MIT Sloan Simulation on Sustainability

Posted by: Geoff Gloeckler on October 19, 2011

The MIT Sloan School of Management recently released a new interactive simulation tool designed to help students learn about sustainability issues. This management simulator, called Fishbanks, has participants leading the fishing industry. Charged with the goals of successfully competing against others, making a living in a tough industry, and limiting the total catch to sustain the fishery for the future, students have to be careful not to wipe out the fish, according to a press release.

Designed by Sloan Professor John Sterman and free to educators and potential users, Fishbanks is meant to help students address sustainability in a hands-on way while also managing common pool resources. The simulation, which was based on a board game created by former Sloan professor and alumnus Dennis Meadows, has distinct benefits, Sterman says in the release.

“Management flight simulators such as Fishbanks bring an experiential aspect to learning about complex systems,” Sterman says. “They have more impact than simply listening to a lecture or engaging in a case study discussion.”

In fact, MIT Sloan Teaching Innovation Resources (MSTIR) offers other management simulators, including one dealing with commodity pricing and another with the solar photovoltaic industry. The school plans to release another on the video game industry soon.

-Francesca Di Meglio