The larger an organisation, the more difficult it becomes to keep on top of things. And it becomes less personal. The natural behaviour of a person makes sure things are running smoothly in his or her personal environment. Less communication with other areas, however, quickly results in small, isolated groups. The job is safe if you meet your key figures, but work is no longer fun and lacks purpose. People in organisations often have a healthy understanding of processes; however, the structure of an organisation or wrong key figures prevent them from “living” it.

Nowadays organisational development mostly is achieved by key figures and objectives, i.e. by financial criteria. HR staff follow suit with their individual goals, which really puts the final cap on the structure. Thinking in processes, push & pull strategies, supply management and logistics are often given too little attention. Holistic approaches and interaction often are overlooked.

Simulations and management games support the process of taking a closer look and understanding. Decision-makers can use their newly acquired skills to work out a solution together, and then deploy the correct value-drivers and key figures as steering tools. If thought out correctly the company will be guided by a top-down strategy again and progress of the implementation will be measured from bottom to top again. Long-term thinking and actions no longer contradict with short-term profit orientation. It’s all about balance and flexibility, quickly reacting to unforeseen events, and adapting to changed market and customer requirements. If the corset’s too tight, the body will move too sluggish.

Simulations with Apples & Oranges, Decision Base management game.