Transfer of Learning into Action: Serious Gaming in the Business Context
摘要
When organizations strive to address current challenges and future opportunities, they grapple with the undeniable reality that the future is inherently uncertain and discontinuous. The landscape in which organizations operate is in a constant state of flux, necessitating organizational adaptation, no matter how challenging it may be. Adaptation necessitates learning, which stands as the primary competitive advantage for any organization. Effective learning, geared toward adaptability and sustainability, is an experiential and social process encompassing discovery and play. The depth and richness of these experiences stimulate imagination and foster learning. Identifying what works and what does not within a safe environment can be the defining factor between success and failure. Serious gaming has the potential to provide these crucial insights. Whether employed for the transfer of existing knowledge essential for change (education) or the creation of new knowledge required for change (research), serious gaming can unlock substantial value. However, this value is only realized when learning is translated into action. Irrespective of the nature of the learning outcomes (such as gestalt overview, collective intelligence, memories of the future, or commitment to action), change will not materialize unless these insights guide subsequent actions. This article aims to outline the challenges associated with learning for transformational change, the potential value of serious gaming, and the process of designing and implementing serious gaming to effectively transform this value potential into tangible outcomes within a business context. Toward the end, the article will delve into several case studies illustrating how serious gaming has yielded actionable insights into the transformational change processes of organizations, with the associated learning driving tangible actions.