Learning through Play: A Serious Game as a Tool to Support Circular Economy Education and Business Model Innovation

Saskia Manshoven and Jeroen Gillabel
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Saskia Manshoven: Unit Sustainable Materials Management, Flemish Institute for Technological Research, VITO NV, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium
Jeroen Gillabel: Unit Sustainable Materials Management, Flemish Institute for Technological Research, VITO NV, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 23, 1-25

Abstract: Despite the increasing attention on circular economy at the policy level, the implementation of circular business models in companies is still limited. Many companies are put off by the apparent complexity to translate the general concepts of a circular economy into their business practice. This paper presents the development and testing of a simulation board game that aimed to address this gap between theory and business practice. The board game, Risk&RACE, was developed with the purpose of enabling students and business executives to experiment with circular economy business models. The gameplay was tested with 120 users, and cognitive learning outcomes as well as learning dynamics were assessed using a survey. The results of the game workshops demonstrated that the game advanced the participants’ awareness of the need for a circular economy, their understanding of basic circular economy principles, and their insight in opportunities and challenges of circular business models at the company level. When reflecting on the game as a learning tool, players highlighted its engaging and realistic nature and praised how it stimulated strategic thinking. Complementing the gameplay with a debriefing discussion afterwards encouraged players to reflect upon their newly gained insights, deepening their learning experience.

Keywords: circular economy; business model; serious game; entrepreneurship; education; game-based learning; simulation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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