A game is typically a structured form of leisure, normally undertaken for fun or entertainment, and at times also used as an educational resource. Games are quite different from work, which traditionally are carried out for monetary reward, and from fine art, which are typically an expression of political or aesthetic sentiments. In many ways, games represent the ideals and purposes of all three disciplines: sports, work and art. It should be noted that games are not, in any way, an alternative to education – they are an enhancement, a complement, a development of the curriculum.
Of the most well-known business games, perhaps the best known are those based on accounting, marketing, communication, law enforcement and management. Accounting is certainly one of the more straightforward forms of business simulation, with the ability to manage a company through financial transactions, inventory and so forth. The main article in this section focuses upon the use of accounting simulation as a means of educating people in business. This main article covers the various types of business games involving accounting, marketing, communication and management, as well as their main effects upon the curriculum.
An additional main article provides information on popular strategy games including Colonization and Fall of Rome. The first, Colonization, is well known for its use of player-organized expansion and growth of various settlements throughout the course of the game. The main article examines the role that strategy games can have in improving people’s skills in various aspects of life – especially if the main focus of the game is related to real-life situations. Players can improve their ability to deal with difficult situations by applying sound decision-making techniques to develop their chances of attaining a desired goal.