**4. Methodology**

#### *4.1. Introducing ERP Concepts Using a Simulation Game Approach*

To overcome the difficulties of introducing the ERP concepts to newcomers, the simulation game approach was used as an introduction of the ERP systems course carried out for a master's degree program in an IT-related field. The outline of the ERP system course is presented in Figure 2. The course started with an introductory part, where the experiential learning approach was applied in order to ease the continuation of the course. After the implementation of the simulation game, the course continues with the use of traditional learning approaches, lectures and lab work, and ends with the examination of obtained knowledge.

**Figure 2.** Outline of the ERP systems course.

Since the goal of the ERP systems course is to acquaint IT students with ERP solutions and not to focus on specific business-oriented knowledge, we decided to use the ERPsim Distribution Game as an introductory game. The Distribution Game is the basic ERPsim game, simulating a bottled water distribution company situated in the German market, selling six products in three different regions [37]. Students formed into teams of three or four, wherein the independently divided business roles covered the different business functions and execution of the corresponding transactions using a traditional SAP GUI. As recommended by Léger et al. [37], the business simulation game was played in three successive rounds, where each round simulates 20 days. In the first round, the participants started with the sales process, covering marketing and pricing. The second and third rounds added transactions related to the procurement and planning processes, allowing participants to forecast sales, and perform purchasing transactions together with material requirements planning (MRP). The game outline, together with available transactions within SAP ERP is presented in Figure 3.

**Figure 3.** Outline of the used simulation game, presenting rounds with the available SAP transactions.

To achieve the best possible outcomes, it is advisable to implement the business simulation game according to the recommended steps provided by Léger [25] and Léger et al. [37]. Each round of the Distribution Game consists of several sequential activities, as presented in Figure 4. Brief instructions at the beginning, which allow newcomers to ge<sup>t</sup> to know the basics of the upcoming tasks, are followed by concrete experiences, and active experimentation based on abstract conceptualization. While playing the business simulation game, participants gather the information and experiences by simulating concrete scenarios. The simulation game automates some repetitive tasks, allowing participants to focus on the creative part and business decisions, together with the associated functionality within an ERP solution. After 20 simulated days, where one day is represented by one minute, the game is finished and the business results are disclosed to students. The next activity is a debriefing, where the students rethink and reflect upon their decisions based on their experiences and considering the achieved business results. The debriefing is done in two steps, first, within each group, and, secondly, between participating groups, encouraging communication in order to share the obtained thoughts. The last activity in each round is designing the strategy for the next round, based on previously made reflections. With this, the participants are prepared for the next round, starting again at the beginning of the cycle.

**Figure 4.** Activities within each round of the business simulation game.

The implementation of the experiential learning approach, namely, the business simulation game ERPsim [13], within the EPR system course, started in 2017, and is now running in the third cohort of students. The format and implementation of introductory lectures evolved based on the gathered feedback. In the first year, a three-day introductory workshop was carried out. The students' collected feedback was presented by Heriˇcko et al. [38], and the impact of the introductory workshop on the students' perception on SAP usability was presented by Rajšp et al. [39]. In 2018 and 2019, the introductory simulation game was shortened to one day, and, in 2019, the experiential approach was extended throughout the whole course by using additional ERPsim simulation games, namely the Logistics Game and the Manufacturing Game.
