and to miss the secondary moments. In this case, the game becomes visual and becomes easier for the participants to analyze. The subjective probability of events must be balanced - if it increases, there is a risk of making banal decisions, and if it decreases, individual behavior patterns are reproduced. Participants will be more actively involved in the game if they are given a wide choice of decision-making.

In order to attract more players and stimulate their activity, it is advisable to think over incentives that would orient the participants not towards winning, but towards the result. For this, it is important to balance the activities around the game with the actual play activities. The repeated use of feedback, reflecting the development of the system as a result of the decisions made, differentiates the players well.

The game loses its vitality for a number of reasons:

The relationship between the players and the sequence of actions are not well thought out.
The events taking place are not sufficiently dramatized.
There is no development of events in time.
A list of solutions is given.
The implementation of the response to the decisions made is not clear.
No automation of routine operations.
The presenter's intervention in the game process is constantly required.

There are several stages in creating a game scenario:

Thematization and problematization.
Determination of the form of the game for its purpose - for decision-making, for training, for design or research purposes, on personnel issues.
Determination of design goals.
Analysis of the dominant patterns in the simulated activity - relationships and connections, taking into account the problem underlying the game. This clause includes the definition of the level of detail of the object presentation. In it, all connections should not be simplified, but rather visible.
Definition of game units and their functions. This provides the basis for creating a scenario plan and thinking through game events.
Creating a list of decisions that can be made by the participants in the game - the items on the list become the main points for a simple game. The following sub-points are typical for a complex game.
The parameters of connections between factors that need to be reproduced are determined. They should have consequences typical of the simulated process. It is necessary to coordinate the interaction of parameters at each stage of the activity. If the parameters are not quantified, then expert assessments are used when developing the scenario.
Formation of a numeric array. At this stage, interactions and regularities, the dimension of the main parameters are determined, graphs and tables are constructed, computer programs are created.

Development of script details and creation of environmental influences.
Creation of rules and distribution of decisions among the participants. Formation of cause-and-effect relationships between processes, creation of an internal schedule, building a block diagram of a game process, agreeing on the main cycles, stages and steps. A step is considered to be a completed decision-making phase, a stage determines the phases of a scenario, and a cycle leads to obvious results and is the most complete phase of the game. Particular attention is paid to the branch points of the game.
Creation of a system of bonuses and penalties, designation of winning criteria. The outcome of the game can be obvious and quantifiable, and can be judged by experts.
Grinding the game, testing it by developers, correcting parameters and connections, checking the viability of the mathematical apparatus and the flexibility of block diagrams. Determination of the reality of the proposed situations - the effectiveness of incentives, correctly calculated time costs and the final approval of the game scenario.

Documentation development issues

To present the game you need:

develop a methodological instruction for the general conduct of the game,
schedule game responsibilities for players
provide reference material.

General methodical instruction:

includes a description of the goals of the game and its purpose,
determines the structure of the playing team and the functions of each of the participants, identifies the motivational system, initial data, stages and episodes of the game, and also provides options for complicating and improving the game.

Role-based instructions provide a means of optimizing the processes of identifying a game participant with his role.

In the process of developing documentation, the psychological patterns of working with the script are taken into account. In the course of the game, there are various possibilities of visual presentation of information - the activity and motivation of the players, and the final result of the business game, largely depend on the method of its presentation. Material for inquiries should be presented in such a way that the players would have a need to find information about the root of the problem underlying the game. The preparation of materials that provide a reflective analysis of the game must be done with due care.

Psychological foundations of

Previously analyzed:

scenario,
theoretical,
information supply unit
judicial block.

principles of control in the process of playing stage and staging blocks,
reflection blocks control
management of blocks of criticism.

Two moments of management require special attention - emotional-role-playing and instrumental. It is important to determine their peculiarity at each level of the business game.

The role of the leader

The role of the game manager is to generally "trigger" the gameplay by setting a goal and making the players aware of the goal. The leader takes part in the process of assigning roles and gives the players all the comprehensive information. The leader creates an appropriate atmosphere by isolating the game elements from reality by creating a specific space for carrying out game actions and a special style of communication. The leader makes every effort to detail the players' understanding of the proposed situation. Accompanying each action with the provision of appropriate "conditional" documents should be encouraged by the head - for example, the absence of a player is justified by the presence of a "summons from the military registration and enlistment office."

In the course of the game, new conditions can be introduced to help correct the synchronicity in the activities of the groups - to send some of the workers on vacation or business trip, initiate an appeal to specialists for advice if the staff has a lack of knowledge on emerging issues.

The leader should focus on creating game argumentation and ensuring the harmonious development of interpersonal relationships. It is very important to maintain a decent level of competitive elements among players to stimulate activity, and not for self-presentation.

Team building

When forming teams, the interpersonal relationships that have developed in the team are taken into account - for effective cooperation, positive relationships are needed and it will not be superfluous to use sociometric data here. It is necessary to prevent the transfer of the goal of the implementation of the assignment to being in the group.

There is a known phenomenon when social group turns into "psychological" and all its members are connected by mutual sympathy, while feeling emotional comfort and security - in this situation, attention is focused on being in a group together, and not on getting a result. Such a group sees the goal as reaching agreement, not solving the problem - its actions are not thought out and inconsistent, and the proposals of high-status players are ignored.

The leaders of such groups are observed to exceed leadership requirements - here it is important to model the gameplay in such a way that the influence on decision-making of players with different status approaches equality. In groups with a small odd number of participants, decisions are made faster and easier.

In most business games, an important quality is the presence of role-based interaction - the roles construct a group and assign each player a specific position in the team and provided functions. Role implies not only a set of functions, but also the presence of patterns of behavior.

Players create for themselves a certain system of expectations from the performer of the role - it is optimal if these expectations are common for all participants in the game. For this purpose, the player is instructed in detail on the norms of behavior - thus, interaction in the team is organized, interpersonal relations are regulated and ordered, and the risk of contradictions is minimized.

His ability to work in full accordance with the role depends on the personal qualities of the participant in the game - rigidity and anxiety make it difficult to accept the rules and behavior scenario. The acceptance or rejection of a role is also influenced by the social and psychological qualities of a person. The average sociometric status of the participant favorably contributes to the acceptance of the role.

Experts identify three main options for the behavior of game participants:

In the first variant, the player makes decisions from the perspective of some generalized image. He creates it in the process of personal representation about the behavior of representatives of a certain role. Here the main thing becomes observance of informal and formal rules, which are guided by a real person.
The second option of behavior involves the presence of excitement. Here main goal the player is winning at any cost - the rules are violated, the player goes all-in. If the leader controls the game correctly, then such behavior can significantly revive the game process - the participants are invited to act out unplanned events, communicating with the outside world.
The third variant of behavior, when a player takes the position of an observer, is interested in the result of a specific action and a decision made by another player.

There are also other options for the behavior of the participants in the game, which the leader is obliged to notice and record in a timely manner to maintain the necessary intellectual tension and emotional level. To stimulate intellectual work, it is permissible to use elements of group creativity:

synectics,
brainstorm
psycho-gymnastic exercises.

Some of these exercises are designed to regulate the psychological state of the participants in the game and to develop their communication skills. The leader uses them by analyzing the situation that has developed in the game.

The leader and his qualities

The analysis of business games showed that the emotional state of the players does not depend on their activity and the presence of special communicative abilities in communication. Most often, it is influenced by the social and psychological characteristics of the players and the effectiveness of the game. Hence, we can conclude that the emotional state of the participants in the game directly depends on the quality of the leadership of the game process, but it is desirable to minimize the intervention of the leader. The imperious position of the leader limits the behavior of the players and reduces the effectiveness of reflection in the process of considering the results.

In the process of conducting a business game, it is necessary to note the typical difficulties that arise:

The misunderstandings that arise in the initial phase of the game can be explained by the active passage of the process of creating groups. The players try to get a sufficiently high sociometric status and, in order to achieve this goal, they choose a strategy of criticism. For such participants, the most acceptable object for criticism is the game. To avoid this, the phase of the formation of groups should be taken outside the boundaries of the game - to conduct a preliminary discussion, the process of which is much easier to control. If, in spite of everything, there is a failure in the game, the leader must counteract the possible cohesion of the team, which takes place on the basis of dissatisfaction with the game. The host is obliged to prove that it is not the poor organization of the game that leads to a fiasco, but the mistakes of the players, which do not take into account some factors. The participants in the game must be sure that the result is not an accident and not a calculation of the organizers, but a consequence of the reconstruction of real events.
The process of the game may deviate from the scenario if the duality is lost and the players transfer personal sympathies to the game. The facilitator should focus the participants' attention on the conditional nature of the game and, if necessary, change the rules and redistribute responsibilities and roles. The participant who is trying to solve during the game personal problems, the leader must limit his actions and keep his contacts to a minimum.
Conventionality may turn out to be excessive - the enthusiasm of the participants provokes impulsive actions and focuses on the winnings, and not on the result itself. Here for the leader there is a need to stabilize the emotional state of the players. Losses and gains must be made ambiguous and their value lowered; for this one does not need to simulate random events.
Difficulties in guiding the game can arise when some participants are not able to accept the game situation, and are not adapted to work in a group. The reason for the inability to take part in collective activities may be increased or decreased self-esteem, excessive significance of assessing his actions. Such participants behave demonstratively, impose their point of view, constantly interfere with the work of other players, quarrel or leave the game. It is highly undesirable for such types to take part in the game, but selection in business games is unacceptable - it is necessary to take into account all the initial data when assigning roles.

After the completion of the business game, it is discussed and the reasons for the decisions made are clarified. The analysis of the strategies used is carried out, and the results to which they led are considered.

The following questions can be used for discussion:

Was the game interesting?
What is the main problem of the game?
Why are these rules in the game?
Does the game fit the real conditions of reality?
What would you change playing the second time?
Are there other options for the outcome of the game?
How could they be caused?
Is there a benefit to playing?

The game manager should analyze his behavior in the game process. For introspection, you can use the following questions:

Is the game adapted for this team?
Does the game take into account the players' knowledge?
Did the players use the information provided or did they need more information?
Did the players have a choice?
Is there a sufficient relationship between events and roles?
Did the gambling excite the players?
How effective was the interaction?
Is the game effective?

The problem of determining the level of effectiveness of a business game, as well as other collective methods, is quite acute. Based on the results of players' self-reports, we can conclude that in the course of the game, selfish inclinations in thinking and behavior decrease. In the business game, social sensitivity is aggravated, an attitude is created for understanding new information, stereotypes are broken, the level of acceptance of another point of view decreases. Self-appraisal becomes adequate, and mutual appraisal becomes objective, creative potential is actualized and normative self-control decreases.

Research in the game

Basic norms for the analysis of collective activity.
Investigations of individual moments of game behavior.
To harmonize the processes of managing the game, it is necessary to conduct its research, and the following parameters are proposed for measurements:

Group activity in general.
The level of her organization.
Intellectual activity.
The intensity of emotions.
Characteristics of group dynamics - decision making, leadership.
The degree of activity of each participant and his contribution to the game process.

You can create a dedicated group of observers for the game in order to control its features. Before that, programs are developed, and the appropriate methodological parameters are selected. Next, we will consider several methods that can be used to analyze certain aspects of the game.

R. Bale's scheme

When considering the process of interaction in a team, R. Bale's scheme is used. He identified two characteristics of the behavior that is necessary for effective play - the process of providing assistance and the process of solving the problem. The process of solving a problem is getting the expected result. The behavior that is dictated by the task consists of accepting and proposing proposals, information and opinions.

The process of providing help and support is closely related to the emotional and social climate in the group. This provides unity that makes it easier to achieve collective goals. These processes are implemented in such a form of behavior as friendly or hostile actions, disagreement or agreement, demonstration of intensity or drama.

This is a universal scheme that describes the main characteristics of behavior in a team and accurately systematizes their relationship with parameters that are important for the observer.

The considered nuances in the behavior of the participants can make it difficult or easier to complete the task and develop the team. In order to understand how a group achieves its goal, a detailed analysis of the provision of various processes is needed. The result group shows a certain state of the problem solving and support processes. It is largely determined by the processes occurring in the group and the peculiarities of the group's organization. While working on solving a problem, supportive behavior is necessary to relieve excess tension, but at the same time, the dominance of such behavior prevents the solution of the problem.

It is advisable to divide responsibilities between different players - intellectuals are engaged in solving the problem, and emotional ones take on the function of support, but usually this division occurs spontaneously. The use of a flexible role structure contributes to the successful completion of the game.

The structure of roles can be analyzed according to the following scheme:

Role, participant.
Initiator, follower, coordinator.

Let's get acquainted with the list of roles, compiled on the basis of R. Bales' scheme.

Roles that contribute to solving the problem:
- The initiator is a player who most often proposes new moves, makes proposals, and changes the point of view on the goals of the team. All this can relate to the task set for the group, to the problems of organizing work in a team, and the like.
- Follower - supports new proposals, expands them and helps to implement the work begun in the group.
- Coordinator - “right” shares responsibilities. Controls that there would be no simultaneous execution of several tasks, that all participants are busy and that actions are not repeated.
- Orienteering - a player who, in accordance with external guidelines, determines the direction of activity in the group. He leads a discussion about the speed of development of the group and the stage of its proximity to the final result, determines the direction of the group, controls the time budget and focuses on the level of enthusiasm for the game process.
- Evaluator - evaluates the activities of the group as a whole and each of its players in particular, determines the relevance of the current situation, compares it with the tasks and draws conclusions at the end of the game.
- Seeker of information - often asks questions, trying to get answers to them, initiates actions and decisions.
Roles that are important for the development of the group and cooperation in it:

Encouraging - makes and motivates other players to participate in the collective process, involves passive and taciturn participants in the game, demonstrates understanding of other people's opinions and ideas.
Harmonizer - solves conflict situations, encourages teamwork, tries to overcome disagreements between players, seeks compromise solutions.
Relieves tension - relieves stress in difficult situations with jokes.
Observing the rules - makes sure that the participants in the game do not violate the rules, while he himself acts only within the established norms, reminds the players of the rules.

3. Roles that hinder group development and cooperation within it:

Blocking - brings doubt to the mood of the group, reduces the importance of what is happening, resists collective initiatives. Prefers personal interests over public ones.
The seeker for recognition - regardless of what is happening in the team, draws attention to himself in every possible way, indicates his merits, shows his capabilities and abilities in any favorable situations. This player is always in the spotlight, trying to interest himself, surprise and arouse admiration, waiting for praise.
Dominant - does not allow others to express their point of view, takes a leadership position in the team. He tries to manipulate other players and impose his opinion.
Avoiding teamwork - tries to sideline, does not support collective initiatives, avoids taking actions that pose a risk to him, does not take part in discussions and gives unclear answers.

The role structure can be analyzed using a list of questions:

Are all these roles visible in the team?
Are roles shared between different players or are some of them monopolized?
What type is the weakest / strongest?
What roles can be called alien?
What changes need to be made to make the group work more efficiently?

Decision making is an important factor in collective dynamics. Decisions can be made in the following typical ways:

An imperceptible decision is made without a clear position in the discussion, without its full awareness by the players and as if by itself.
An authoritative decision is made from a clear position of an influential member of the team and is presented as the only correct one. The rest of the solutions that were voiced during the discussion are ignored. In this case, the group does not perceive the decision made as a collective one.
Minority decision. Fewer players, actively supporting each other, lobby for their decision. The rest of the group, having a different opinion, could not develop a common point of view.
Compromise solution - arises when it is impossible to make a unanimous decision. In the process of mutual concessions, a decision arises that no one voiced.
The decision of the majority can be considered democratic, which means it is the only correct one, but this is not always the case. The players remaining in the minority believe that they have not clearly expressed their position and that the implementation of the decision will prove it wrong.
Mutual understanding solution. This decision is made as a result of a lengthy discussion, during which each player is partially inclined towards the proposed solution. In this case, all participants feel their involvement in the final result and know the reasons why the decision was made.
Unanimous decision. If the problem is very complex, then the likelihood of such a solution is small, since the distribution of roles and the separation of duties are preliminary.

Decision-making forms are distinguished by the level of interest of the participants, the level of analyticity and consistency. A careful analysis of the connection between decision making and the degree of development of the team, its constructive characteristics, characteristics of collective dynamics, the main focus and leadership processes is required. It is interesting to observe the search for a connection between the outcome of the game and the methods of decision-making.

When detailed consideration self-reports, receive data on the nature of the interaction of players and on various details of the game process. The scheme for assessing the effectiveness of teamwork is designed to determine the nature of the interaction of activities in groups.

Method for assessing the effectiveness of collective activities (see instructions below):

The atmosphere in the team was benevolent and friendly.		The atmosphere in the team was uncomfortable, the tension between the participants was felt.
The form of discussion of problems in the team was constructive, criticism contributed to the overall result.		The form of discussion of the problem in a team was ineffective, criticism passed on to individuals.
Proposals were accepted on the basis of the content, not the credibility of the player who made them.		Consideration or rejection of proposals was based on the authority of the player.
The team worked together, the players supported each other.		The collective was divided into opposing groups.
The decisions were taken collectively with the approval of all players.
All players were given the opportunity to take part in the discussion.		Most of the players never got a chance to express their point of view.
The intended purpose is clear.		The tasks were not clear.
The team has shown good results.		The team did not get the result.
Discomfort at the beginning of the game disappeared in the process.		There was discomfort throughout the game.
Each player was a full member of the team and felt confident.		The players felt constrained and insecure.

The presented sample instructions can be given to participants in a business game:

“You can rate the performance of your team using a seven-point scale. The statement on the left side of the questionnaire corresponds to 1 point. 7 points have the statement, which is located on the right side. The remaining estimates are intermediate and reflect the level of approach to the extreme positions. 4 points correspond to a neutral assessment. You must select the number that corresponds to your rating for this parameter, and circle it. In each column, only one number is marked, corrections are made clearly, but it is advisable to avoid them.

We are grateful for your participation in the analysis and we believe that the work performed will give you the opportunity to understand the results of the game. "

Mood and climate

After the questionnaires are completed, the manager determines the average score for all items. The following questionnaire is filled out and analyzed in a similar way:

Climate	Impersonal, cold	Personal, warm
Atmosphere	Threats and tensions	Security and freedom
Contact	Remote, ineffective	Understanding and close contact
Character	Game, competition	Mutual assistance and cooperation
Mutual influence	Clear hierarchy and dominance relationship	Equality
Communication	Unilateral	Versatile
Control	Imperious	Self-control

Before the start of the game, it is important for the leader to find out about the degree of readiness for the game process, whether his instructions are clear to the participants, and determine which of the players is worried and worried at the initial stage. The emotional state of participants in a business game can be determined using the method of emotional-color analogy - the choice of a certain color corresponds to the state of mind of a person. Using this method, it is impossible to determine the nuances of the players' feelings, but only the dominant mood.

Players describe their mood according to the selected color, below is a matching table:

In this way, the mood of the entire team can be described, and the proposed testing should not provide alarming and disturbing information. Such diagnostics should look like part of the gameplay, but be taken quite seriously to avoid data corruption. Written answers will be more effective, and the manager must be able to immediately evaluate the results in order to use them in the game on time.

You should not rely on these data unconditionally - it is better to supplement them with data from other sources, such as observation or polling. The method of emotional-color analogy is easy to use, because it is non-verbal, and makes it possible to describe an emotional state about which there is not always a desire to talk to outsiders.

The list of methods that are recommended for analyzing a business game can be expanded and supplemented by other psychological methods. In any case, all of them should contribute to obtaining a certain result and their selection is carried out in accordance with the purpose of a specific analysis.

Decision-making in a rapidly changing environment is becoming more and more complex every year - the amount of information that must be taken into account is growing, intra- and inter-organizational relationships are becoming more complex, production and social processes are intensifying, and the risk of unforeseen consequences increases. In such conditions, attempts to solve individual problems often turn out to be ineffectual, since even the most careful consideration of tens and hundreds of situational factors cannot substitute for a holistic view of the organization and its development. And without such a view, the solution of individual problems in a number of cases can only aggravate the situation. At the same time, it often makes no sense to solve some of the tasks that arise before the leaders - they are either unsolvable within the framework of a separate organization, or, being solved, will inevitably arise again after a while.

The situation described is complicated by the fact that many enterprises are in the process of continuous reconstruction and reorganization, since both equipment and technology and organizational structures in last years require renewal immeasurably more intensive than it was before: innovative processes have become the norm of the life of a modern enterprise. In the course of the development of society as a whole and individual organizations, in particular, it becomes necessary to manage this process, which requires fixing and normalizing a new order of thinking, new technologies of influence on the organization. For this purpose, specialists in the field of management and organization, economics and sociology, psychology and some other areas of scientific and practical activity are developing special tools. These include technologies, methods and techniques such as systemic and situational analysis, simulation modeling, scenario development, action research, management team development, management development, active methods of socio-psychological training, in including various types of training, consulting, innovation, organizational development and a number of others. However, when trying to use new methods and techniques in the situations of specific enterprises, we were faced with the fact that the specifics of the living conditions of each organization requires serious modification of these means, adaptation them to the traditions prevailing in the organization, the management style, the peculiarities of the technology and organizational structure, the size of the organization, its environment and status in the encompassing systems - industry, city, region, to the structure of its cooperative ties, etc. Such a modification required a fundamentally different use of the existing methods and techniques, in particular, treating them as a material that must be reformed in accordance with the requirements and limitations of the situation of the given enterprise in these conditions. And this, in turn, required the search and development of such methodological and theoretical means that could serve as the basis for building the sought-for means of studying the organization and impact on it. All this work was carried out within the framework of an innovative approach, considered as a fundamental methodological orientation of research and practical activities on the renewal, development of organizations and the conditions of their life, as a principle guiding the general strategy of this work. The conditions of enterprises, the management of which offered us to solve their problems, required rejection of a purely research approach (it was necessary to solve, not study), from a one-subject view of the situation, from the position of "outsiders", from means that have a narrow spectrum of influence (such as training), as well as from attempts to solve today's operational problems (they and they either decide or ignore). In a single technology for working with an organization in order to develop it, it was necessary to combine such activities as the analysis of semi-structured problems, the development of complex innovative solutions, non-regulatory design of the desired state of the organization, the development of programs for the implementation of these innovative projects, the orientation of work participants to innovative strategies and behavior, training their technique of group work and a number of others. As a result of such complex activities, the general level of management culture of managers should have been increased, “teams” of leaders were to be formed capable of solving complex non-routine problems and creating strategies for the development of their organizations. In the course of work in this direction, an Innovative Game Program was created, according to which in 1981-1983 at a number of enterprises in Yaroslavl, seven innovative business games were held on the problems of creating new divisions in the organization, the prospects for the development of a separate production at the enterprise, the problem of creating end-to-end integrated teams, the prospects for the development of the enterprise in connection with the development of a separate production, problems of developing a system for training and promoting managers and others. In addition, individual parts of the Program were worked out in a number of other forms (experimental training and advanced training courses for managers, research of innovations, organization of training, analysis and resolution of specific situations at industrial enterprises, design and implementation of social innovations at enterprises, etc.). The program of the innovative game became an applied development within the framework of the research project “Innovations in Organizations”, carried out under the leadership of Professor N. I. Lapin.

Purpose and structure of an innovative business game

The goals that characterize the activities of everyone involved in an innovative game can be divided, based on the above, into groups of their carriers. So, for customers, especially at the first stages of such work, the most important are the development of solutions, design and programming of their implementation. Similar goals are faced by the leaders of enterprises outside the game. Participants, in addition to the above, usually pursue educational goals - to master some new means of work. These two groups - customers and participants - in the course of repeated games come to more complex goals associated with the need to develop new means of work, self-development, and development of the organization. Actually, the work on the formation of such goals is one of the main tasks of the innovative game. Researchers involved in the game carry out research of the organization, using the game as a special method, as well as the game itself in order to develop it. The fourth group is the organizers of the game, along with all of the above. sets for itself specific goals of organizing constructive relationships with all (and between all) groups for further joint activities, and also focuses on the constant enrichment and development of the entire system of goals in the game. To achieve all these goals, an innovative game had to be built as a special kind of social technology, including programs for solving problems, research and development of participants and the entire organization. During the development of the game program, we used the experience of organizing working conferences by representatives of the Tavistock School, as well as by the creators of organizational-activity games (for an overview of one of these games, see c). In the first version, the program of an innovative game includes eight subprograms: development of innovative solutions, design of innovations, programming of their implementation, education and training of participants, recreation of participants and organizers, research and organization of the game process. The game can be held for one to five days with no less than 12 hours a day. The number of participants should not exceed 25 people with 6-7 organizers. The game is played in an environment isolated from production and the city. To increase the practical impact, the game should be held at least twice a year for two to three years. Below is a brief description of the main subprograms, in accordance with which the business game is built. Development of solutions.The main working goal in the game is to develop an innovative solution for a given organization to a certain problem. The resulting solution must be optimal and realizable. The methods that are most often used in the enterprise - meetings, operatives, individual work - do not always meet these requirements. Therefore, it is necessary to use other means, in particular, methods of group work aimed at obtaining non-standard solutions. The qualitative difference between these methods in the course of their use is a deeper justification and novelty of solutions, a greater number of alternatives. Group work, in contrast to meetings, operatives, etc., is carried out at a higher content level, which allows you to come up with more effective solutions to the problem. The participation of managers in developing solutions is also the first stage in their implementation. Based on the developed solution, a project and a program for its implementation are drawn up. Design.The decisions obtained at the previous stage must be deeply worked out and justified. This work is carried out in the form of design. The content of the projects is a detailed picture of the desired state of the object, which sets the prospect of its development and is the result of the implementation of an innovative solution. At least two such projects are developed in the game. These projects are developed by separate groups of participants. A competition is organized between them. The project should reflect the following points: the problem, the purpose of the work, the specifics of the functioning of the object, the means of practical solution of the problem, the resulting state of the object, resources, connection with the conditions of the enterprise, costs, the mechanism of self-development and means of measuring the effectiveness of the project. Programming.The development of the project does not provide funds for its implementation. These tools, as well as the sequence of steps for the implementation of the project, are set by the program, which should include a description of the stages of changing the organization in connection with solving the problem, the types of work with the participants in the implementation and the leaders' own activities in connection with the innovation. The participants in the game program based on the principles set by them. ... In order to describe future actions in the form of a program, it is necessary to highlight the corresponding problem and set a programming goal, develop organizational measures for the introduction of innovations, determine what the results and consequences of project implementation may be, highlight the factors that facilitate and hinder the implementation of the project, name all persons who will participate in the implementation of the project, and determine the forms of work with each of them. Programming requires quick and accurate orientation in the situation of innovation, reorientation from the technical aspects of innovation to the co-organization of all participants in the implementation. Training.One of the main goals of the game is to teach the participants special methods and means of orientation in non-standard situations and problem solving. This goal can be realized by solving problems such as teaching reflection and systematic analysis of the situation, group methods of work, teaching more effective communication and interaction, in particular the socio-engineering (socio-technical) organization of one's own activities. The training is carried out in the process of group problem solving: the organizer, in the course of work, suggests ways that the participants have not yet used - they learn to solve problems more effectively in the process of practical mastering and application of these methods. The next stage of training is the creation of a situation of the need for independent development of new means and new points of view, positions. Study.It is necessary to distinguish between three types of research related to innovative play.

Business game research, or "technical" research. Such work is carried out both with individual participants and with the group as a whole. The practice of conducting innovative games according to the described Program shows that this game as a method of research and development of an organization can be effectively used to solve a wide class of strategic problems. In order to clarify the possibilities for further improvement and use of the Yaroslavl model of an innovative game, we will consider some theoretical-methodological and organizational-methodological issues that the developers and organizers faced and for the solution of which a number of ways were proposed.

An innovative business game as a research method and as a social technology

For further analysis, it is necessary to identify the status of an innovative game as a method of research and development of an organization. By the method of development of an organization, we mean a normalized means of influencing the components, its activities, which is used to increase the overall efficiency of the organization (6, p. 123]. acts here as a component of activities for the development of the organization as a wider whole. Development of the organization should be carried out through practical impact, built taking into account the research material, both on the activity itself and on its foundation. Morphologically, the impact and research at individual stages of their implementation coincide In understanding the innovative game as a method, we proceed from the purpose of any method - to serve as a specific means of achieving new results in spiritual or material production, and from the idea of \u200b\u200bthe scientific method as a process of applying a certain rational system to p various subjects during the theoretical and practical activities of the subject. In this case, the following is especially important here. During the discussion of the specifics of scientifically constructed methods, it is usually emphasized that any method acts as a system of rules or techniques developed for knowledge and practice. The innovative game was built with this dual function as a scientifically organized means of activity in mind. Another important aspect of the innovative game as a method should be noted. Any scientific method must be based on the knowledge of the objects to which it is applied. No method can be constructed without taking into account the nature of the object that is investigated with its help and on which we act through this method. From this point of view scientific methods have a purely objective character (1, p. 228]. Considering the innovative game from the indicated positions, we can say that this method has its objective basis on knowledge of the nature of social organization and human behavior in it, knowledge is developed, dismembered, multifaceted and complexly organized. This foundation is reflected in the structure of the game, the level of complexity of which is determined by the level of complexity of the subject to which it is applied. As a method of development of an organization, an innovative game can be considered as a specific type of social technology, that is, an activity “as a result of which the set goal is achieved and the object of activity changes. ", Or a predetermined series of operations aimed at achieving a goal or solving a problem. The specificity of social technology, in contrast to science, is to shift the emphasis from the question" why? "To the question" how? ", That is, social technology is aimed at solving problems, not just researching them e. So, in the center of our attention are the problems of the practical development of the organization. From this point of view, the most important is the functioning of the mechanism of the developmental impact of the innovative game on the organization. This impact can be most adequately described from the point of view of the currently developed theory of situational processes, one of the important concepts of which is the concept of the situational structure as an integral set of positions, expectations and actions of members of the organization, determined by this situation and only by it. Situational structures and groups formed by the game, “entering” the organization after the game, carry with them elements of new technologies of activity and interactions, which entails subsequent phases of restructuring and development of the entire organization, in particular, through the emergence of new situational structures and their transformation into the structures are stationary. How does this happen? The game is focused on uniting people to develop innovative (new for a given organization, industry, industry) solutions. Participants are taught here new ways of acting and thinking: group work, problem statement, analytical procedures, criticism, etc., learn the ability to navigate in non-standard (innovative) situations, master the appropriate means and the ability to use them. By all forms of work, participants are guided by the development of their means, methods of activity, thinking, vision and analysis of the situation. Development orientation is an orientation toward continuous renewal of all one's activity arsenal and one's skills, toward using all one's abilities. Participants in an innovative game are also guided by the development of the organization in which they work. As a result of the game, they begin to understand the need for restructuring the conditions of its vital activity, which can subsequently allow to remove a significant number of problems, to solve them even before they arise. An innovative game is an innovation in an organization, through which this organization can advance in solving many problems. This innovation is being built as a self-developing and continuously self-renewing system, that is, an open-type system capable of assimilating obstacles to its functioning and developing further, including due to these obstacles. The status of an innovative game as an innovation makes it possible to use in its implementation the entire arsenal of means of solving problems arising in the course of this implementation in its implementation. Thus, an innovative game allows, through research procedures, to determine the basic social and other conditions for the development of an organization, through the work process (group work ) - to develop the most promising strategies for this development and carry out the initial phases of the implementation of these strategies through the development of participants as carriers of management activities and through the development of this activity itself.

An innovative game in the line of business games

In recent decades, widespread both in our country and abroad, various business games ... In the literature on games, which already has hundreds of titles, the history of games, their main types, areas of application, functions, structures, limitations, etc. are covered in detail. Consider, in connection with the specifics of an innovative game, those features of business games that, from our point of view, cannot allow them to solve development problems. As a rule, business games offer an extensive system of information that simulates an object and rules that players must follow - these are role-based prescriptions, rules for working with information, and strict restrictions on permitted actions, assumptions about simulated systems, etc. These rules orient participants to rational actions in complex production situations simulated by the game. When mastering this information and rules, game participants experience significant difficulties. A business game, being created, can be used repeatedly, however, for a fairly narrow class of problems. The decisions, as a rule, are predetermined in such a game. It can be supplemented with new data, adjusted, used for similar tasks, in other areas, however, for development such a game is closed due to the rigidity of its construction. The educational function of the game is realized by developing skills of action in standard situations, which, according to the authors of the games, may appear in production life. From our point of view, relying on the standardness of practical situations is not always justified. Business, in particular, managerial imitation, games are considered as a kind of experimental method of researching organizations, carried out with the purpose of learning, for decision-making, design and research itself. But the organization is modeled here as an artificial formation, given by an artificial set of values \u200b\u200bof numerical parameters. That is, modeling is carried out here first in the design plane on the basis of theoretical ideas and ideas, then with the participants what is designed is “played”. For further analysis, this point is very important, since, from our point of view, such imitating models are built on the basis of too strong assumptions that distance such an “artificial” model from living organizational reality. In addition to the described type of business games, in the practice of solving complex complex problems, another type of games, for example, the Tavistock model of training group relations, organizational-activity games, etc. The Tavistock program of training group relations was first implemented in 1957. ... Improving and developing, this model has survived to this day and is actively used in international and national innovative programs ... They help solve a wide range of problems of authority, responsibility, leadership. leadership, management and organization, more broadly - the connection of the individual through his role with groups, institutions and society as a whole. The term "Tavistock Model" represents a heuristic framework for identifying and understanding what conscious and unconscious processes take place within and between groups of people.; At the Tavistock conferences, a whole series of impact studies is carried out. These conferences are temporary educational institutions and are viewed as open systems. Participants here have the opportunity to test themselves in different roles, build desired relationships, and understand group, intergroup and institutional mechanisms. This is facilitated by the principle of analyzing only those events that occur “here and now,” implemented at the conferences. The Tavistock model is built as a free system that is not rigid in the sense of the rigidity of the rules. Here, to a large extent, the emotional mechanisms of the participants are included. The model is constantly changing and developing, since even the interference created by the participants in the work or conditions are used here as developmental factors. The search for answers to research questions is going on here together with the participants, who, in this connection, open up opportunities for development in the directions set by the theme of the conference. If any skills are developed here, then these are the skills of organizing their own behavior and understanding in non-standard situations [see. 14]. In our country, for the first time, another original model of the game was implemented - the organizational-activity game, which was carried out under the leadership of G. P. Shchedrovitsky as part of a meeting on organizational and managerial activities organized by the Research Institute of General and Pedagogical Psychology of the USSR APP. For a number of parameters, this type of games differs significantly from ordinary business ones. The workflow is built here not on the basis of role prescriptions, but on the basis of the positional self-determination of the participants. The main purpose of games of this type is to develop and test the means of organizing and implementing collective thought activity, including methodological means - thinking, means of understanding, communication, etc. One of the first games was devoted to the problems of organizing complex applied research and development in the field of organization, leadership and management. Its purpose was to study the ability of representatives of traditional scientific disciplines to self-organization and cooperation in the process of solving complex problems in the context of collective play activity. It is important for us that this first game was considered in relation to the theory of organization, leadership and management as one of the forms of experimental practice. Organizational-activity game is built as an open system, flexible and mobile in form, allowing “in the course of its development, any changes and adjustments depending on the goals and objectives of the organizers and researchers ”. Subsequent organizational-activity games, which took place in Kharkov, Gorky, Odessa and other cities, were devoted to a variety of problems - from the industrial practice of students to the problems of organizing work at nuclear power plants. Innovative business games are a special type of games that significantly differs from traditional business games. imitation ("routine") games and approaching in a number of parameters to the Tavistock model and organizational activity game. Relative characteristics of routine innovative games:

Routine games

Innovative games

Rigorous (on demand to follow rules, play roles, etc.) Require extensive digital information Focused on rational actions of participants Closed (for development) Decisions are predetermined Educational Focused on developing skills of action in standard situations

Loose, loose

They do not require information unfamiliar to the participants (everyone is familiar with the problem to be solved) Focused on the personal, emotional involvement of the participants Open, self-developing Solutions are unknown Developmental Focused on developing skills in non-standard situations

In the work on the Yaroslavl model of an innovative game, the development of the game is carried out through the action of two mechanisms: purposeful methodological design and constant innovation of the game using the latest achievements in various fields of activity (system analysis, active teaching methods, activity theory, etc.), and fixation with the subsequent normalization of new elements that arise spontaneously in the course of the game itself. Thus, an innovative game acts as a system open to both external and internal influences.

Some problems of building an innovative game

The specifics of modeling.In an innovative game, situations are created in which the norms and relations existing in the organization are reproduced. For example, the chief technologist is trying to resolve some issue with the head of the shop. The stereotypes established in normal working conditions are starting to work. However, fears that the game will reproduce an ordinary meeting are in vain, since it is this reproduction that is the first condition for working to change these stereotypes. Game situations act as fragments of organizational reality that carry the "genes" of the organizational order of a given organization. This order also becomes the object of the most thorough study and development. In practice, such situations are created in the game in several ways. For example, during the "warm-up" according to the Tavistock model, when organizers give game participants the opportunity to implement the methods of interaction and behavior adopted in the organization, as well as ways to solve the problem as they do in a production environment. Or when creating conflict situations in which the participants begin to act according to the stereotypes adopted in this organization. In both the first and second cases, these fragments of natural organizational reality become the subject of reflection, problematization and criticism. They are, as it were, alienated from the participants, transferred to the "dashboard" of the analysis and are subjected to decomposition according to the elements of the technology of activity: what goals were pursued by the participants, what is the problem or task they were trying to solve, who and what means were used in this case, etc. Thus, the "natural-model" nature of these situations allows them to be used as an analogue of the organizational order for its study and as an object of developmental activity. Objectification of unconscious decision-making technologies - one of the most important aspects of the described work. In the course of developing and making decisions, managers usually act in a “natural mode, that is, they obey the stereotypes that have developed in the organization or developed in individual work. These stereotypes are very diverse, have different effectiveness, appear in different forms, but they can all be united by one common feature: they! either unrecognizable by a person, or their awareness is in the nature of guesses and separate consciously used methods of work. ultimately - in terms of their effectiveness. The objectification of technologies for finding solutions is carried out by organizing a discussion of a chain of questions that determine the strategies and methods of this search: what did the participant want to do? What did he want to say? What did he say? What did he do while doing this? What did others do while doing this? etc. Participants in games usually perceive objectification as an artificial procedure, as an intervention in a forbidden personal area, as an unproductive activity, loss of time, etc. However, when such work is done, a state of acute dissatisfaction with their actions sets in and attempts are made to find means further work. Objectification of unconscious work technologies is the first stage in organizing the search for innovative solutions to the problem. Establishing a measure of compliance of these technologies with a problem, situation, task makes it possible to organize further work on the material of inconsistencies. And then - go to search for more efficient technologies or the development of new ones. Control of small work groups by a large... An innovative game as an integral system is based on the principle of the primacy of the big working group, which includes all participants and organizers, over small groups. It is postulated that only in a large group can a holistic real life situation be simulated in which the participants in the game are in the organization. The rules and conventions that are set at general introductory meetings, the conditions of work and life during the game, its time frame and mode, a common problem that is significant for all, belonging to one organization and some other points allow us to consider a large group as an integrity with its own special properties and operational mechanisms not found in small working groups. The setting of the strategy of activity and control is carried out by a large group during general discussions. The order that is established on them, namely the equality of groups, equal conditions for their work in the discussion, the harshness of mutual criticism, the structure of the discussion, the refereeing of the headquarters, the lack of time - already at the second discussion becomes the norm for each group and includes the mechanism of self-organization of a large group: working groups begin to control each other and impose or demand the imposition of sanctions for violation of the accepted order. The self-organization of a large working group induces the action of the mechanisms of self-organization of small groups. Differences in the interpretation of rules and procedures by the working groups, as well as the new rules and procedures they propose, create an opportunity for the development of a large group organization. By criticizing and rejecting each other's proposals in the discussions, the working groups are reintegrated at the final meeting, where the results are summed up, the work is evaluated, etc. e. A large working group should leave the business game. Creation of conditions for the realization of the potential of participants.After the first phase of the game, conditions arise that are fundamentally different from the working environment in production. This is actually the "game situation". It becomes clear to the participants that work on the principle of "economy of energy", that is, thoughtless work proceeding only from experience and stereotypes, will not give the desired results here. In the resulting vacuum of funds, caches of abilities and extra-organizational experience, ingenuity and riskiness, curiosity about the situation and the task open up. That is, a space is created that should be filled with some kind of work, but not the one that a person is used to doing every day. In this situation, the organizers of the game in every possible way encourage initiative and bold proposals, violation of work stereotypes generally accepted and the manifestation of creative abilities. Participants of a business game, as a rule, try their hand at first in criticism, which is also supported by the organizers. Then, emboldened and realizing that their activity is encouraged and will not meet the usual organizational sanctions, they begin to work constructively. Having put forward an idea, a proposal, the participant then begins to fight for their implementation, in which the game organizer helps him in every possible way. Having performed this cycle several times, having found the most suitable mode of operation, the participant then fully engages in the group work and works to the limit of his capabilities, and sometimes even "raising" his ceiling, which can be seen in some cases during one game. The described mechanism allowed one of the participants in the game to put forward the idea that the business game can be used as a "test" for selecting candidates for the reserve for nomination The game allows everyone to reveal the opportunities hidden in the organization and thus open them for use in work, and open the way for themselves to take a place in the organization that would allow them to do this.

Organization of an innovative business game

To run an innovative game, a highly integrated group of organizers must be created with a full course of training and education (see annex). Untrained persons should be prohibited from conducting innovative games. Innovative games should be organized outside the usual production and living conditions (at recreation centers, sports centers, etc.). Otherwise, the creation of the necessary play space turns out to be practically impossible. The groups of participants should be selected from workers affected by the problem being solved and, preferably, those who are in conflict, or who are unable to independently establish the effective interaction necessary for work. Such groups provide a wealth of material for group introspection and learning. It is desirable to include customers in working groups as ordinary members. All work on the preparation and conduct of an innovative game should be supervised by a specialist who heads the group of organizers. He should also lead the work of the headquarters and intergroup discussions. Here is a brief description of an innovative game held at the Yaroslavl Electric Machine Building Plant - "Development and implementation of a system for training and promotion of leaders." The game lasted three days, 12 hours a day. A total of 23 people participated in the game, including 6 organizers and 17 plant managers - director, chief engineer and his deputy, chief mechanic, head of personnel department, heads of shops, departments, party workers, professional consultant from Moscow. All participants were divided into three groups - two development groups and a headquarters group. The working goals of the game were as follows:

Outline the main directions for improving the system of training managerial personnel of the plant, a project of such a system and a program for its further study and implementation
To use the work of leaders on solving this problem to teach them methods of collective decision-making, to increase the level of their managerial training (organizational, socio-psychological, etc.).
Determine the composition of the initiative group, which will continue to work on the system project after the end of the game.

Each organizer implemented his own work program, drawn up at the preparatory stage, in a business game, where all types of work to achieve meaningful goals were determined and matched in a time sequence. Each such work program (and there were four main and two auxiliary) contained specific stages in the movement of participants to solve the problem posed and the tasks of the organizer, a description of the tools and organizational forms of work. After the introductory conversation of the game leader ("introduction to the game"), the groups dispersed At the first stage, the groups outlined a detailed plan of activities to create a system for working with leaders. Practically all forms of creation and preparation of the reserve existing today were laid out and systematized. However, the question arose that all these forms are there, they are known to everyone, but the system of preparation and promotion nevertheless works completely differently from what they prescribe. The real system "works" as if in parallel with the prescribed one, which for some reason is not implemented anywhere except for reporting. So the groups came to the need to discuss broader problems associated with the entire plant management system, with the need to restructure this system. And we got into a vicious circle: the existing forms of training leaders do not work due to the shortcomings of the management system, and these shortcomings cannot be eliminated without training leaders of a new type - leaders focused on self-development, development of the management system and the organization as a whole. a scheme was proposed for the mutual development of the management system and the leadership training system, in which this vicious circle is broken by work with managers. The group noted that the implementation of such a system began with working on this game. The participants in the business game came to the following conclusions. The main characteristic of such a complex system should be the level of its self-organization and self-development. The basis for assessing the preparedness of leaders should be the results of his participation in group decision-making work. The management system should be based on the principles of command management, including both teams of permanent managers and specialized target (problem) groups. The system of training managers should operate at all levels of enterprise management. One of the basic principles of training should be the principle of ensemble learning (joint training of leaders and their subordinates). What should be the leader in this system? Work on this issue began in one of the groups with the formation of requirements for the activities of managers in the following blocks: "What would a leader like to learn?" "What would you like to teach your subordinates?" "What, in his opinion, should higher leaders learn?" In further work, it became necessary to find the most "strong" criterion for assessing the work of the head. This criterion was reached with the help of a consultant when discussing the ability of today's leader to delegate responsibility: better is the leader who decides less himself. The leader must be able to create an organizational order that operates without his constant intervention, and he must work on the prospects for the development and improvement of this order [see. 18, p. 190-191]. In addition, organizations cannot cultivate leaders of the same type: there must be good strategists and good tactics. However, today very few managers at the enterprise can work for the future and for the creation of an organizational order. Production is dominated by “self-centered” type managers and turnover-oriented managers. For developing production, this is the type of yesterday’s leader. The teams and staff paid special attention to the organizational forms in which the new system can be implemented. At the same time, methods and means of organizing cooperative interactions in the course of implementation, control, incentives, etc. were discussed. Criteria for assessing the effectiveness of the system in the conditions of existing production were worked out in detail. Special procedures were used in a business game to improve the work process and group formation. In the reflection mode, the methods of work of each participant were discussed, which were evaluated in terms of the effectiveness of the work of the whole group. It was found out who, what, in whom (where) interferes with work, what can be done in this regard, etc. The competitive aspect was emphasized. questions, listen to criticism, defend your proposals. It was during the discussions, as mentioned above, that the large group functioned in full. Every day in the groups sessions of sensitivity training, other types of training and recreational procedures were conducted [see. 20]. Surveys conducted after the business games showed that the participants, according to them, receive the following for use in further work: the opportunity to look at their work more broadly, not from a technocratic standpoint, means of in-depth analysis of the situation before making a decision, means of assessment the consequences of their decisions, self-confidence, that a lot depends on them, an understanding that organizational issues are the most important thing in a manager's work, the conviction of the need to abandon the psychological impact of routine, increased responsibility for decisions made, a better understanding of others, yourself, situations, mastering the technology of group work and much more. Such statements by the participants in the games testify to their understanding that the main effect of the game is not only and not so much in the decisions being made, but in the restructuring of the vision of the situation and the receipt of funds for self-development. and the organization as a whole. It is by far the most advanced form of social technology. Along with such forms of social technology as management systems for social processes, programs for system analysis and resolution of specific situations [b], an innovative game is gradually entering the arsenal of sociologists-practitioners and leaders of industrial enterprises, contributing to the increase general level management culture and creating the conditions necessary for the development of both managers and enterprises in general. APPENDIX Contents of the program for organizing a business innovation game1. Preparation for the game. With the customer (head of the organization):

clarification of the task facing the game;
drawing up a list of participants (by groups);
determination of the date and duration of the game;
preparation of an order indicating the responsible persons.

1.1. Analysis of the initial state of the object:

conducting a diagnostic examination of the specifics of the course of innovation processes in a given organization;
preparation of information for solving the problem;
measurement of the initial state and orientation of future participants.

1.3. Preparation of the material and technical base of the game:

planning the premises and venue;
provision of transport;
provision of food;
technical support;
methodological support (questionnaires, forms).

1.2. Preparation of game participants:

individual work;
information meeting.

1.3. Preparation of the game organizers:

information preparation (entering a problem situation, studying documents, analyzing the prospects for the development of the situation, modeling the behavior of participants and customers in situations of play and production);
methodological preparation (mastering the methods and techniques of group work, training participants, training, recreation);
reflexive training (modeling and playing situations of meaningful collision with various strategies of the participants, mastering the methods and techniques of regulating group conflicts, game direction);
socio-psychological preparation (training the psychological stability of organizers in situations of high-intensity group activity, training effective techniques for organizing interaction in the game, creating a consolidated group of organizers).

2. Conducting a business game.2.1. Game introduction:

organizational part;
introduction to the game (introductory conversation of the presenter);
warm-up according to the Tavistock model (allowing the participants to determine the technology and organizational forms for solving the problem themselves).

2.2. Group work:

clarification of the task and goals;
formulation (reformulation) of the problem;
search for a solution based on events in the group;
objectification of technologies for finding solutions;
assimilation of new funds;
development of new tools and their use.

2.3. Training:

sensitivity training;
innovative training.

2.4. Recreation:

relaxation (relaxation, rest);
activation (excitement of creative activity).

2.5. Intergroup discussion:

group report;
understanding questions;
criticism and speeches by members of another group;
summing up the discussion by the staff group.

2.6. Club (psychologically liberated communication of interests) .3. Ending the Game 3.1. Taking out of the game 3.2. Processing and analysis of results:

sociological and psychological;
meaningful (on issues);
gaming.

3.3. Preparation of resulting documents:

for the customer;
for participants;
for the organizers of the game.

4. Post-game phase 4.1. Creation of an initiative group to bring the results of the game to the level of administrative documents. 4.2. Control measurement of the effectiveness of the game. LITERATURE

Andreev I.D., Theory as a Form of Organization of Scientific Knowledge, Moscow: Nauka, 1979.
Blauberg I. V. Yudin E. G. Formation and essence of the system approach. - M .: Science. 1973.
Galkina I. V., Gnedovsky M. B. Raevsky A. L., Shchukin N. V. Meeting on organizational and management activities. - Questions of Psychology, 1982, No. I.
Business games in the educational process. Collection of articles - Minsk: Higher school, 1982.
Dudchenko V.S.Some problems of conflict management industrial enterprise... - Sat. Experience in managing the social development of production teams of an association and an enterprise. L. 1976.
Dudchenko V. S. Innovative principles of analysis and resolution of specific situations in production. - Sat. Problems of managerial innovation and economic experimentation Part II. Tallinn, 1981.
Dudchenko V.S. Situational structures in the organization. - Sat. The structure of the innovation process M. VNIISI. 1981.
Dudchenko V.S.The problem of practical use of the results of specific research at enterprises. - Sat. Industrial psychology problems. Yaroslavl. YarsU. 1981
Dudchenko V.S. Innovative game as a method of research and development of the organization. - Sat. Active training methods for advanced training of executives and specialists of the Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry. Branch scientific and methodological conference. Yaroslavl. IPKNeftekhim. 1982.
Dudchenko LK On the problem of teaching managers innovative behavior. - Sat. Active teaching methods.
Efimov V.M., Komarov V.F., Introduction to management imitation games, Moscow: Nauka, 1980.
Kopnin P.V. Dialectics, logic, science. - M .: Science. 1973.
Lapin NI, Prigozhin AI Factors promoting and hindering the effective implementation of innovations in organizations (a program for describing a separate case of innovations). - Sat. Social factors of innovation in organizational systems M. 1980.
Lapin NI Prigogine AI "Social Innovation" - a new direction in organizational psychology in the West. - Journal of Psychology, 1982. No. 5.
The logic of scientific research. - M: Spider, 196.5.
Maksimovskaya M.V.The specificity of training in an innovative game. - Sat. Active teaching methods.
Petrovskaya L.A. Theoretical and methodological problems of socio-psychological training. - M .: Moscow State University. 1982
Prigogine A.I.Sociology of organization. - M .: Spider. 1980.
Posysoeva O. N. Manifestation individually psychological characteristics participants in the innovative game - Sat. Active teaching methods.
An innovative game program. - Yaroslavl YaP IPKNeftekhim. 1982.
The system of stabilization of the labor collective of an industrial enterprise (guidelines). - Perm: PF TsPOTiU. 1975.
Stefanov N. Social sciences and social technology. - M .: Progress, 1976
Tarasov V.K. The system of automated certification of managers and specialists (experience of social technology). - Tallinn: Valgus. 1982.
Tikhonov A.V. Sociological design of use work force at an industrial enterprise. - Sat. Problems of the effective use of workers in an industrial enterprise. M., PSI AS USSR, LFI. SSA, 1973
Usenko EI Method problematization in group work. - Sat. Active teaching methods.
Shchedrovitskiy G.P. Design automation and development tasks of projection activities - Sat. Development and implementation automated systems in design (theory and methodology). M. Stroyizdat, 1975.
Lavrence V G Introductory Essay: Exploring Boundaries. - In: Exploring Individual and Organizational Boundaries. A Tavistock open systems approach / Ed, by W. G. Lawrence. Cnichcster, 1979.

A business game is an imitation of a real production (managerial or economic) situation. The creation of a simplified model of the workflow allows each participant in real life, but within the framework of certain rules, to play a role, make a decision, perform actions.

Business game method

Business games (ID) are an effective method of practical training and are widely used. They are used as a means of knowledge in management, economics, ecology, medicine and other fields.

MDs have been actively used in the world to study the science of management since the middle of the 20th century. A significant contribution to the development of gaming technologies was made by S.P. Rubinstein, Z. Freud and other scientists.

This method allows you to simulate an object (organization) or simulate a process (decision making, management cycle). Production and economic situations are associated with subordination to higher levels, and organizational and managerial with the leadership of a department, group, employee.

Players can set different goals, for which they use knowledge of the basics of sociology, economics, management methods. The results of the game will be related to the degree of achievement of goals and the quality of management.

Classification of business games

CIs can be classified in many ways.


Reflection of reality	Real (practice)	Theoretical (abstract)
Difficulty level	Small (one task, small team of players)		"Sea Battle", "Auction", "Crossword", "Who Knows More", "Presentation"
Simulation game	Imitation of practice. Participants solve the problem together or individually.	"Ethics of a manager", "Gossip in the company", "How to keep an employee from dismissal?", "Blackmail"
Innovative	Aimed at generating new ideas in a non-standard situation.	Self-organization trainings, brainstorming
Strategic	Collective creation of a picture of the future development of the situation.	"Creating a new product", "Entering new markets"

All of the above technologies and examples of business games are interconnected. It is recommended to use them together for effective practical activities of the participants and the achievement of the assigned tasks.

How to organize the game?

Games are played according to certain rules.

The topics of business games are varied, but their conditions should be relevant and close to life situation, problem. Players may not have the experience to solve it, but they have basic knowledge, imagination, and other abilities.
The end result common for the whole team, the achievement of the goal, the worked out solution.
There may be several correct solutions. The ability to look for different ways to solve the problem must be included in the condition.
Participants choose their own roles and behaviors to successfully solve the problem. An interesting and rather complex situational task encourages a creative search and application of knowledge.

Stages of the

Preparatory stage. Identifying the problem, choosing a topic and defining tasks. Selection of the type and form of the game, work on the game strategy, preparation of materials.
Entering the participants into the game situation. Attraction of interest, goal setting, team building, mobilization of participants.
Group or individual work with or without established rules.
Conclusions and analysis of the results independently and / or with the assistance of experts.

Conducting a business game can involve a large number of stages. During the game, the participants will have to identify the problem, consider and analyze the situation, develop proposals for solving the problem. Discussion of the course of the game and wishes complete the work.

Business game "Production meeting"

In production management, an active management game is simulated. The example includes the characterization and scenario of the business game "Production meeting". It is held at the end of the Management course, when students already have an understanding of the principles of management and the role of the production process.

Game participants:

employees of the enterprise (7 people). The meeting is attended by the director, deputy for production, head technical department, head of the assembly shop, head of the turning shop, foreman, secretary;
group of experts (10 people).

Locomotive repair or machine-building plant (organization of any profile with an average or small number of personnel). The owners of the enterprise recently delivered new director... He was introduced to the staff and managers of the plant. The director will hold an operational meeting for the first time.

Production meeting game plan

Business game scenario
Introductory part	Introduction. Goals and theme of the game.
Game situation	Familiarization with the situation at the company.
Meeting preparation plan	Role distribution (7 employees and 10 experts)
	the presenter organizes informing the participants of the game with the meeting. removal of the director for a while to another office "on production" necessity. then the presenter brings to the participants information about the behavior of employees at the meeting (from the characteristics). Those present at the meeting reacted to the new leadership with skepticism and distrust.


Meeting	Director's speech, reaction and questions from bosses.
Discussion and collective discussion of issues.	What will the director conduct at the meeting? What can he say or do to build business contacts with employees? What can he take when summing up the results of the first operational meeting?
Summarizing	Conclusions from experts, from the participants in the game. Self-esteem. Did you solve the tasks, did you achieve the goals?

Role-playing game

Entering a production situation in a specific role is an interesting business game. Examples for students can be very diverse. One has only to connect imagination.

Role-playing game "Interview". conducts an interview in the form of an interview with an applicant. The vacant position is a sales manager. Before the game, the participants read the biography and characteristics of their hero. After studying the documents (10 minutes), the manager begins the interview. When summing up, it is assessed how the boss conducted the interview and interview, analyzed the information in the documents, and what decision he made. The applicant evaluates the work of the manager.
Role-playing game "Conflict client". The game is played in pairs. The head of the department answers the phone call from an angry customer. The client expresses claims about the quality of the goods. It is assessed whether the manager will be able to cope with the conflict situation and build the conversation properly.
Role-play "Assessment of the employee's professionalism". The player from the position of a leader evaluates the activities of the employee, using information about the efficiency of the team. Based on the data, he fills out a certification form and prepares for an interview with an employee. Ponders how to build a conversation, what questions to ask. The role of a worker can be a young professional, a woman with two children, a front-line employee, and others. As a result, the way the player formulated the questions is assessed, the main thing is highlighted.

Strategic business game. Examples for students

Strategic game "Knitted Factory" Style ". The management of the knitwear factory plans to expand its sales markets. For this, it is required to produce higher quality and demanded products. In addition, it is planned to launch several new technological lines.

It has long been planned to replace equipment in several workshops. Lack of financial resources associated with large accounts receivable became a problem. What strategy is appropriate in this situation? What can the plant management do? Forecast based on table data. It is recommended to present several indicators of financial and economic activity for three years.

Sample Management Games Topics

	Examples of business games
Group discussion	“Making management decisions. Selection of a candidate for the position of director " "Organizational culture of college students" "The cycle of management in an educational institution"
Role-playing game	"Personnel certification" "How to ask for a raise?" "Telephone negotiations" "Conclusion of a contract"
Emotional activity game	“Ethics of Business Communication. Love affair at work" "Conflict between heads of departments" "Business conversation. Dismissal of an employee " "To handle the stress"
Simulation game	"Effectiveness of control" "Business plan development" "Business letter" "Preparation of the annual report"

Game method and case method

When planning a business game, it is recommended to combine its different forms. The game can contain cases (situations). The case method differs from the business game method, as it is focused on finding and solving a problem. Examples of business games are associated with the development of skills, the formation of skills.

Thus, a case is a model of a certain situation, and a business game is a model of practical activity.

The business game method allows you to present the principles of management and decision-making processes in an accessible way. The main advantage of the games is the active participation of the group, the team of players.

Business games. Theoretical foundations of the formation of a business game Business games on management theory

Introduction

The history of business games

Classification of business games

Business game organization principles

The emergence of business games

Moving away from children's fun

Game concept

Three-dimensional classification

Applications of business games

Business game design

Documentation development issues

Psychological foundations of

The role of the leader

Team building

The leader and his qualities

Research in the game

R. Bale's scheme

Method for assessing the effectiveness of collective activities (see instructions below):

Mood and climate

Purpose and structure of an innovative business game

An innovative business game as a research method and as a social technology

An innovative game in the line of business games

Some problems of building an innovative game

Organization of an innovative business game

Business game method

Classification of business games

How to organize the game?

Stages of the

Business game "Production meeting"

Production meeting game plan

Role-playing game

Strategic business game. Examples for students

Sample Management Games Topics

Game method and case method

Recent

You need to know