If the intent is to use the game for management and leadership training and evaluation…
Player vs. player (PVP) video game content is a primary factor in the appeal of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG). Although computer generated sequences have a lot to offer, there seems to be nothing quite like blowing up someone who actually gets upset about it. A computer hardly ever curses at you for your excellent playing ability and, even if it does, it would be difficult to take it seriously--depending on whether your use of the video game is casual or as an important training tool. If the intent is to use the game for management and leadership training and evaluation, then the player vs. player content is probably not the strongest feature of the game.
One thing that has continuously come up in discussions regarding video gaming and its use in training or evaluating management is the balance between PVP content in the video game and player or group vs. computer generated situations. At first glance, the competitive nature of PVP would seem to be a natural reflection of real life management situations.
Historical situations like President Nixon and the Watergate scandal not withstanding…
Historical situations like President Nixon and the Watergate scandal not withstanding, of course, rarely are companies encouraged to break into the headquarters of a competitor in an effort to slash the competitor to ribbons with a sword, cast evil spells on them, or otherwise cause bodily harm. The analogy taken to the video game is not perfect in any case, but many people consider competition to be a fundamental part of business and leadership.
There are certainly plenty of readily available examples of business competition in everything from the Coke and Pepsi Wars to Donald Trump and his pitting of opposing factions in “The Apprentice”. Competition is a common occurrence stemming from more than one company thinking that they have a better solution to offer their customers. In some ways, competition validates a market. If it was such a good idea, wouldn’t other companies want to pursue it as well?
Although none of the MMORPG game creators are currently touting their games as incredible management and leadership training tools (though they should), it could hardly be a valid representation of true business situations if there were no competition among the players. Besting an opponent, however, is not the goal of business, only a side effect. As any first level marketing class will teach that the goal of business is to find a need a potential customer has and fill that need. Pricing is simply quantifying the severity of the need, and the customers’ ability and willingness to pay.
Truly successful companies don’t see any competition in the beginning stages of their development of a target market
One of the best strategy books that I have read is called “Blue Ocean Strategies” by W. Chan Kim. What made this book unusual was the perspective that competition in some ways represents a failure to define a unique market. Truly successful companies don’t see any competition in the beginning stages of their development of a target market.
In “Blue Ocean Strategies”, there are many examples of creating a market that didn’t exist. One example is the marketing strategy for [Yellowtail] wines. The Australian company did research to determine the primary reason that non-wine drinkers didn’t drink wine. Seeing that it wasn’t really a taste issue but rather an issue with the culture surrounding the wine industry, [Yellowtail] developed a solution to the problem, met a customer need, and created an entire market that didn’t exist. Rather than competing and taking market share, they created new markets (Blue Oceans).
One of my favorite examples of Blue Ocean Strategies is the use of a disk drive. Normally one associates a disk drive with a computer, hardly convenient to strap around your neck and go jogging. Although the technology has been around for many years now, an ingenious idea was to remove the disk drive from the computer, attach a battery, small screen, minimal software, and an amplifier and create the market that now is known as, iPod, IVideo, iPhone, and “iJustaboutanything”. This market didn’t even exist before this idea surfaced.
… the majority of jobs which will exist in 2030 don’t even exist today…
A common statistic quoted today is that the majority of jobs which will exist in 2030 don’t even exist today, and most of the jobs being performed today weren’t even there in 1950. True business success can be seen more through cooperation in creating new ideas than in competition taking market share.
So, let’s get back to the point. Video game content for the purpose of management and leadership training needs to be balanced between cooperation and competition. Although both have their places, competition should be a result, whereas cooperation should be a goal. World of Warcraft by Blizzard Entertainment has a great deal of focus on the competition, PVP side of gaming. They certainly have computer generated situations which encourage cooperation, but the primary appeal of the game still seems to be PVP.
I have just started exploring Vanguard…
There are other options available for training using MMORPG, such as the line Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) has created over the years. SOE has developed the Everquest and Everquest 2 series as well as a new venture into MMORPG called Vanguard. Both Everquest and Everquest2 are balanced more towards cooperation than competition since there has been very little support for PVP in the past.
I have just started exploring Vanguard and I am hoping to find a good balance between the two gaming styles. Although there is a lot to be said for breaking into the competitors stronghold and casting a high damage “nuke” spell on the whole gang, there is also a rewarding feeling from getting together with about 60 of your closest friends to plan, scheme, and do in that computer generated “mob”.
As I get more information on Vanguard, I will try to evaluate its potential as a management training tool. Of course, I expect to have a good bit of fun in the process of the “evaluation”. It’s a tough job. I have to spend hours on the computer talking with friends, laughing, planning, ultimately carrying out our well honed strategies, celebrating our victory, or commiserating in our defeat. Sometimes, the sessions go late into the night, but it is so important, I could hardly leave the work to someone else.
