Business games and competitions

What works?

This paper published by the Careers & Enterprise Company considers the effectiveness of enterprise competitions and business games as forms of enterprise education. It contains guidance for schools on the design and implementation of enterprise and business games and suggests that such competitions and games present a viable and stimulating way for students to gain experience of enterprise and business.

The research was encouraged by previous research from C&EC which highlighted these types of competitions and games as promising, and by the wider research base showing the benefits to gamified learning.

The paper highlights the different types of games and competitions available, with as school work tasks, where students take on job roles or tasks within the school, or mini-enterprises, where students may establish a company, design a product and more.

Overall, the paper highlights these competitions and games' ability to enhance five domains, which are:

• cognitive abilities;

• employability skills;

• personal effectiveness;

• knowledge; and

• career readiness.