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Teaching Strategy with Tabletop Games

Conference Paper · October 2024

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 Corporate Strategy
Teaching Strategy with Tabletop Games

A course design by Roland Berberich, MRes, MSc, Edinburgh Napier University, The Business School
Presented at the ECGBL Conference 2024, Aarhus, Denmark
Table of Contents

Abstract................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Anticipated Benefits ............................................................................................................................................... 3
1. Improved student engagement and attendance .......................................................................................... 3
2. Improved student success .......................................................................................................................... 3
3. Positive effect on student mental health .................................................................................................... 4
4. Increased institutional reputation for innovative learning & teaching ....................................................... 4
Tabletop Games – An Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 5
Mapping of Learning Outcomes ............................................................................................................................. 6
Learning Outcomes............................................................................................................................................. 6
Demonstrate understanding of theory and practice of corporate entities and their competitive environment.6
Facilitate strategic decision making based on ambiguous information in a dynamic environment. ............... 7
Application of models, frameworks and tools to generate and interpret data relevant to the development and
implementation of Strategy............................................................................................................................. 7
Module Design & Syllabus ..................................................................................................................................... 8
Module Specifications ....................................................................................................................................... 8
Delivery Mode ................................................................................................................................................... 8
Description, Purpose and Fit ........................................................................................................................... 8
Learning and Teaching Methods..................................................................................................................... 8
Syllabus .............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Lectures ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
Practice Sessions & Fieldwork..................................................................................................................... 9
References ........................................................................................................................................................... 11
Abstract
Corporate Strategy, or Strategic Management modules are among the more abstract topics
that students tend to struggle with. The underlying concepts, however, could be taught using
tabletop games. As competitive games, they follow universally compulsory rules while
competitors themselves have unique profiles concerning strengths and abilities. This is, in
principle, the same setup as organisations competing in the same marketplace. Thus, using
games as a catalyst, students can subconsciously learn and apply managerial concepts during
gameplay. Removing conventional classroom constraints and material, replacing it with a
seemingly unrelated leisure activity will remove barriers to knowledge acquisition and
consequently improve learning outcomes. Institutions applying innovative ways of teaching
will subsequently see reputational rewards.

Anticipated Benefits
Replacing or supporting traditional courses in Strategic Management, the following non-
exhaustive list of benefits are anticipated:

1. Improved student engagement and attendance

2. Improved student success
3. Positive effect on student mental health
4. Improved institutional reputation for innovative learning & teaching

1. Improved student engagement and attendance

By associating learning outcomes with a leisure activity, students will be inclined more to
attend formal teaching sessions after informal activity sessions. Attendance and engagement
are positively associated with better learning outcomes and higher grades (Büchele, 2021;
Lukkarinen et al., 2016).
2. Improved student success

Improving attendance and engagement as per #1, will not only lead to higher achievements
mentioned there, but in an integrated program, performance should equally improve.
Innovative delivery of a core component will allow students to better associate and
synchronize their learning into other components of their program.

3. Positive effect on student mental health

Mental health problems continue to increase (Abrams, 2022; Jafari et al., 2010; NUS, 2020;
Pandey, 2022). Tabletop games are known to have a positive effect on mental health
(Burman, 2021; Burns, 2022). Harnessing these effects and using gaming as a vehicle to
improve learning outcomes creates positive association with learning and will further
improve #1 and #2.

4. Increased institutional reputation for innovative learning & teaching

Utilizing innovative learning & teaching methods and demonstrating positive impact will
increase institutional reputation, thus attracting more and better learners as well as
facilitators.
Tabletop Games – An Introduction
Tabletop games are strategy games played with miniatures of different factions, using game
and faction specific rules. In every game two or more players compete to achieve specific
objectives while denying their opponent achieving theirs.

Factions are split into units with different profiles and capabilities that, in aggregate,
determine your ability to compete with another player.

Due to the uniqueness of units specifically and factions in general, no combination of player-
faction-unit will be the same, similar to that the unique ability portfolio of CEO-company-
employee(s).

Games can be set in different contexts and occasions such as Fantasy, Historical or Science
Fiction and encompass multiple forms of combat, as defined by the rules of the game and
faction. For gamers the most popular settings and games are Warhammer 40,000 (SciFi),
Flames of War (World War II) and Age of Sigmar (Fantasy). In the interest of intercultural
realities of the classroom, it is highly advised to utilise neutral fantasy and scifi settings
instead of historicals.

Tabletop games not only facilitate the understanding of strategic concepts and synergies, but
the social aspects of the game promotes collaboration as well as blue ocean thinking, which
in turn enable the gamers to subconsciously learn academic content by successfully
competing in the game.

To further the understanding of tabletop in relation to strategic management, the following

section will map the learning outcomes of a typical strategic management module to their
equivalents in tabletop gaming from which the subsequent module design & syllabus are
derived.
Mapping of Learning Outcomes

Dear Reader,

From here forward you would find the Learning Outcomes, Syllabus and all the materials you need to
develop and run an instance of this module with its unique teaching approach.

If you are interested in developing a customised version for your own ins tu on, please contact me.

All enquiries are treated with strict confiden ality and agreements are based on interna onal
standards regarding outsourcing educa onal development.

Kind Regards

Roland Berberich

Thestreamingteacher@proton.me

Skype: roland.berberich
 References

Abrams, Z. (2022). Student mental health is in crisis. Campuses are rethinking their
approach. Https://Www.Apa.Org, 53(7), 60pp.
Büchele, S. (2021). Evaluating the link between attendance and performance in higher
education: The role of classroom engagement dimensions. Assessment & Evaluation
in Higher Education, 46(1), 132–150.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2020.1754330
Burman, H. (2021, August 22). Tabletop gaming: The therapy of fighting with miniature
dragons. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-
57996237
Burns, K. (2022, October 22). How Therapists Are Using Tabletop Games to Help People.
Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/therapists-dungeons-dragons-tabletop-games-
helping-people/
Clegg, S. R., Pitelis, C., & Schweitzer, J. (2023). Strategy: Theory and practice (4th Edition).
SAGE.
Jafari, E., Dehshiri, G. R., Eskandari, H., Najafi, M., Heshmati, R., & Hoseinifar, J. (2010).
Spiritual well-being and mental health in university students. Procedia - Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 5, 1477–1481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.311
Lukkarinen, A., Koivukangas, P., & Seppälä, T. (2016). Relationship between Class
Attendance and Student Performance. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences,
228, 341–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.051
NUS. (2020, December 9). Over half of students’ mental health is worse than before the
pandemic [National Union of Students]. https://www.nus.org.uk/articles/over-half-of-
students-mental-health-is-worse-than-before-the-pandemic
Pandey, M. (2022, June 29). Mental health negatively affecting almost 50% of UK students
in survey. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-61968952

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