Simulation Games as a Research Method for Studying Strategic Decision Making: The Case of MARKSTRAT

Strategic management theorists face a dilemma in choosing methods for studying strategy formulation and strategic decision making. The choice of a research method involves inherent trade-offs of generalizability, control, and realism. This paper explores the methodological implications of using simulation games as a research setting. The trade-offs of this methodology are discussed in the context of a particular simulation game, the MARKSTRAT marketing strategy game.