Education and demonstration – Business or economics
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-21
2002-04-23
Ackun, Jr., Jacob K. (Department: 3712)
Education and demonstration
Business or economics
C273S297000, C273S292000, C434S128000, C434S129000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06375466
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to teaching methods, and more specifically to a method for teaching economics or business practices involving a “virtual enterprise,, simulation (pictorial and/or live). Persons involved take the roles of various “stakeholders,” i.e., corporate managers, clients, shareholders, contractors, etc., during training sessions. The records of transactions taking place during the course of a training session may be kept on specially formatted sheets, on an electronic version thereof, or by means of a computer program, to provide essentially instantaneous information relating to the progress of the simulated business during a teaching session. The present invention may be extended to include a method or means of performing business and other transactions as well.
2. Description of the Related Art
Economics, management and accounting are generally considered to be relatively complex fields of science, with a full understanding generally being considered to be achieved only by means of an advanced curriculum in a college or university, and perhaps with further practical experience. The methods for teaching such subjects are generally relegated to the classroom and by conventional textbooks and the like. Such methods conventionally used, generally fail to show clearly the economic effects of each transaction on those involved in a business or economic relationship.
Yet, it will be seen that every business transaction affects the economic status of each “stakeholder” in an enterprise of any sort; conventional teaching and accounting methods do not show these relationships, and result in a relatively complex picture of the enterprise, its balance sheet, and its profit and loss statement. Traditional financial or economic games (e.g., Monopoly, ™) do not provide a complete picture of the various effects of business or economic transactions in the real world. Such games are competitive in themselves and involve winning and losing players, rather than being directed to the teaching of business and/or economic theory and practice, as accomplished by the present inventive method.
Traditional teaching methods of the closely interrelated disciplines of economics, management, and accounting, continue to be relatively abstract and are not easily and fully understood by students in those fields. The use of computer technology for the purpose of more rapid comprehension of these theories and practices, has not been fully developed at present. As a result of the generally prevailing segmentation of knowledge in these fields, a person may spend years of study unnecessarily. Further, the present state of the art in the domain of economics and social sciences may be such that, unless it changes, will never provide a common knowledge base required by people everywhere to upgrade their life standards. Present systems result in people being unnecessarily dependent upon government and specialized professional assistance in these fields.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a method for teaching and simulating economic and/or business processes, which places responsible parties in realistic roles during the training session. A table of transactions and a series of transaction cards are provided, each describing a business or economic scenario of some sort. The results of each transaction are manually recorded on transaction sheets, or may alternatively be recorded electronically or by means of a computer program developed for the present teaching system. In the present teaching system, every transaction affects the economic status of each of the “stakeholders” involved, and this is instantaneously shown in all pertinent accounts and financial statements of the enterprise.
The present non-competitive game of enterprise economics is a teaching method that uses both common human intelligence and computer technology to promote social and economic well being far beyond any historic precedence. This method may also demystify the concept of science itself, in that it provides an almost instant understanding of economic phenomena and related organizational and sociological imperatives to work, earn, produce, consume, and invest in the future.
This teaching method may well reduce years of study, to only days of study generally needed to fully understand the economic process at all levels of society, i.e., family, enterprise, community, state, and beyond. The present method and system thus fill a historic gap in human science to provide improvements in well being for all mankind, and thus contribute significantly to a generalized and globalized human progress and thereby strengthen the prospects of lasting peace on our planet.
The present method and system is not applicable only to the teaching of economics and related fields, but may also be applied to business and economic transactions themselves, as will be seen in a review of the following disclosure. Use of the present system in business and other transactions results in a simplification of the processes involved and a clearer understanding of all of the elements of a given transaction as well.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,827 issued on Apr. 24, 1979 to David A. J. Barnett, titled “Economic Board Game,” describes a game in which players are randomly selected and use chance means (dice, etc.) to determine the course of each play. The game is played upon a single playing board, which shows various tables of values for a plurality of business opportunities which are selected depending upon the outcome of the play. Cards are used to indicate the general economic status of a given business during play. The present method differs in that (1) it is not a simple game, but more than that, it is an overall business practice teaching method; (2) each participant in the present teaching system acts in a different role (e.g., materials manager, shareholder, etc.) for a single economic enterprise, rather than each player acting as CEO of a different business; (3) there is no competitive aspect to the present system, but rather a teaching of the flow or interaction of transactions between participants; and (4) a separate sheet or page (hard copy, computer, etc.) is used for each transaction in the present teaching system, rather than using a single game board for the entire session.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,313 issued on Sep. 15, 1981 to Robert P. Delamontagne, titled “Management Teaching Game Apparatus And Method,” describes a board game in which two players are required to answer questions during play, and are rewarded with simulated money for correct answers. Advance during play is determined by chance. The game is competitive, with the player collecting the largest sum of simulated money, being the winner. In contrast, the present economics, management and accounting teaching method is played by a team of participants (ideally sixteen to twenty two persons). The present economics and business teaching method is not competitive, with all participants acting or serving in roles as stakeholders in a single corporation or enterprise. While the transaction cards of the present teaching system may be drawn randomly, they are precoded and listed in logical sequence for better understanding of actual business practices. The transactions are specifically spelled out and clearly indicated, with no requirement for additional responses from participants. Each transaction is logged separately in the present teaching system, with participants thus developing a clear concept of the factors involved in each transaction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,457 issued on Jun. 5, 1984 to Sabah Atieh et al., titled “Financial Board Game, ” describes a board game simulating the trading of stock in a corporation. While a stock or dividend transaction is a part of the present teaching method, the present method does not rely upon such, but rather is directed primarily to various in
Ackun Jr. Jacob K.
Lithan Richard C.
Miller Bena B.
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