Abstract
The main objective of this chapter is to illustrate a current example of a practical experience of gamification by studying a case of application of an escape room to the subject of organisation design, in university studies, specifically the 2nd year of the degree in business administration and management. It will highlight the use of an innovative tool for teaching and learning through an escape room applied to the subject of internationalisation of companies. It will be shown how it is possible to practice gamification within the area of business organisation. With this objective, an escape room will be presented, called “International Development of Nude Project.” This game has been designed so that participants know how to apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable the understanding of new theories of selection of the most appropriate and effective structure and form for an organisation, taking into account its internal characteristics and the elements of the general and specific environment.
TopIntroduction
Serious games according to (Gee, 2011) have been constructed to enhance and facilitate learning in a particular subject area. According to (Brown et al., 2019)) “Game-based learning is a type of training that uses game elements to teach specific skills or knowledge according to set objectives to achieve a specific learning outcome, building on core content, and making the teaching-learning process fun and motivating.
Within these games, we have decided to use educational Escape Rooms because we consider them to be a variety of gaming in which adventure predominates, as we have thought that due to the age of adolescence in which our students find themselves, this profile can awaken their interest more. In addition, the Escape Rooms are more innovative in this area of knowledge. We can define an escape room as a game in which a group of people meet in a room to solve challenges or enigmas in a limited time using clues found in the place where it takes place and their knowledge and skills (Nicholson, 2015). It also encourages teamwork, which, bearing in mind that it will be applied to a subject of business administration, is a skill that should be acquired.
An escape room applied to the subject of Organisation Design will be carried out. According to (Daft, 2011) Organisations adapt to and influence a rapidly changing environment. Through their activities, organisations create value for their owners, customers, and employees.
Economic, technological, and competitive forces have combined to drive companies from a domestic to a global focus. The importance of the global environment for today's organisations is reflected in the changing global economy. Managers must consciously adopt a strategy for global development and growth. Organisations enter foreign markets in a variety of ways and follow various trajectories. They start on the international stage, where they take exports seriously and begin to think multidomestically. Subsequently, it decides to conduct international competition, compared to other companies in the industry. At this point, an international development division replaces the export department, and specialists are hired to handle sales, service, and warehousing abroad. All these stages are part of a process of globalisation of the company of which we intend to make an escape room in class, taking advantage of the connection with the subject and with the mindset of the students of the Spanish brand Nude Project by street wear, founded by two university marketing students with whom they can identify because of their dissemination on social networks and their relationship with musical artists. This brand has recently announced its intention to go international in the press, news that we have discussed and analysed in class. In addition, interest in the founders was reinforced before the escape room took place, when one of the founders came to give a lecture at the Business School.
Although the students are immersed in the subject matter of the game due to the previous situation, when it comes to escape rooms in the classroom, it must be taken into account that the success of the game depends not only on internal factors directly related to the players, such as skill, knowledge, communication, and cooperation skills, level of motivation for the subject, perspective on the subject, and personal tastes, but also on factors external to the students. In relation to these external factors, we must consider the difficulty of the game, a regularised system of rewards and punishments, the didactic objectives designed, the importance of the previous knowledge on which the game is based, the duration, the use of elements to create an environment related to the theme of the game and even the application of digital tools (Borrás-Gené et al., 2022).
The escape room is designed to take place in a continuous session of two hours or more in the usual place of the University where classes are held e.g., in the classroom and its adjoining space. Depending on the number of students, the teacher who will be the game master will be able to manage alone or will need some help. In addition, to carry out the didactic objectives of the game, it would be convenient to have elements or accessories that will be displayed in the room and will serve as decoration and ambience, making the experience more creative.
Of course, all the necessary material for the design of the tests and challenges will also have to be prepared in advance, and they will provide the didactic material through games, following recommendations by (Armie & Membrivez, 2022).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Globalisation: Globalisation is a process involving the increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of markets, firms, and cultures around the world. In the business context, globalisation refers to the expansion of a company's business operations internationally. This may involve selling products or services in foreign markets, investing in foreign operations, or acquiring companies in other countries. Globalisation often brings challenges and opportunities related to managing cultural diversity, adapting to different market conditions, and competing in a global environment ( Robbins & Coulter, 2018 ).
Standardisation: It refers to the imposition of common rules, procedures, and standards across the organisation to achieve consistency and uniformity in operations and processes. These norms and standards aim to ensure that activities are carried out in a predictable and consistent manner in different parts of the organisation. Daft points out that standardisation can simplify coordination and improve quality in certain situations, but it can also limit adaptability and innovation ( Daft, 2011 ).
Differentiation: This term refers to the degree to which an organisation divides its tasks and activities into distinct subunits or departments. Differentiation involves the creation of specialisations within the organisation to handle specific functions. The greater the differentiation, the more departments or specialised units exist in the organisation. Daft suggests that differentiation can increase efficiency in certain circumstances, but it can also create challenges in terms of coordination and communication between units ( Daft, 2011 ).
Joint Venture: According to Daft, a joint venture is a form of business collaboration in which two or more organisations come together to work together on a specific project or activity. These organisations retain their legal independence and identity, but share resources and risks in the joint venture. Joint ventures are often used to leverage the knowledge, resources, and capabilities of several organisations in pursuit of common goals or to enter new markets together ( Daft, 2011 ).
Transnational Team: A transnational team is a group of individuals working together in a business or professional environment and coming from different countries or geographic regions. This team is designed to address projects, problems, or initiatives that require the collaboration and coordination of people from different cultures and geographic locations. Members of a transnational team can be located in different offices or countries and can work synchronously or asynchronously using communication technology to achieve their goals ( Daft, 2011 ).
Consortium: A consortium is a form of business collaboration in which several organisations, often companies, join together temporarily to carry out a specific project or activity in which each brings complementary resources, expertise, or capabilities. Although participating organisations retain their legal independence and identity, they work together to achieve a common goal. Consortia are common in industries where large or complex projects require a combination of resources and expertise from several companies to succeed. This collaboration can be beneficial to all parties involved by allowing them to share risks and rewards ( Daft, 2011 ).
Internationalisation: Internationalisation is a specific step within the globalisation process of a company. It refers to the expansion of a company's activities abroad, which may include exporting products, opening subsidiaries in other countries, or investing in international operations. Internationalisation is a narrower approach than globalisation as it implies a presence in one or more foreign countries, but not necessarily a global presence. Internationalisation can be a strategy to seek new markets, diversify risks, or take advantage of specific opportunities abroad ( Daft, 2011 ).
Multi-Domestic Strategy: Multidomestic strategy, according to Daft, is a business approach in which an organisation adapts its products, services, and marketing strategies to the local needs and preferences of each market in which it operates. In other words, the company tries to customise its offerings to meet the specific demands of each region or country rather than following a standardised global strategy. This implies greater decentralisation and flexibility in decision making to allow local subsidiaries or business units to respond to local conditions effectively ( Daft, 2011 ).
Economies of Scale: In the context of economics and management, economies of scale refer to the phenomenon where average production costs decrease as a firm produces in larger quantities. In other words, as an organisation increases its scale of production or size, it can produce goods or services at a lower unit cost. This is because fixed costs are spread over a larger number of units produced. Daft points out that taking advantage of economies of scale can be a key strategy for reducing costs and improving operational efficiency ( Daft, 2011 ).