HOW TO MITIGATE THE RISKS OF MANAGING ONLINE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS BY TRAINING WITH SIMBOUND SIMULATION GAME

• Main Authors: Louis Doru Havriliuc, Alexandru Capatina, Marius Geru
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dunarea de Jos University of Galati 2013-12-01
• Series: Risk in Contemporary Economy
• Subjects: online advertising; simulation-based learning; search engine marketing; risk management
• Online Access: http://www.rce.feaa.ugal.ro/images/stories/RCE2013/papers/Havriliuc_Capatina_Geru.pdf

This paper aims to describe how a digital marketing simulation system improve the knowledge and skills of students, as well as their status as members of a virtual community, which gradually evolve from novice to expert in managing online advertising campaigns. The body of the article encompasses three contributions: the know-how of the Simbound Game author, the practical experiences of an instructor, who coordinated students’ activities during three courses and of a Master student – the leader of a team which got the first position after the completion of a game. The advantages of managing no-risk online advertising campaigns are revealed and the students are able to understand how various online marketing tools become useful while a firm expands its operations in e-commerce and must fulfill new tasks and responsibilities. The paper concludes with the practical implications of the Simbound simulation-based learning and the ideas included in the future research agenda.