Vital Roux, Forgotten Forerunner of Modern Business Games. (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Touzet, Léo; Corbeil, Pierre
• Is Part Of: Simulation & gaming. Volume 46:Number 1(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 19
• Page End: 39
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: business games history -- business games success -- forerunner -- France -- opérations de commerce simulées (simulated business operations) -- precursor -- social environment of business games -- Vital Roux; Social sciences -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Simulation methods -- Periodicals; Game theory -- Periodicals; Sciences sociales -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; Simulation, Méthodes de -- Périodiques; Jeu de rôle -- Périodiques; Éducation; Jeu d'entreprise; Jeu de simulation; Méthode de simulation; Sciences sociales; Théorie des jeux; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 003.3
• DOI: 10.1177/1046878115594321
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1046-8781

Abstract

Aim. This article presents thepioneering work of Vital Roux, a French businessman and author who proposed, in the1800s, a teaching method to train business people which closely resembles theexperiential method central totoday's business games . Background. This presentation indirectly discusses the fundamental issue ofbusiness games' success as an educational innovation. We recall briefly thatthe roots of business games aredistant, multiple, and far-ranging. Method. Thepedagogy advocated by Vital Roux is revealed andinnovative aspects of his educational system are noted and discussed.Roux's obscurity is underlined, and a plausibleexplanation for the relative failure of his project is proposed. A social and historicalhypothesis is then suggestedto explain the success which business games have won in theUnited States a century and a half later. Conclusion. Roux's key thoughts are summarized, suggesting he can appear as aforgotten forerunner ofmodern business games .