Description
With this detailed information in relation to changing the way people are learning about business and entrepreneurship.
w
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s
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m
v
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Summer/Autumn 2012
The multi-award winning business simulation
insights
Umph! Who’s
taking the trophy home?
See page 7
SimVenture, the multi-award winning business
simulation gives people the opportunity to create
and run their own virtual company in an engaging,
authentic and challenging way.
Used in educational institutions and commercial
organisations throughout the world, SimVenture is
changing the way people are learning about business
and entrepreneurship.
Of?cial newsletter published by Venture Simulations Ltd
EU
Recognition
for SimVenture
See page 4
Venture Simulations Ltd Managing Director, Peter Harrington, has
been invited to Johannesburg in September 2012 to present a
paper entitled ‘Killing with Kindness’ at the 37th International Small
Business Congress (ISBC).
“Given the state of the global economy and the growing importance of
entrepreneurs within any society, I want to open up the debate about how people
are trained to start and run a business,” says Peter.
“SimVenture was developed in part as an antidote to inappropriate and ineffective
training methods. There are many very well meaning small business courses being
run around the world but business start-up and survival rates are not changing.
People starting in business keep making the same mistakes and this costs
individuals and economies dear.”
In his presentation, Peter will discuss the economic bene?ts of authentic practice
and the value and impact of simulations as training tools in industries such as
aviation and medical science.
The highly prestigious event taking place in South Africa gathers hundreds of
individuals from all over the world. Governments (policymakers), small business
support agencies, entrepreneurs, business membership organisations, academic
institutions, ?nancial institutions, and international development agencies are all
represented.
For more information about the event,
visit the website: www.isbc2012.org
www.simventure.co.uk
Latest
News
Use the
On-Line
Forum
Launched at the
beginning of 2012,
the SimVenture
On-Line Forum allows
trainers and teachers
to communicate,
collaborate and share
ideas about using the
software.
Nearly 50 members are now
part of the Forum. If you teach
or train with SimVenture and
your organisation has an up-
to-date maintenance contract
you can join for free.
“We often receive calls from
people who have speci?c
questions about SimVenture
and want to talk with and/or
learn from the experience of
other trainers/teachers” says
Learning & Teaching Director
Paul Brough Jones. “The
Forum allows people to work
directly together without having
to contact us.”
For more details visit the
SimVenture website or use
this link to get straight to the
Forum:
groupspaces.com
SimVentureForum
If you’re seeking a global perspective on all issues
connected with entrepreneurship, then you may wish
to attend the World Entrepreneurship Forum (WEF)
which this year takes place in Lyon, France.
Social entrepreneurs, academics, journalists, corporate
companies and government policy-makers from all over the
world are attending. Venture Simulations Ltd will be represented
by Peter Harrington.
Great for networking as well as ?nding out how people are
developing innovative solutions to age-old problems, WEF takes
place from the 24th to the 27th of October.
For more information and all details, visit the website:
www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com
Keynote
speech in
South Africa
Peter Harrington
World
Entrepreneurship
Forum
Fifteen people (mostly from the higher education
sector) were involved in the three day training event
which allowed people to really understand the
software and develop different SimVenture teaching
strategies.
“I was impressed how quickly delegates became
familiar with the software,” said lead trainer, Martin
Glassett. “The residential course really helped people
to share ideas and allowed everyone to explore how
they could apply SimVenture in their own learning
environments.”
Guest Speakers
In order to provide delegates with a contextual understanding of
using the software, guest speakers were invited to talk at the
event about their experience of teaching with the resource.
Mike Ashwell, who works as a lecturer at Teesside University,
kick-started the second day by sharing his experience of working
with SimVenture over the past 3 years. Delegates found his
insight particularly valuable and were also able to question him on
the speci?cs of course management and assessment practices.
The second day also covered the topical theme of employability
skills and how the software can be effective in preparing students
for the workplace. The ?nal day shifted the focus and examined
how SimVenture can be presented and used by colleagues,
different institutional departments and external organisations.
Delegates also learnt about how SimVenture can be used to
generate revenue as well as support bids.
Delegate feedback
Stefania Zerbinati who works at Cass Business School in London
added, “The Master SimVenture course is intensive but I learned
how to play the game and how to apply it in a variety of ways
for teaching at different levels. I believe SimVenture can be an
important tool to get students closer to reality when learning
about venture creation and enterprise management.”
If you would like details of the next Master SimVenture course
please contact Martin Glassett for further details at:
[email protected]
3
Master SimVenture delegates
Guest speaker Mike Ashwell
SimVenture
Masters
I found the Master SimVenture course highly
enjoyable. It made it clear to me how the tool could
be applied across all the education levels that we
operate at. Its capacity to meet diverse learning
styles, motivations and aspirations is outstanding.
Andre Mostert – Lecturer University of East London
Delegates from as far a?eld as
Nigeria converged on the Park Inn
Hotel in York to attend the ?rst-
ever Master SimVenture course
which took place in the summer.
“
“
Special
Feature
Martin Glassett, European Account Director at SimVenture,
spent 2 days working alongside 11 other experts at a forum
based in Turin earlier this year. The group’s task was to
de?ne the criteria for resources that could then be used for
training entrepreneurs.
“We were delighted to be invited onto this expert forum”
said Martin. “The rapid international growth of SimVenture
is having a marked impact on the way entrepreneurship is
being taught in Universities, Colleges and Schools globally.
Whilst SimVenture has developed a proven track record as a
powerful and ?exible learning resource, the recognition from
bodies such as the ETF is always very heartening.”
The forum comprised experts from the private, public and
NGO training sectors. Individuals from Armenia,
Egypt, France, Germany, Sweden, Lebanon, Finland, UK,
Jordan, Serbia and Italy all attended and expertise was
drawn from three key ?elds including: Training for youth
start-ups; Women’s entrepreneurship; and Skills for
internationalisation of small businesses.
Promoting good practice
“A signi?cant amount of our work involves promoting good
practice exchange between our partner countries as well
as between the European Union and our partner regions,”
said Anthony Gribben, who leads the entrepreneurship and
enterprise skills portfolio at ETF.
“But we are increasingly aware that what is good, best or
even excellent practice is often subjectively de?ned. This
can lead to deep disappointment and frustration particularly
when you have spent scarce time and money in borrowing
on the practice only to ?nd that it does not work,” he added.
By holding the invitation event over the two days in Turin,
each of the participants had an opportunity to present their
resource and then have it carefully scrutinised by other
delegates as well as by staff representing ETF.
Onto Brussels
The forum outcomes are currently being used to help create
an ‘ETF toolkit’
The toolkit is being designed to improve good practice
identi?cation as well as dissemination of information. In
November this year, organisations present in Turin will
reconvene in Brussels and be given the opportunity to
present their work to the EU.
“This meeting will involve people from all 31 partner
countries” said Martin Glassett. “There’s no doubt in my
mind that this will be an excellent platform for SimVenture.”
www.simventure.co.uk
The European Training Foundation
(ETF) recently selected SimVenture
as part of a project to de?ne the
criteria for promoting good practice in
entrepreneurship training across the
continent.
SimVenture Spearheads
Entrepreneurship in
Martin Glassett in Turin
A booming economy has
created a huge demand for
business and entrepreneurship
teaching and training in India, but
poor access to quality resources
and ties with traditional teaching
practices means the adoption
of products like SimVenture is
taking time.
New Delhi based Rahul Jain
works with the SimVenture
Team in India. He spends much
of his time running workshops, seminars and competitions as well
as promoting the business simulation to teachers and lecturers. His
work focuses on people using the software, rather than just hearing
about it.
Rahul adds: “Students really like business simulations because
the experience of using them provides a distinct advantage.
Simulations help them to understand the subject material quicker
and in more depth. Ultimately, this means they are more likely to
gain meaningful employment.”
As a direct result of Rahul’s work, support for SimVenture is
growing throughout India. Teachers and lecturers within leading
education organisations such as the Entrepreneurship Development
Institute (EDI) are switching onto the software. The team hopes
that many of the top Business Schools will be using the simulation
within the next 12 months.
Rahul Jain
Telekom Indonesia delegates discover SimVenture
Telkom Indonesia is taking a serious look at
SimVenture as a resource to help develop
the business acumen and decision making
skills among its management staff.
This giant telecoms company, whose HQ is
in Bandung, employs nearly 20,000 people
and supports an estimated 129.8 million
customers.
The company has been seeking a suitable
business simulation for some time.
Within weeks of ?nding SimVenture, the training arm within the
company decided to purchase the software as well as training
services so that a train-the-trainer course could be run at their
Bandung Learning Centre in early June 2012.
Project coordinator and trainer, Ngiam Tee Woh (pictured), said:
“All the trainers really liked the software as it met their training
needs. They will run a pilot programme with their managers in mid
July 2012 and if all goes well, SimVenture could become a key
managerial training resource within the organisation.”
Into Indonesia
Indian Take-Up
Translations
SimVenture, which is available in
English and Spanish, has recently
been translated into Romanian by
Bogdan Sima and Florin Dumitru,
both of whom work at ‘Softbyte’
in Ploiesti.
Demand for the business simulation
in Eastern Europe is continually
on the increase as training
organisations seek opportunities to
use SimVenture to develop business
and entrepreneurial skills.
Latest
Translations
5
Working alongside the SimVenture team,
the University Business School created a
range of simulation scenarios to challenge
150 postgraduate course students. The
aim of the work was to get students to
think more deeply and be more engaged in
key business management issues.
Entrepreneurship Development Of?cer at
the University, Corina Edwards, said, “We
chose SimVenture for the MSc course
because it has successfully been used
for a number of years with over 1,000
undergraduates ranging from Business
and Economics to Engineering, Arts and
Humanities studies.
“Using SimVenture, we were aware
that we could create more challenging
uses of the software for postgraduate
students. By doing this we would enhance
their employability skills and provide
an opportunity for them to apply their
business knowledge.”
Bespoke Scenarios
Learning & Teaching Director at
SimVenture, Paul Brough Jones, created
the bespoke scenarios to match speci?c
course objectives. Training sessions were
then run so that staff had the skills to be
able to use the software with students.
Paul Brough Jones added: “Universities
use SimVenture in a variety of ways to
facilitate learning, support teaching or as
a way of contributing to the assessment
process. Normally, this work is done
over several sessions within a course or
module.
“At Swansea we were seeking to present a
highly complex challenge in the context of
a single scenario to give the students the
opportunity to demonstrate real depth of
learning in a single submission.”
Assessment
Working in groups, students were required
to complete an independent SimVenture
task that re?ected their subject specialism.
Following the simulation work, each
postgraduate then had to write their own
12,000 word submission (which included
business reports, forecasts and re?ective
journals) ahead of course completion in
September.
Whilst this new approach to the MSc
course has presented a challenge
in terms of planning, there is a clear
acknowledgement that SimVenture
provides the opportunity for students
to demonstrate their understanding of
business theories. Tutors who received
training from Paul Brough Jones stressed
the value and importance of individuals
being able to apply their knowledge,
theories and research in order to address
real business problems.
“Additionally,” adds Corina Edwards, “Each
individual has explored and applied their
problem solving and decision making skills.
They have also had a lot of fun along the
way and have been quite competitive!”
For more information about the MSc
course, contact Corina Edwards at
Swansea University.
[email protected]
Forward
thinking
in Swansea
Students taking their MSc in Business Management at
Swansea University are enhancing their studies with a
groundbreaking approach to postgraduate assessment.
Teaching
& Learning
S i m V e n t u r e C h a l l e n g e
Paul Brough Jones
www.simventure.co.uk
Open to schools, sixth forms and further
education colleges in Yorkshire, Umph!
involves teams of four students (aged
16- 19) taking part in a SimVenture
competition at the Galpharm Stadium
in Hudders?eld. The winners receive
the prestigious Umph! trophy and each
member of the team takes home their
very own iPad.
Organised and led by Grant Thornton,
Umph! is now in its second year and
in 2012 attracted a record entry of 23
schools and colleges from throughout
Yorkshire.
“So many teams did so well” said event
organiser Jo Parr. “The teams from
Franklin College (2nd) and Brooksbank
School (3rd) ran Rossett High School
very close and I know the judges had to
check their notes very carefully before
announcing the winner.”
Prestigious speakers
In the morning before the
competition got underway,
students and teachers
were able to network
and hear from a range of
entrepreneurs and business
specialists and learn from
their experience. This year
ten speakers, who gave freely
of their time, included: Gary
Verity (Chairman of Welcome
to Yorkshire) up-and-coming
local entrepreneur Jacob Hill and Rob
McWilliam, the Finance Director at Asda
Wal-mart UK.
Grant Thornton deserves huge praise
for their hard work, imagination and
ability to attract sponsorship. A range
of sponsors including: Kirklees Council;
The Galpharm Stadium; Fantastic
Media; the University of Hudders?eld;
and Dickinson Dees all contributed
invaluable time and/or money. As a
result schools, sixth forms and colleges
were able to enter Umph! 2012 and
have a great day, all for free.
Fifteen teams have already signed up
for Umph! 2013. If you want to be at the
Galpharm Stadium and be part of this
growing success story, visit the website:
www.umph.uk.com
On July 3rd this year, the
team from Harrogate-
based Rossett High
School was crowned
Umph! Champions 2012.
Yorkshire
Umph!
Students tackle SimVenture
The winning team -
Rossett High School
When Peter Harrington was invited in
June to speak to teachers at a Dundee
event (hosted by ‘Scotland’s Colleges’)
entitled ‘The Festival of Dangerous
Ideas: the Enterprising Mindset’, he
was keen to share his concerns about
risk aversion and blame culture.
Peter said, “I wanted to highlight the
view that life is a magni?cent game of
chance. If we truly want to encourage
students and budding entrepreneurs
to make the most of the opportunities
they face, and thus contribute to the
economy, we have to let them take
risks, experience failure and learn from
success as well as mistakes.
“This necessarily means that teachers
and institutions need to be innovative
and take calculated risks too, rather
than being hamstrung by restrictive
cultures, mountains of paperwork and
often outdated practices.
“Too much safety and satisfaction
within comfort zones is a dangerous
thing” Peter concluded. “We have
to do all we can to properly prepare
people for the real world so that they
are equipped with the right skills and
attitudes to make the most of their lives
and help take society forward.”
The real
Danger
of Safety
How many of us hold
the view that the UK’s
risk averse and growing
blame culture does
little to encourage
entrepreneurship and
enterprise development in
education?
7
Customers
What Customers say
Below are testimonials received from people
who use SimVenture to teach entrepreneurship,
enterprise and/or Business Studies. For more
testimonials, visit the website
www.simventure.co.uk
What users say
We are always keen to get feedback from
students. The following quotes provide an
insight into the difference SimVenture is
making to them:
If the best way to learn something is by doing it,
then SimVenture is the perfect 21st-century tool
to learn how to run a business, without actually
running a business. SimVenture is one of the most
impressive, outstanding and highly-innovative
applications I’ve seen on the market today.
SimVenture is an amazing piece of software that has
completely revolutionalised learning about business!
My friends and I have learnt so much from this
simple and easy to use software whilst having so
much fun.
This is something that no textbook could ever
offer! I would highly recommend it to all university
students studying business, those doing A-Levels,
GCSE studies and anyone who aspires to run their
own business.
SimVenture is a brilliant game. I really appreciate
that the resource has provided me with a great
chance to learn and make my own business work.
I will recommend this software to everyone who
wants to start a business or is a ?nancial/economics
student.
As a Business Enterprise college, we had
been looking for something which would allow
users to experience the reality of business in an
uncomplicated and risk-free environment. This
software can be accessed at a range of levels,
from Year Ten pupils to Masters Degree. It is very
accessible, convenient and realistic.
Phil Warren, Head of Business Studies at Snaith School
“
“
“
Try before You Buy
You are welcome to try SimVenture ahead of any purchase. To obtain a
demo copy of the software, visit the website www.simventure.co.uk and
click the ‘Free Demo’ button on the front page. Complete the form, submit
your details and a free demo will automatically be provided to you.
For all price details, visit the
website www.simventure.co.uk
Price and ordering details can be accessed easily off the website’s Home
Page. Permanent and Annual prices are all available.
Contact the Team
Venture Simulations Ltd, South Newlands,
Selby Road, York YO19 6QR
Tel: 01757 248168 Fax: 0870 123 6241
Email: [email protected] Web: www.simventure.co.uk
Installing & using SimVenture
SimVenture is Windows-based software that can be installed onto
individual PCs or a central server. We provide a free license server when
multiple licenses are purchased, making SimVenture easy to access and
use on your computer network.
In terms of hardware, the following system is recommended:
1 Ghz Pentium equivalent or better, 400Mb disk space, 512Mb RAM,
1024x768 screen (+ CDROM to install or internet download), sound
(although it can be used without sound), Microsoft Windows 2000, XP
service pack 2, Vista or Windows 7.
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
We used SimVenture as part of a competition. The
software was excellent. The students found it very
challenging and really stimulating. It incorporates all
aspects of business and really gets the students to think
and apply all the business knowledge they have gained.
An exciting piece of software which is addictive and
rewarding.
Matt Laws, Lecturer, Dudley College
“
“
Design and print: Print Revolution Ltd 0115 979 0962. Printed on a waterless DI press using
vegetable based inks on 10% recycled 90% sustainable sourced ?bre.
Inspiring Business Minds
doc_579593632.pdf
With this detailed information in relation to changing the way people are learning about business and entrepreneurship.
w
w
w
.
s
i
m
v
e
n
t
u
r
e
.
c
o
.
u
k
Summer/Autumn 2012
The multi-award winning business simulation
insights
Umph! Who’s
taking the trophy home?
See page 7
SimVenture, the multi-award winning business
simulation gives people the opportunity to create
and run their own virtual company in an engaging,
authentic and challenging way.
Used in educational institutions and commercial
organisations throughout the world, SimVenture is
changing the way people are learning about business
and entrepreneurship.
Of?cial newsletter published by Venture Simulations Ltd
EU
Recognition
for SimVenture
See page 4
Venture Simulations Ltd Managing Director, Peter Harrington, has
been invited to Johannesburg in September 2012 to present a
paper entitled ‘Killing with Kindness’ at the 37th International Small
Business Congress (ISBC).
“Given the state of the global economy and the growing importance of
entrepreneurs within any society, I want to open up the debate about how people
are trained to start and run a business,” says Peter.
“SimVenture was developed in part as an antidote to inappropriate and ineffective
training methods. There are many very well meaning small business courses being
run around the world but business start-up and survival rates are not changing.
People starting in business keep making the same mistakes and this costs
individuals and economies dear.”
In his presentation, Peter will discuss the economic bene?ts of authentic practice
and the value and impact of simulations as training tools in industries such as
aviation and medical science.
The highly prestigious event taking place in South Africa gathers hundreds of
individuals from all over the world. Governments (policymakers), small business
support agencies, entrepreneurs, business membership organisations, academic
institutions, ?nancial institutions, and international development agencies are all
represented.
For more information about the event,
visit the website: www.isbc2012.org
www.simventure.co.uk
Latest
News
Use the
On-Line
Forum
Launched at the
beginning of 2012,
the SimVenture
On-Line Forum allows
trainers and teachers
to communicate,
collaborate and share
ideas about using the
software.
Nearly 50 members are now
part of the Forum. If you teach
or train with SimVenture and
your organisation has an up-
to-date maintenance contract
you can join for free.
“We often receive calls from
people who have speci?c
questions about SimVenture
and want to talk with and/or
learn from the experience of
other trainers/teachers” says
Learning & Teaching Director
Paul Brough Jones. “The
Forum allows people to work
directly together without having
to contact us.”
For more details visit the
SimVenture website or use
this link to get straight to the
Forum:
groupspaces.com
SimVentureForum
If you’re seeking a global perspective on all issues
connected with entrepreneurship, then you may wish
to attend the World Entrepreneurship Forum (WEF)
which this year takes place in Lyon, France.
Social entrepreneurs, academics, journalists, corporate
companies and government policy-makers from all over the
world are attending. Venture Simulations Ltd will be represented
by Peter Harrington.
Great for networking as well as ?nding out how people are
developing innovative solutions to age-old problems, WEF takes
place from the 24th to the 27th of October.
For more information and all details, visit the website:
www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com
Keynote
speech in
South Africa
Peter Harrington
World
Entrepreneurship
Forum
Fifteen people (mostly from the higher education
sector) were involved in the three day training event
which allowed people to really understand the
software and develop different SimVenture teaching
strategies.
“I was impressed how quickly delegates became
familiar with the software,” said lead trainer, Martin
Glassett. “The residential course really helped people
to share ideas and allowed everyone to explore how
they could apply SimVenture in their own learning
environments.”
Guest Speakers
In order to provide delegates with a contextual understanding of
using the software, guest speakers were invited to talk at the
event about their experience of teaching with the resource.
Mike Ashwell, who works as a lecturer at Teesside University,
kick-started the second day by sharing his experience of working
with SimVenture over the past 3 years. Delegates found his
insight particularly valuable and were also able to question him on
the speci?cs of course management and assessment practices.
The second day also covered the topical theme of employability
skills and how the software can be effective in preparing students
for the workplace. The ?nal day shifted the focus and examined
how SimVenture can be presented and used by colleagues,
different institutional departments and external organisations.
Delegates also learnt about how SimVenture can be used to
generate revenue as well as support bids.
Delegate feedback
Stefania Zerbinati who works at Cass Business School in London
added, “The Master SimVenture course is intensive but I learned
how to play the game and how to apply it in a variety of ways
for teaching at different levels. I believe SimVenture can be an
important tool to get students closer to reality when learning
about venture creation and enterprise management.”
If you would like details of the next Master SimVenture course
please contact Martin Glassett for further details at:
[email protected]
3
Master SimVenture delegates
Guest speaker Mike Ashwell
SimVenture
Masters
I found the Master SimVenture course highly
enjoyable. It made it clear to me how the tool could
be applied across all the education levels that we
operate at. Its capacity to meet diverse learning
styles, motivations and aspirations is outstanding.
Andre Mostert – Lecturer University of East London
Delegates from as far a?eld as
Nigeria converged on the Park Inn
Hotel in York to attend the ?rst-
ever Master SimVenture course
which took place in the summer.
“
“
Special
Feature
Martin Glassett, European Account Director at SimVenture,
spent 2 days working alongside 11 other experts at a forum
based in Turin earlier this year. The group’s task was to
de?ne the criteria for resources that could then be used for
training entrepreneurs.
“We were delighted to be invited onto this expert forum”
said Martin. “The rapid international growth of SimVenture
is having a marked impact on the way entrepreneurship is
being taught in Universities, Colleges and Schools globally.
Whilst SimVenture has developed a proven track record as a
powerful and ?exible learning resource, the recognition from
bodies such as the ETF is always very heartening.”
The forum comprised experts from the private, public and
NGO training sectors. Individuals from Armenia,
Egypt, France, Germany, Sweden, Lebanon, Finland, UK,
Jordan, Serbia and Italy all attended and expertise was
drawn from three key ?elds including: Training for youth
start-ups; Women’s entrepreneurship; and Skills for
internationalisation of small businesses.
Promoting good practice
“A signi?cant amount of our work involves promoting good
practice exchange between our partner countries as well
as between the European Union and our partner regions,”
said Anthony Gribben, who leads the entrepreneurship and
enterprise skills portfolio at ETF.
“But we are increasingly aware that what is good, best or
even excellent practice is often subjectively de?ned. This
can lead to deep disappointment and frustration particularly
when you have spent scarce time and money in borrowing
on the practice only to ?nd that it does not work,” he added.
By holding the invitation event over the two days in Turin,
each of the participants had an opportunity to present their
resource and then have it carefully scrutinised by other
delegates as well as by staff representing ETF.
Onto Brussels
The forum outcomes are currently being used to help create
an ‘ETF toolkit’
The toolkit is being designed to improve good practice
identi?cation as well as dissemination of information. In
November this year, organisations present in Turin will
reconvene in Brussels and be given the opportunity to
present their work to the EU.
“This meeting will involve people from all 31 partner
countries” said Martin Glassett. “There’s no doubt in my
mind that this will be an excellent platform for SimVenture.”
www.simventure.co.uk
The European Training Foundation
(ETF) recently selected SimVenture
as part of a project to de?ne the
criteria for promoting good practice in
entrepreneurship training across the
continent.
SimVenture Spearheads
Entrepreneurship in
Martin Glassett in Turin
A booming economy has
created a huge demand for
business and entrepreneurship
teaching and training in India, but
poor access to quality resources
and ties with traditional teaching
practices means the adoption
of products like SimVenture is
taking time.
New Delhi based Rahul Jain
works with the SimVenture
Team in India. He spends much
of his time running workshops, seminars and competitions as well
as promoting the business simulation to teachers and lecturers. His
work focuses on people using the software, rather than just hearing
about it.
Rahul adds: “Students really like business simulations because
the experience of using them provides a distinct advantage.
Simulations help them to understand the subject material quicker
and in more depth. Ultimately, this means they are more likely to
gain meaningful employment.”
As a direct result of Rahul’s work, support for SimVenture is
growing throughout India. Teachers and lecturers within leading
education organisations such as the Entrepreneurship Development
Institute (EDI) are switching onto the software. The team hopes
that many of the top Business Schools will be using the simulation
within the next 12 months.
Rahul Jain
Telekom Indonesia delegates discover SimVenture
Telkom Indonesia is taking a serious look at
SimVenture as a resource to help develop
the business acumen and decision making
skills among its management staff.
This giant telecoms company, whose HQ is
in Bandung, employs nearly 20,000 people
and supports an estimated 129.8 million
customers.
The company has been seeking a suitable
business simulation for some time.
Within weeks of ?nding SimVenture, the training arm within the
company decided to purchase the software as well as training
services so that a train-the-trainer course could be run at their
Bandung Learning Centre in early June 2012.
Project coordinator and trainer, Ngiam Tee Woh (pictured), said:
“All the trainers really liked the software as it met their training
needs. They will run a pilot programme with their managers in mid
July 2012 and if all goes well, SimVenture could become a key
managerial training resource within the organisation.”
Into Indonesia
Indian Take-Up
Translations
SimVenture, which is available in
English and Spanish, has recently
been translated into Romanian by
Bogdan Sima and Florin Dumitru,
both of whom work at ‘Softbyte’
in Ploiesti.
Demand for the business simulation
in Eastern Europe is continually
on the increase as training
organisations seek opportunities to
use SimVenture to develop business
and entrepreneurial skills.
Latest
Translations
5
Working alongside the SimVenture team,
the University Business School created a
range of simulation scenarios to challenge
150 postgraduate course students. The
aim of the work was to get students to
think more deeply and be more engaged in
key business management issues.
Entrepreneurship Development Of?cer at
the University, Corina Edwards, said, “We
chose SimVenture for the MSc course
because it has successfully been used
for a number of years with over 1,000
undergraduates ranging from Business
and Economics to Engineering, Arts and
Humanities studies.
“Using SimVenture, we were aware
that we could create more challenging
uses of the software for postgraduate
students. By doing this we would enhance
their employability skills and provide
an opportunity for them to apply their
business knowledge.”
Bespoke Scenarios
Learning & Teaching Director at
SimVenture, Paul Brough Jones, created
the bespoke scenarios to match speci?c
course objectives. Training sessions were
then run so that staff had the skills to be
able to use the software with students.
Paul Brough Jones added: “Universities
use SimVenture in a variety of ways to
facilitate learning, support teaching or as
a way of contributing to the assessment
process. Normally, this work is done
over several sessions within a course or
module.
“At Swansea we were seeking to present a
highly complex challenge in the context of
a single scenario to give the students the
opportunity to demonstrate real depth of
learning in a single submission.”
Assessment
Working in groups, students were required
to complete an independent SimVenture
task that re?ected their subject specialism.
Following the simulation work, each
postgraduate then had to write their own
12,000 word submission (which included
business reports, forecasts and re?ective
journals) ahead of course completion in
September.
Whilst this new approach to the MSc
course has presented a challenge
in terms of planning, there is a clear
acknowledgement that SimVenture
provides the opportunity for students
to demonstrate their understanding of
business theories. Tutors who received
training from Paul Brough Jones stressed
the value and importance of individuals
being able to apply their knowledge,
theories and research in order to address
real business problems.
“Additionally,” adds Corina Edwards, “Each
individual has explored and applied their
problem solving and decision making skills.
They have also had a lot of fun along the
way and have been quite competitive!”
For more information about the MSc
course, contact Corina Edwards at
Swansea University.
[email protected]
Forward
thinking
in Swansea
Students taking their MSc in Business Management at
Swansea University are enhancing their studies with a
groundbreaking approach to postgraduate assessment.
Teaching
& Learning
S i m V e n t u r e C h a l l e n g e
Paul Brough Jones
www.simventure.co.uk
Open to schools, sixth forms and further
education colleges in Yorkshire, Umph!
involves teams of four students (aged
16- 19) taking part in a SimVenture
competition at the Galpharm Stadium
in Hudders?eld. The winners receive
the prestigious Umph! trophy and each
member of the team takes home their
very own iPad.
Organised and led by Grant Thornton,
Umph! is now in its second year and
in 2012 attracted a record entry of 23
schools and colleges from throughout
Yorkshire.
“So many teams did so well” said event
organiser Jo Parr. “The teams from
Franklin College (2nd) and Brooksbank
School (3rd) ran Rossett High School
very close and I know the judges had to
check their notes very carefully before
announcing the winner.”
Prestigious speakers
In the morning before the
competition got underway,
students and teachers
were able to network
and hear from a range of
entrepreneurs and business
specialists and learn from
their experience. This year
ten speakers, who gave freely
of their time, included: Gary
Verity (Chairman of Welcome
to Yorkshire) up-and-coming
local entrepreneur Jacob Hill and Rob
McWilliam, the Finance Director at Asda
Wal-mart UK.
Grant Thornton deserves huge praise
for their hard work, imagination and
ability to attract sponsorship. A range
of sponsors including: Kirklees Council;
The Galpharm Stadium; Fantastic
Media; the University of Hudders?eld;
and Dickinson Dees all contributed
invaluable time and/or money. As a
result schools, sixth forms and colleges
were able to enter Umph! 2012 and
have a great day, all for free.
Fifteen teams have already signed up
for Umph! 2013. If you want to be at the
Galpharm Stadium and be part of this
growing success story, visit the website:
www.umph.uk.com
On July 3rd this year, the
team from Harrogate-
based Rossett High
School was crowned
Umph! Champions 2012.
Yorkshire
Umph!
Students tackle SimVenture
The winning team -
Rossett High School
When Peter Harrington was invited in
June to speak to teachers at a Dundee
event (hosted by ‘Scotland’s Colleges’)
entitled ‘The Festival of Dangerous
Ideas: the Enterprising Mindset’, he
was keen to share his concerns about
risk aversion and blame culture.
Peter said, “I wanted to highlight the
view that life is a magni?cent game of
chance. If we truly want to encourage
students and budding entrepreneurs
to make the most of the opportunities
they face, and thus contribute to the
economy, we have to let them take
risks, experience failure and learn from
success as well as mistakes.
“This necessarily means that teachers
and institutions need to be innovative
and take calculated risks too, rather
than being hamstrung by restrictive
cultures, mountains of paperwork and
often outdated practices.
“Too much safety and satisfaction
within comfort zones is a dangerous
thing” Peter concluded. “We have
to do all we can to properly prepare
people for the real world so that they
are equipped with the right skills and
attitudes to make the most of their lives
and help take society forward.”
The real
Danger
of Safety
How many of us hold
the view that the UK’s
risk averse and growing
blame culture does
little to encourage
entrepreneurship and
enterprise development in
education?
7
Customers
What Customers say
Below are testimonials received from people
who use SimVenture to teach entrepreneurship,
enterprise and/or Business Studies. For more
testimonials, visit the website
www.simventure.co.uk
What users say
We are always keen to get feedback from
students. The following quotes provide an
insight into the difference SimVenture is
making to them:
If the best way to learn something is by doing it,
then SimVenture is the perfect 21st-century tool
to learn how to run a business, without actually
running a business. SimVenture is one of the most
impressive, outstanding and highly-innovative
applications I’ve seen on the market today.
SimVenture is an amazing piece of software that has
completely revolutionalised learning about business!
My friends and I have learnt so much from this
simple and easy to use software whilst having so
much fun.
This is something that no textbook could ever
offer! I would highly recommend it to all university
students studying business, those doing A-Levels,
GCSE studies and anyone who aspires to run their
own business.
SimVenture is a brilliant game. I really appreciate
that the resource has provided me with a great
chance to learn and make my own business work.
I will recommend this software to everyone who
wants to start a business or is a ?nancial/economics
student.
As a Business Enterprise college, we had
been looking for something which would allow
users to experience the reality of business in an
uncomplicated and risk-free environment. This
software can be accessed at a range of levels,
from Year Ten pupils to Masters Degree. It is very
accessible, convenient and realistic.
Phil Warren, Head of Business Studies at Snaith School
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Try before You Buy
You are welcome to try SimVenture ahead of any purchase. To obtain a
demo copy of the software, visit the website www.simventure.co.uk and
click the ‘Free Demo’ button on the front page. Complete the form, submit
your details and a free demo will automatically be provided to you.
For all price details, visit the
website www.simventure.co.uk
Price and ordering details can be accessed easily off the website’s Home
Page. Permanent and Annual prices are all available.
Contact the Team
Venture Simulations Ltd, South Newlands,
Selby Road, York YO19 6QR
Tel: 01757 248168 Fax: 0870 123 6241
Email: [email protected] Web: www.simventure.co.uk
Installing & using SimVenture
SimVenture is Windows-based software that can be installed onto
individual PCs or a central server. We provide a free license server when
multiple licenses are purchased, making SimVenture easy to access and
use on your computer network.
In terms of hardware, the following system is recommended:
1 Ghz Pentium equivalent or better, 400Mb disk space, 512Mb RAM,
1024x768 screen (+ CDROM to install or internet download), sound
(although it can be used without sound), Microsoft Windows 2000, XP
service pack 2, Vista or Windows 7.
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We used SimVenture as part of a competition. The
software was excellent. The students found it very
challenging and really stimulating. It incorporates all
aspects of business and really gets the students to think
and apply all the business knowledge they have gained.
An exciting piece of software which is addictive and
rewarding.
Matt Laws, Lecturer, Dudley College
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Design and print: Print Revolution Ltd 0115 979 0962. Printed on a waterless DI press using
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Inspiring Business Minds
doc_579593632.pdf