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We sat down with Ramesh Fatania, a seasoned user of MEGA Simulation games and a highly accomplished strategy coach and freelance consultant.
Ramesh has been using our simulations, Competitive Challenge Simulation and Human Capital Simulation in his training courses for years. He employs experiential education to support the success of businesses and people.
In our conversation, Ramesh discusses his thoughts on using simulations, his personal experiences, his advice, and how he brings theory to life with MEGA Learning. This is what he had to say.
Q: Ramesh, can you tell us about yourself?
I bring vast corporate experience from my 25-year career with British Petroleum (BP).
Since then, I’ve changed course and have been working as a freelance consultant for the past 10 to 12 years. Part of my expertise lies in leadership development, where I design and deliver programmes on strategy, M&A (post-merger integration), and leadership.
Additional Insights
Ramesh worked for British Petroleum in a variety of roles, including corporate strategy and planning, mergers and acquisitions, executive office, marketing, manufacturing, supply chain, and ERP systems. His skills and experience know no bounds.
According to Management Centre Europe, a corporate client with whom he advises, the key strengths that make him a successful consultant are his ability to establish the big picture, develop effective strategies and drive execution through organization-wide change programs.
Q: What is your relationship with MEGA Learning?I met Meta Learning through one of my clients, Management Centre Europe. It’s been a lasting partnership. It has helped me successfully deliver some training programs. For example, the Competitive Challenge (now Strategy Simulation) has been a core part of my mini MBA since 2017. I also use The Human Resource Challenge (Human Capital Simulation) for a custom program for Amgen.
These programs are co-delivered with MEGA Learning’s Managing Director, Benoit Calicis.
My programmes intertwine with MEGA Learning and their diverse simulations. So, my relationship with them is positive and valuable.
Competitive Challenge Simulation Overview
The Competitive Challenge is an instructor-led, game-based learning experience. In it, players must gain a competitive edge to achieve market leadership. They must apply sharp strategic thinking and quick decision-making in a high-pressure environment. This is key to growing their company and staying ahead of their competition.
Groups must manage a portfolio of four products. Each product has unique customer needs, cost sensitivities, and growth potential.
Human Capital Challenge Simulation Overview
The Human Resources simulation, now the Human Capital Simulation, teaches players why developing human capital is vital for business success.
During each round of play, simulation users must align running a business and meeting their objectives while keeping their staff engaged and motivated.
Q: Can you tell us more about your participants?
Our simulation training is designed for a spectrum of audiences. These may range from in-company programmes to high-potential individuals and public courses. Our mini MBA caters for participants from around the world.
My client, MCE, is the top EMEA learning solutions provider. Geographically, it focuses on Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. So, most of the participants hail from these regions.
In addition to being geographically diverse, the teams are also multi-functional. They include members from different departments with various talents and skills. They come from marketing, sales, production, HR, and more.
Gameplay logistics
Players can participate from anywhere using our simulations, with options for in-person, online or hybrid.
With Ramesh coaching globally, MEGA Simulation can accommodate his diverse, global participants. Also, our simulations can be used by students and professionals across different fields, from universities to corporations.
The Human Capital Challenge, for example, suits post-graduates in HR and mid to senior-level executives. Meanwhile, our Strategy Simulation for corporate training suits all employees - junior managers, department heads and new hires.
Q: Why do you integrate business simulations into your courses?
MEGA Simulation business simulations connect participants to leadership elements. They're a powerful tool for developing self-awareness and other personality strengths.
We encourage candidates to reflect by asking themselves: "What am I good at or not good at?" throughout the game. This can help players grow and learn as they advance into the simulation and beyond.
The game may also affect how players approach strategy. There's something I like to call the "spray or prey" tactic when forming a strategy. In the game, players may either formulate a new strategy daily or stick with an existing plan and adjust as they gather new information.
The simulations provide a key environment where students can apply their existing knowledge while learning new things, effectively bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Moreover, with simulations, players gain plenty of effective strategy experience and get to use tools like the McKinsey Method in a realistic business setting.
Q: Why do you prefer MEGA Learning’s Simulation?
The diversity and range of the simulations and their offerings are truly impressive.
Take the Competitive Challenge (Strategy Simulation), which primarily emphasises ‘business decisions’, whereas Human Capital focuses on making commercial decisions and contemplating how they might impact people. In other words, it's all about balancing business with human behaviour.
I also like MEGA Learning simulations because they’re easy to use and feel more balanced and realistic. The interface, with its display of spreadsheets, pages, and colour, is visually pleasing and user-friendly. It’s great that the results are immediate.
Another strength of MEGA Learning is its ability to connect strategy to finance. This creates a more comprehensive, game-based learning experience. Many brands may focus on strategy and ignore the financial side - which is fine but doesn’t provide the full picture.
MEGA Learning simulations might be more complex, but they provide enhanced learning and the ability to connect concepts to the real world.
Versatile experiences with MEGA Learning
Our strategy, marketing, finance, human capital, and hospital management simulations provide great versatility for educational and workplace settings.
As Ramesh noted, our simulations offer enhanced experiential learning. Rather than absorbing knowledge from textbooks, players will learn by doing, immersing themselves in business environments that bring theory to life. This hands-on approach prepares them for real-world challenges.
Q: What is the feedback you receive from the participants of the business simulations?
We often get comments on how business simulations offer transformational learning experiences. “It’s tough, hard, but I learned a lot” is common feedback.
In one particular challenge I ran with Amgen Biotech Company, one participant - the head of R&D (research and development) - approached me and said, “ I’m completely out of my depth, but the learning curve is immense”.
After the game, he contacted me again, telling me that he’d learned a lot, been exposed to new business practices, and was prepared to change his perspective when he got back to his job.
Steep learning curves: complimenting education and broadening concepts
All of us at MEGA Learning agree that, no matter the quality of your theory, experiential learning through simulations is the most effective, hands-on approach to teach people about real-world situations and introduce them to new ways of learning and thinking.
Q: Do you have any funny stories about the business simulations?
Occasionally, people make silly mistakes that highlight the game's light and brighter moments.
When I was last in Barcelona, one of the teams came up with a crazy answer that made no sense. As it turns out, they had the numbers wrong because they had input the data into the wrong field.
Everyone laughed at the blunder and its relatability - this could be something you'd do while using Excel at work. So, while it was amusing, it also served as a learning opportunity to stay diligent.
Other funny times might occur when people are afraid to take risks - borrowing money, for example. Once they overcame their fears, it might have been already too late. You must laugh because these are the game’s lighter moments, reminding yourself that if you take things too seriously, you risk missing out.
Fun, laughter and mistakes with MEGA Learning Simulations
With MEGA Learning gamification elements integrated into their simulation, participants are guaranteed entertaining learning journeys, often in unexpected ways.
Ramesh emphasises that participants can laugh about their mistakes and, perhaps more importantly, learn from them. Though they'll engage in a realistic environment, their actions are risk-free and bear no real consequences.
Q: What would be your tips for future participants?
There’s lots to learn, and you’ll learn at two levels.
One level focuses on running a complex business. But even more importantly, you learn about yourself and your leadership style on the second level.
To fully benefit, approach the game with an open mind, and focus on building your self-awareness by asking yourself questions like:
What are my strengths?
What are my weaknesses?
How do I work in teams?
Do I lead the team?
What kind of decisions don’t I like making? …. And so forth
You might not experience this level of self-reflection and learning daily, but it becomes apparent throughout the simulation.
While the games are fun, and include engaging teamwork, a much deeper learning level occurs with the right mindset. More than about running a business, you learn about yourself.
Interested to learn more about the MEGA Learning Simulations we offer?
Get a first-hand account of player experiences.
Read what Anshul Rathod - an international student at the ESCP Business School Paris, had to say about MEGA Learning's Marketing Simulation.
Or explore our many games. Besides The Marketing Simulation, build your finance skills with The Finance Simulation or any of our other business simulations.
