leading change for sustainability: designing a computer
TRANSCRIPT
Leading Change for Sustainability:
Designing a Computer Simulation
for Management Education
Philip Hallinger1, Parinya Showanasai2, Chatchai Chatpinyakoop3, Vien-Thong Nguyen3
1Chair Professor of Leadership, Center for Research on Sustainable Leadership,
College of Management, Mahidol University, 69 Vipavadee Rangsit Rd., Bangkok, 10400,
THAILAND
and
Distinguished Visiting Professor, Dept. of Educational Leadership and Management,
University of Johannesburg, Auckland Rd., Johannesburg, South Africa
E-mail: [email protected] 2Assistant Professor, Faculty of Business, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkla,
THAILAND
E-mail: [email protected] 3Center for Research on Sustainable Leadership,
College of Management, Mahidol University, 69 Vipavadee Rangsit Rd., Bangkok, 10400,
THAILAND
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
This paper presented at
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Leading Change for Sustainability:
Designing a Computer Simulation for Management Education
Philip Hallinger1, Parinya Showanasai2, Chatchai Chatpinyakoop3, Vien-Thong Nguyen3
1Chair Professor of Leadership, Center for Research on Sustainable Leadership,
College of Management, Mahidol University, 69 Vipavadee Rangsit Rd., Bangkok, 10400, THAILAND
and
Distinguished Visiting Professor, Dept. of Educational Leadership and Management,
University of Johannesburg, Auckland Rd., Johannesburg, South Africa
E-mail: [email protected]
2Assistant Professor, Faculty of Business, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkla, THAILAND
E-mail: [email protected]
3Center for Research on Sustainable Leadership,
College of Management, Mahidol University, 69 Vipavadee Rangsit Rd., Bangkok, 10400, THAILAND
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Acknowledgement: Funding for the research and development undertaken for the project described in this paper was provided by the
Thailand Sustainable Development Foundation.
Abstract
Corporate sustainability is becoming increasingly significant for business. It is a great challenge that involves complex and
systemic changes. Managers are required to address the change for sustainability through interaction with the organization’s environment and under conditions of uncertainty. This requires new and more powerful tools to assist managers and their
teams in understanding how to succeed under these challenging conditions. Simulations have emerged as a tool of choice when
addressing sustainability issues due to their superior ability to capture the complexity of problems and related process. This
paper describes the development of a computer simulation that can be used with prospective and practicing managers to learn
how to better lead change to sustainability in organizations. Learners will group into a small team to transform a company
through the adoption of sustainable practices in three years. They must develop strategies and select activities to meet the
needs of people at a given point in time through the iterative sequence of planning. Team’s success will be evaluated by the number of staffs implementing sustainable practices and the company’s performance that accrue from sustainable practices. Students can learn to develop, apply and see the results of different strategies for leading for sustainable success from their
own decisions. This enhances their capabilities for higher order thinking about leading change in organizations. The utility of
this simulation could be use in a management program or in a company to raise the awareness of staff as it seeks to embrace
sustainable practices.
Keywords: change, sustainability, simulation, Thailand, management
1. Introduction
Corporate sustainability is becoming increasingly significant for business leaders concerned with energy and resource
shortages, global warming, unethical business practices, education of future citizens, and enhancing corporate reputations
(Avery, 2005; Sachs, 2012). Numerous scholars (e.g., Avery, 2005; Benn, Edwards & William, 2014; Kantabutra, 2012; Visser
& Courtice, 2012) have proposed alternatives to the prevailing Anglo/US business model that promotes short-term, shareholder
value even though it does not always lead to sustainable business success (Maak & Pless, 2006; Paraschiv, Nemoianu, Langă,
& Szabó, 2012). In Europe, for example, Rhineland capitalism has been proposed as an alternative philosophy to promote
corporate sustainability (Kantabutra, 2012). Increasingly, corporate management is being urged to focus more on the long-
term sustainability of the enterprise and to focus on multiple outcomes as determinants for success (Elkington, 2013).
The quest for corporate sustainability has also gained currency in Asia. For example, ‘human capitalism’, with its strong
employee focus places Japan at a more advanced stage of capitalism (Ozaki, 1991). Another variation comes from Southeast
Asia, where governments have assumed a more proactive role in creating, shaping, and guiding markets. This has required
firms to take greater responsibility for the social welfare of their employees (Sachs, 2012). Singapore is a highly successful
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example of this business model. In Thailand, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, which aims at creating balance and
sustainability for society, has been widely acclaimed as a viable approach to corporate sustainability (Kantabutra, 2012).
However, even as research has begun to demonstrate the efficacy of these alternatives to prevailing models of corporate
management, the adoption of Rhineland Capitalism, Human Capitalism, and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy represent
significant ‘changes’ for companies. Managers have not typically been educated to these approaches. Moreover, even if their
company chooses to adopt one of these ‘sustainability models of management’, implementation of this change in management
philosophy and practice is not straightforward. Thus, current and future managers require education and training in how to
successfully implement this type of change in their companies.
There is an extensive body of literature that has examined successful strategies and actions used by managers to implement
change successfully in organizations. Scholars conclude that leaders are ‘facilitators’ and ‘gatekeepers’ of change (Folke,
Carpenter, Elmqvist, Gunderson, Holling, & Walker, 2002; Fullan, 2005; Kotter, 2007). As gatekeepers, managers – at every
level of the company – have the authority to open or close the door to change. However, research also affirms that even when
managers ‘open the door’ to change, this is not enough to bring about successful implementation. Facilitation of changes
adopted by the company -- even those that managers accept as priorities -- requires skillful managerial support in order to
achieve success. Thus, management education programs, whether at the corporate level or in university degree programs, have
made ‘change management’ a standard competency in the modern management education curriculum.
The change to 'sustainability' however, presents an even greater challenge than the usual 'internal organizational changes' that
managers face. The change to sustainability involves complex, systemic changes that takes place at the individual,
organizational and social system levels (Lozano, 2012; Senge, Hamilton, & Kania, 2015). Moreover, changes that fall under
the rubric of sustainability require managers can only be addressed through interaction with the organization's environment
and under conditions of uncertainty (Avery & Bergsteiner, 2011; Benn et al., 2014; Ferdig, 2007; Grin, Rotmans, & Schot,
2010; Smit, & Pilifosova, 2003). This suggests a need for new and more powerful tools to assist managers and their teams in
understanding how to succeed under these challenging conditions.
One approach that has emerged in efforts to learn how to 'make the change to sustainability has been computer simulation
(Bekebrede, van Bueren, Wenzler, & van Veen, 2017; Crookall, 2013; Moratis, Hoff, & Reul, 2006). Simulations have been
developed to enable managers to learn how to lead the change to corporate social responsibility (Mortis et al., 2006), manage
climate change (Crookall, 2013; Ducrot, Van Paassen, Barban, Daré, & Gramaglia, 2015), and sustainable urban development
(Mayer, Van Bueren, Bots, Van Der Voort, & Seijdel, 2005). Simulations have emerged as a 'tool of choice' among educators
when addressing sustainability issues due to their superior ability to capture the complexity of problems and related processes
(Crookall, 2013; Gosen & Washbush, 2004; Lovelace, Eggers, & Dyck, 2016; Sitzmann, 2011; Sterman, 1994). Simulations
not only place learners in the situation of tackling complex problems and making decisions based on incomplete information,
they also provide feedback on those decisions thereby enhancing capacities for problem-solving. Simulation-based learning is
ideal for subject matter and problems that require the ability to model and anticipate future scenarios (Avolio, Waldman, &
Einstein, 1988; Gosen & Washbush, 2004; Hallinger & McCary, 1992; Salas, Wildman, & Piccolo, 2009).
This paper describes the development of a computer simulation that can be used with prospective and practicing managers to
learn how to better lead change to sustainability in organizations. The paper describes the instructional design of the Leading
the Change to Sustainability computer simulation. The paper also describes how the simulation was designed and is used in a
classroom setting;
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2. Overview of the Simulation
Leading the Change to Sustainability is grounded in theoretical frameworks that have been extensively studied globally. These
include the concerns-based adoption model or CBAM (Hall & Hord, 2006), change adoption and diffusion (Crandall et al.,
1986; Rogers, Medina, Rivera, & Wiley, 2005), change leadership (Kotter, 2007), systems thinking (Senge, 1990; Senge et
al., 2015) and corporate and social sustainability (Dyllick & Hockerts, 2002; Elkington, 2013; Geissdoerfer, Savaget, Bocken,
& Hultink, 2017; Sachs, 2015).
As a learning tool, the simulation may be played by individual learners or in teams. Since the simulation is played online in a
web browser, it can be accessed from anywhere in the world where there is an internet connection. Although the emphasis will
differ depending upon the particular learning setting, the basic learning objectives of the Leading the Change to Sustainability
simulation are:
1. To learn how to develop effective strategies for leading the change to sustainability in organizations;
2. To learn how to change staff attitudes and behavior to support sustainable growth and success;
3. To learn how different parts of the organization can contribute to sustainability;
4. To learn how to work as a team in lead for long-term success.
Through this interactive computer simulation, students can learn to develop, apply and see the results of different strategies
for Leading for Sustainable Success. This enhances their capacities for higher order thinking about leading change in
organizations (Avolio et al., 1988; Crookall, 2013; Sitzmann, 2011)). When learners play the simulation they are able to see
the impact of their choices/decisions and monitoring growth and success of the organization over time.
3. Instructional Goals
Seven assumptions underlie the instructional design of the Leading the Change to Sustainability (LCS) simulation.
1. The goal of training about leading the change to sustainability in organizations and society should be to develop
knowledge that practitioners can apply;
2. An interactive simulation in which learners develop, apply and see the results of different strategies for leading the
change to sustainability in organizations and society would be effective at developing capacities for higher order
thinking about leading change;
3. Since the process of transforming companies requires people to lead in a team-based environment, the learning
process should model a team-learning format;
4. Given the scarcity of time for formal staff development outside the organization, the design of the simulation should
incorporate substantial “cognitive scaffolding” so learners can proceed at their own pace inside and outside of formal
training workshops;
5. Since learning to apply any sophisticated conceptual framework takes time, it would be advantageous if the
simulation design made it convenient for learners to engage in multiple opportunities for practice;
6. A simulation that mirrors the complexity of implementing practices that lead to sustainability in the real world of
organizations should foster open-ended thinking about sustainable development and model the assumption that there
is no one best change strategy that will work in all organizations;
7. The simulation should incorporate a mix of multidisciplinary resources drawn from theory, empirical research and
practice.
As we shall elaborate, these assumptions are woven into the instructional design of the LCS simulation. For example, learners
play in teams of two or three people per computer, even when there are sufficient computers for everyone. As with all problem-
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based learning (Bridges & Hallinger, 1995), the simulation begins by presenting the learners with a challenging problem rather
than with the theoretical content. Immediately upon starting the simulation, the teams of learners confront their challenge: how
to transform their company into an organization that has incorporated core concepts and practices of 'sustainability' into its
policies and day-today practices.
4. Instructional Design
Upon starting the simulation, the learners will listen to a short speech by Al, the Managing Director of the Best Company. Al
informs the learners that they have been appointed to the One Future project team which is responsible for helping the company
adopt more 'sustainable practices'. The team will have an annual budget with which to conduct activities over a period of three
years. Pilot implementation of the One Future project will begin in three business units (i.e., the head office, Eastern Branch,
Western Branch) before being rolled out into the rest of the company.
While the project's mission is to transform the Best Company through the adoption of sustainable practices, the team's
performance will be evaluated on two goals. First, the team needs to move staff and associated partners (e.g., customers,
suppliers) through the stages of change such that they will adopt a sustainability mindset (Boiral, Baron, & Gunnlaugson,
2014) and adopt more sustainable practices by the end of the three years. The second goal is to maintain the economic
performance of the company while increasing the social and environmental benefits that accrue from sustainable practices.
Figure 1. Leading Change to Sustainability simulation computer screen
The practical challenge facing the One Future project team is put into perspective by reference to the main computer screen
on which the simulation is displayed.
1. People: The computer screen (see Figure 1) displays the three business units as well as the 24 staff, customers
and suppliers who will participate in the One Future project. 'Clicking' on a name will open a pop-up window
containing a picture and description of the person's role and characteristics (see Figure 2). The 24 people each
include a representative range of relevant corporate roles (e.g., Board Director, Branch Manager, Supplier, IT
Specialist).
Notably, the descriptions of the project participants were also prepared so as to represent the typical proportion
of people in organizations by 'adopter types' or receptivity to change (Rogers, 2002). Thus, unknown to the
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learners, the project participants include a small number of 'innovators' (e.g., Gary in Figure 2), 'leaders', and
'laggards' (e.g., Irene in Figure 2), as well as a large number of 'early and late majority' (e.g., Al in Figure 2)
adopter types. While the descriptions give 'clues', consistent with the tenets of 'problem-based learning (Bridges
& Hallinger, 1995), the learners must process and make use of this information about the people in the company
without the benefit of prior learning about the theoretical content.
It should be noted that each team of learners is assuming the role of members of the One Future project team.
As members of the project team they are NOT any of the people on the computer screen (i.e., project
participants).
Figure 2. Example of descriptions of project participants in the Best Company
2. Stages of Change: Listed across the top of the board are 'five stages of the change process': Awareness, Interest,
Preparation, Practice, Sustainability. The game pieces representing the 24 people begin “off the game board”
because they have yet to begin the process of change. Consistent with the first goal stated above, the practical
task of the project team is to move the project participants from a state of knowing little or nothing about
'sustainability' to skillful use of sustainable policies and practices (i.e., Sustainability stage of change). Again,
although these stages of change were derived from the Concerns Based Adoption Model (Hord & Hall 2014),
the theory is embedded in the simulation content. Rather than presenting the theory in advance, learners will
'construct' this and other embedded theories out of their experience of playing the simulation (Kolb, 2014).
3. Budget and Activities: The team has an annual budget comprised of 'Bits' (see Figure 1) that it will spend on
'activities' intended to inform, engage, teach and support staff in the use of more sustainable practices. The
activities, listed on the right side of the scree in Figure 1, represent typical activities a project team might
undertake: talking with staff, creating a shared vision, surveying stakeholders, providing training disseminating
new practices etc. By spending the budget on some combination of these activities with the 24 project
participants, the learners will begin to see change occur in the best company. Since project implementation
takes place over a three-year budget cycle, the learners gain the benefit of seeing how the change process
unfolds over time.
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4. Interactivity and Feedback: One of the strengths of computer simulations lies in their ability to provide
immediate feedback with respect to the decisions that the learners (i.e., project team) makes (Sitzmann, 2011).
In the LCS simulation, each time that learners implement an activity, they receive feedback describing the
response of people involved. For example, if the team chooses the “Talk to 1st time” activity, their budget will
be reduced by 2 Bits (cost of this activity), the people they talk with may (or may not) move on the game board,
and they will receive feedback on what happened and why. By way of example, see the responses of Al, Gary
and Irene the first time that the project team 'Talk to' them in Figure 3. The responses and movement on the
game board (i.e., change) are consistent with the 'personality' descriptions (and their adopter types) of the three
people. These different responses to the same change (i.e., sustainability) reflect the reality of how people
respond to change in the workplace.
Figure 3. Example of feedback response to doing the 'Talk to 1st time' activity with Al, Gary and Irene
5. Plan/Do/Check/Adjust Cycle (PDCA): Through this process of planning, doing, getting feedback, reflecting,
and adjusting, the project team, (i.e., the learners) continue to develop, implement, and see the results of their
strategy for bringing about the change to sustainability in the Best Company. Gradually, with the help of
instructor debriefing, the PDCA cycle (see Figure 4) is highlighted as a framework the project team can use to
increase the effectiveness of their change implementation. However, as with the previous change frameworks,
the PDCA cycle is highlighted during debriefings, constructed from the experience of the learners.
6. Systems Thinking: Central to the design of the LCS simulation is the concept of systems thinking (Senge,
1990; Senge et al., 2015; Senge & Sterman, 1992). Embedded in the simulation are over 150 unseen 'decision
rules' that define the processes that cohere into effective strategies for transformation of the Best Company
towards its goal of sustainability. The success of many activities in the LCS simulation depends upon the
completion of other prior interdependent activities. These require the learner to develop a strategic sequence of
activities that will increase the capacity for continuous learning and sustainability transformation within the
company.
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Figure 4. Example of feedback response to doing the 'Talk to 1st time' activity with Al, Gary and Irene
So, for example, before the learners are able to successfully implement the activity, Create Shared Vision, they
must have successfully completed collected data on current attitudes, knowledge and practices related to
sustainability (i.e., Sustainability Survey and Assessed Sustainable Practices). They must also have gained
support for holding a vision retreat from Al (i.e., Talk to Al twice). If any of these conditions has not been met,
the Create Shared Vision activity will 'fail' (i.e., not take place). This highlights the interdependent nature of
activities and events in the life of any organization and the need to employ think 'systems thinking'.
Table 1. Sequence and interdependence of activities
Awareness Preparation Practice Sustainability
1Gather Social
Information
4Survey
Stakeholders (2,3)
6Field Visit
(1,2,3)
10Talk with 3rd
Time (2,3)
12Use Sustainable
Practices (6,7,8,9)
15One Future
Celebration
(7,12,13,14)
2Talk with 1st
Time
5Assess
Sustainable
Practices (2,3)
7Create a Shared
Vision
(1,2,3,4,5)
11Communicate
Vision (7)
13Strengthen
Sustainability Mindset
(7,11,12)
16Benchmark
and Plan (7,10,14)
3Talk with
Again (1, 2)
8Sustainability
Retreat (2,3,7,8)
14Share Sustainability
Success (7,11,12)
17Sustainability Report
(7,11,1015,16)
9Sustainability
Training (2,3)
18Policy Revision
(7,10,13,14,16)
Note: Vertical axis suggests sequence and horizontal axis time; numbers in parentheses suggest interdependence of activities
Adjust Plan
DoCheck
Adjust plan
Sustain
Refine vision
Develop a
vision &
strategy
Create a
guiding
team
Collect &
Analyze
Data
Prepare people
Build supportive
environmentExamine results
Examine methods
Engage
Learn
Practice
Support
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In addition, the success of certain activities in the simulation depends upon the 'readiness' of people for the
change. This facet of the simulation derives from the Concerns Based Adoption Model (Hord & Hall, 2014).
This model assumes that people will be more successful at implementing change if the activities in which they
engage address their needs or concerns. Thus, for example, the eight people selected to participate in the Create
Shared Vision activity must all have reached the Interest stage (or beyond) in order for the activity to succeed.
Similarly, in order for the Use Sustainable Practices to succeed, all of the participants must be in the Practice
or Sustainability stages.
7. Sustainability Content: Content related to sustainability is integrated into the LCS simulation in three ways.
First, as suggested in Figure 1, many of the activities directly concern sustainability (e.g., Sustainability Survey,
Sustainability Training, Share Sustainability Success, Strengthen Sustainability Mindset, Sustainability
Report). These activities reflect actual activities and practices adopted by companies on the journey to
sustainability (e.g., IKEA, 2014; Siam Cement Group, 2018). Indeed, activities such as benchmarking and
sustainability reporting have become standard practices among companies and are increasingly required in
many countries. Thus, learners become familiar with important terms and practices used by companies in efforts
to achieve more sustainability outcomes (e.g., triple bottom line).
Second, feedback embedded in responses to different activities contain more specific information on
sustainability issues. For example, when the project team goes to talk to stakeholders the first time, many ask:
"what does sustainability have to do with my department?" (e.g., IT, finance, marketing). Additional
information included in other feedback cards provides answers to these questions for the 'simulated staff' as
well as for the learners. For example, when the team successfully does the Share Sustainability Success activity,
they would receive one of the following responses:
"Branch staff share practices that show Caring for the Planet such as using water coolers to replace
plastic bottles and installing solar panels to reduce reliance on coal power and long-term costs" or
"Staff share ideas that show Caring for People such as ensuring that suppliers use fair and ethical
labor practices with foreign migrant workers" or
"Branch staff share practices that show Caring for People such as revision of personnel selection and
interview guidelines to reduce gender and racial bias."1
The continuous feedback that unfolds naturally during the simulation offers a wide range of ideas to learners
about the meaning and implications of sustainability in the company and its communities. Moreover, since the
information contextualized and applied, it is more likely that the learners will find them meaningful. This leads
to greater retention.
Third, the simulation also contains links to 'external content' on sustainability issues and topics that the learners
encounter while playing the simulation (see Table 2). These topics were generated inductively through
discussions with sustainability experts at several companies, from reading sustainability reports (e.g., IKEA,
2014; Siam Cement Group, 2018), as well as from recently published reviews of research on sustainability in
corporate management (e.g., Hallinger, 2019; Kainzbauer & Rungruang, 2019; Sanguankaew & Vathanophas
Ractham, 2019; Thananusak, 2019). These topics cover a wide range of general sustainability (e.g., triple
1 I say "would receive one of the following…" because in order to keep the simulation fresh, the same event might have several
different possible outcomes. The simulation selects from the possible outcomes randomly. Thus, in one simulation session,
one of the three outcomes shown in the bulleted examples would be selected randomly by the computer.
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bottom line, sustainable development goals), environmental (e.g., circular economy, recycling, green IT) and
social (e.g., green HRM, CSR, sustainability values) sustainability issues.
Table 2. List of topics covered in the Leading the Change for Sustainability simulation
1. Change Management
2. Circular Economy
3. Energy Conservation
4. Environmental Impact
5. Green HR
6. Green IT
7. Green Power Supply
8. Green Purchasing
9. Green Supply Chain
10. Recycling
11. Resistance to Change
12. Social Sustainability
13. Stakeholder Involvement
14. Sustainable Consumption
15. Sustainable Development Goals
16. Sustainable Leadership
17. Sustainable Mindset
18. Sustainable Values
19. Triple Bottom Line
20. Waste Management
Whenever a feedback card appears in response to doing an activity, the card will have between one and three
icons at the bottom (see Figure 3). Each icon represents a link to external content related to one of the 20 topics
shown in Table 2. The selected links on a given card are based on the content of the card. For example, when
the team talk to Velma, one of the IT staff, for the first time, she responds, "I like this idea of 'One Future', but
how does this impact the IT Department? I mean I've never heard of 'Green IT'. Icons at the bottom of this card
would provide links to external content on 'Green IT' and 'Energy Conservation'.
By clicking one of the links, the learner will see a new window with content relevant to the selected topic. This
window can also be accessed by clicking the 'Info' button at the bottom of the screen (see Figure 1). Content
related to each topic includes copies of research and practical journal articles, links to websites with relevant
information and resources on the particular topic, and links to video content on the www such as Ted Talks,
podcasts, and webinars. The over 200 resource links provided on the content page of the simulation are intended
as initial high quality resources identified by the designers of the simulation. For learners interested in a
particular topic, whether a student in a formal education program or staff in a company, these links provide a
gateway to more in-depth learning about, for example, the circular economy, waste management, Green IT, or
the triple bottom line.
Thus, through the simulation learners develop a new 'sustainability language'. Moreover, because the learners
engage this 'sustainability knowledge base' actively in the context of solving a simulated problem, they are
more likely to become engaged and transfer their learning (Gosen & Washbush, 2004; Salas et al., 2009;
Sitzmann, 2011). In addition, through the inclusion of 'external links' to relevant 'curated' knowledge, learners
can also use the simulation as the launching pad and stimulus to engage with topics of interest beyond the
simulation learning experience.
8. Sustainability Benefits: The simulation prompts the learners to work towards the adoption of a 'triple bottom
line' of economic, social and environmental goals by the company (Elkington, 2013). Consistent with this
approach, the simulation provides feedback on the 'impact' of activities on these 'sustainability outcomes' in the
company. Thus, certain activities – generally those that involve using sustainable practices will generate
sustainability benefits or 'Bennies'. ). Bennies represent positive social, economic and environmental impact of
the company's new policies and practices.
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Figure 5. Example of how Bennies are accrued during the simulation
For example, at a certain point in the simulation, after stakeholders have learned some new sustainability
practices, the team may choose the activity 'Use Sustainable Practices'. After spending their budget for the
activity they will select three stakeholders who they deem 'ready to implement new practices. If they are
successful, not only do the three people 'move' on the game board, but the company also accrues Bennies (see
Figure 5).
9. Feedback on Results: The team's Bennies are tracked by the computer (see Figure 1) so that the team is able
to monitor its progress in moving people through the stages of change as well as sustainability benefits
(Bennies) for the company. At the end of the three years the project team can see the results of its sustainability
change strategy. Success is based on two criteria: a) moving people through the stages of change (i.e., how
many of the 24 people in the system reached the Sustainability Stage?) and b) improving Sustainability Benefits
(Bennies) for the company. Based on the combination of results, the team's effort (i.e., strategy) will be
evaluated as one of the following levels: Apprentice, Novice, Manager, Leader, Expert, or Master.
5. Instructional Process
Central to the design of the simulation is the interplay among the activities learners select to embed sustainable policies and
processes in the structure and culture of the Best Company (Avery & Bergsteiner, 2011; Baumgartner, 2009; Linnenluecke &
Griffiths, 2010). The players must develop strategies that take into account the interdependence of the activities. They must
also select activities in order to meet the needs of people at a given point in time (i.e., in terms of where they are in the change
process). It is through the iterative sequence of planning which activities to choose, implementing the activity, seeing the
results (i.e., the feedback, movement of game pieces, accumulation of learner benefits), revising the strategy, implementing
another activity and seeing the results that the learners begin to see the patterns in the change process. These patterns gradually
cohere into the lessons of the simulation.
As noted above, the simulation is played in three one-year cycles. When played in the context of a class or a workshop, the
instructor conducts a structured 'debriefing' after each year. One of the advantages of learning with the simulation in a formal
setting, is the availability of debriefing. Effective debriefing of simulation content has the potential to accelerate learning,
develop higher order thinking, and develop the mental models that are essential to solving complex systemic problems
(Dreifuerst, 2009; Fanning & Gaba, 2007).
The debriefing of the LCS simulation is designed to share systematically what the various learning teams are deriving from
their different experiences (i.e., implementation of different strategies). In each of the three years, the teams proceed by
planning their strategy, acting to implement it, documenting the results, reflecting and sharing their learning. Web forums have
also been used successfully to extend the value of debriefing through greater cross-team collaboration.
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It should be noted that, like all simulations, the LCS simulation is not designed to be played as a one-off learning tool. Instead,
learners are encouraged to play numerous times in order to 'see the patterns' that lead to successful change to sustainability
(Bransford, 1993). For example, when learners have used other related simulations developed by the author, they often play
from 10 to 50 times on their own during a formal university course.
Moreover, while learners appear to gain the most from the simulation when playing initially in teams, follow-up sessions can
be played individually with productive results. This facet of learning is enhanced by online access to the simulation. Thus, it
can be played from anywhere at any time with a computer and an internet connection. Finally, the inclusion of the 'external
content' described above provides another learning channel which extends opportunities to follow-up on their initial learning
with the simulation.
6. Conclusions
This paper has described a project undertaken to design a simulation learning tool that can be used to educate people about
how to transform companies into 'sustainable organizations. The relevance of this simulation arises from global efforts to
reorient organizations towards the achievement of the United Nation's sustainable development goals. Global recognition of
the urgency of this mission was given a boost recently when the Business Roundtable comprised of the leaders of the largest
American corporations put out a statement which said: "companies should no longer advance only the interests of shareholders.
Instead, they must also invest in their employees, protect the environment and deal fairly and ethically with their suppliers
(Gelles & Yaffe-Bellany, 2019).
The utility of this simulation as a resource for learning how to 'make the change to sustainability' is quite broad. The title,
Leading Change to Sustainability, might seem to suggest that managers and students in management education programs are
the main audience for the simulation. However, the potential audience for the simulation is in fact much broader. For example,
in a real company, not all of the people on the 'project team' playing the simulation would necessarily be managers. Thus, the
simulation could be used with students in undergraduate or graduate education programs in a wide range of disciplines.
Similarly it could be used as part of a company's effort to raise the awareness of staff as it seeks to embrace sustainable
practices. Finally, because the simulation is 'online', it could also be accessed and played by individuals.
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