RecurrenceInc.
THESIGNATURECASESTUDIES
ProfessorandStudentFAQs
PROFESSORFAQS DoIhavetoassignfivestudentsperteam?
No.Computerized“bots”willpopulateanyunfilledroles.Wehighlyrecommendthat
studentsnotallowbotstotaketheroleofCEOorCFO,however.
Istherea“right”or“optimal”waytoplaythegame?
Justlikeinarealbusiness,thereareno“right”answers.Thereare,however,
consequences.Someconsequencesaredesirable,otherslessso.Obviously,every
companywantstomaximizerevenuesandthesatisfactionofitscustomers,employees,
andshareholders.Thus,theteammustmakedecisionsto“optimize”theseoutcomes,
butthereisnoonesinglepathwaytodoingso.
Whatlearningobjectivesareincorporatedinthegame?
Playerswillusedifferentbusinessstrategiesandleadershipstylestoaddressproblems
andopportunitiesthatemergeinthegame.Thus,thegenerallearningobjectivesforthe
gamearetwo-fold:(1)Studentsmustlearnandapplyappropriatebusinessstrategiesto
maximizecustomer,employee,andshareholdersatisfaction;and(2)Studentsmustlearn
andapplyleadershipskillsinmakingthosedecisions.Consequently,studentswilllearn
thatbothstrategicthinkingandleadershipstyleultimatelyimpactthesuccessofa
business.
Additionally,ourgamewill:
• Teachplayerstoapplytheirbusinessknowledge.
• Teachdecision-makingandstrategicthinkingskills.
• Teachriskmanagement.
• Teachplayerstohandleunanticipatedevents.
• Encourageplayerstoponderthecomplexityofmanagingahighreliability
organization.
• Encourageindividualdecision-makingandgroupcooperation.
• Facilitateleadershipdevelopment.
• Encourageplayerstoconsidertheintendedandunintendedconsequencesof
theiractions,bothintheshort-termandlong-term.
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Whatshouldmystudents’take-awaymessagebefromplayingthegame?
Inbusiness,therearenorightorwronganswers.Thereareonlygoodorbad
consequences.Additionally,studentswillwalkawaywithagreaterunderstandingof
leadershipstylesandofhowtoapplystrategicthinkingtoaddressbusinesschallenges.
HowoftenshouldIdebriefmystudentsastheyareplaying?
OurdownloadableCourseMaterialslistsallofthetopicsthatourgamecovers.We
recommenddiscussingthesetopicswithstudentsbefore,during,andaftertheyplaythe
game.
Whatifoneofmystudentsplayingthegameisabsent?
Ifyouareplayingthegameoutsideofclass,theneveryonecanplayatdifferenttimes
andfromdifferentlocations.Ifyouareplayingthegameinclass,werecommendthat
youobtaintheabsentstudent’slogininformationandtemporarilystepintohisorher
role.
Howlongdoesthegametaketoplay?
Gameplayisflexible.Studentscaneitherbeencouragedtomakedecisionsquickly,in
whichcasethegamecouldtakeafewhours.Ifstudentsareencouragedtodeliberate
andresearchbeforemakingdecisions,thenthegamecouldtakedaysorweeks.
Canthegamebeplayedasynchronously?
Yes.Teammembersdonothavetoplaythegameatthesametime.
Howmucheducationalbackgroundshouldmystudentshavetoeffectivelyplaythegame?
Studentsshouldhaveaverybasicknowledgeofbusiness.
Whenmystudentswanttoknowthe“rightanswer”toadecision,whatshouldIsaytothem?
Tellthemthatthegameismeanttosimulatebusiness.Thatis,therearenorightor
wronganswers.Instead,thereareonlygoodorbadconsequences.
WhataretheleadershipstylesintheLeadershipChallengesbasedon?
TheleadershipstylesarebasedonyearsofacademicresearchbyProfessorBruceAvolio
attheUniversityofWashingtonandhiscolleagues.
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HowdoIgiveagradeorassesstheperformanceofmystudentsplayingthegame?
Ourrecommendationisthatinstructorsusethegameasatoolforexperientiallearning
ratherthanperformanceassessment.However,gradescouldbeassignedbasedonfinal
teamscoresattheendofthegame.
HowdoIoffersuggestionsforchanges,updates,orimprovementstothegame?
Pleasee-mailus!ThebestpersontocontactisGregHeaston([email protected]).
HowdoIreportproblemsorissues?
Greg,again([email protected]).
Whataretheminimumspecificationsrequiredtoplaythegame?
Theminimumspecsareminimalindeed:Accesstotheinternet,amodernbrowser,and
preferably1024MBRAM.
CanthegamebeplayedinChina?
WearecurrentlyinvestigatingifoursoftwarecangetthroughtheGreatFirewallof
China.
ArethereanyothercasesthanthecurrentSignatureCase?
Notyet,butwe’vegotmanyideasinthepipeline!
Canthegamebemodifiedorcontentaddedorremoved?
Notyet,butweintendonhavingcustomizableversionsofthegameinthenearfuture.
Howlongdoesittaketoactivatemyaccount?
Lessthanfiveminutes.
WhatcoursesubjectsdoinstructorsteachwhoimplementtheSignatureCaseintheirclasses?
Business,management,andleadershipprofessorshaveallfoundourgametobequite
useful.
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STUDENTFAQS
Isignedupwithmypersonalemailaddress,notschoolemailaddress.Isthataproblem?
Nope!
Imadeapaymentbutmyteamcannotstartthegame.
Thegamedoesnotstartuntilyourinstructorlaunchesit.
Whatcauseschangesincustomersatisfaction,employeesatisfaction,andshareholder
satisfaction?
Thecrisisdecisionsandsupportprojectallocationsaffectthesemetrics.
Whatcauseschangesinthecompany’sincome?
Thecrisisdecisionsandsupportprojectallocationsaffectthecompany’sincome.
CanIundoadecision?
No.Choosewisely!
Cantheteambechangedinthemiddleofthegame?
No.
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