Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/57338
PROGRAMS THAT TARGET THE TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ARE SEEING PARTICULARLY LOW NUMBERS OF WOMEN ENROLLING. In the future, Ford anticipates a time when the online interviewing assessment can use sets of questions specific to particular companies. The technology has become an integral part of students' business educa- tions, she believes. It not only allows students to see and practice present- ing themselves on camera, but also delivers the help in a way that is accessible and invites them to utilize that assistance more frequently. "We now have more educated students coming through the door," says Tietjen. "They know what their needs are and they know how to talk about their skills and accomplish- ments, because they've been able to explore their career development on a 24/7 basis." TOOLS OF THE TRADE New Web-Based Games for Business HBSP launches the first in a series of online simulations Harvard Business School Publishing recently released two new online simulations. The Universal Rental Car Pricing and the Everest Leadership and Team simulations are the first two of several new online simulations to be introduced over the next year. The simulations were created in response to requests for more Web- based games that teach core business concepts, says Heide Abelli, director of product development for HSBP's Higher Education Group. Online simulations, in particular, appeal to today's business students who are particularly attuned to technology and eager to tap it for their educations. The Universal Rental Car Pricing simulation, for instance, is designed for use in marketing, strategy, microeconom- ics, and operations management courses. In it, students play the role of a regional marketing manager responsible for pricing a fleet of rental cars in cities across Mission: Attract More Women to IT Most business programs are seeking ways to attract more women to their programs, but programs that target the technology industry are seeing particularly low numbers of women enrolling. A study from the Cana- dian Advanced Technology Alliance Women in Technology (CATA WIT) Forum and the University of Ottawa Telfer School of Management con- cludes that the gender discrepancy in the tech sector may be far worse than many realized. The study, "Gender Challenges for Women in the Canadian Advanced Technology Sector," was authored by Telfer pro- fessors Barbara Orser and Allan Rid- ing, CATA WIT co-founder Joanne Stanley, and undergraduate student Michele Dathan. In a survey, the authors asked CATA WIT members to rank the challenges they faced in their tech- nology careers. More than 60 percent ranked "work-life balance" as their No. 1 challenge; "leadership skills" the state of Florida. It covers core pricing concepts such as consumer response to changes in price, pricing for specific cus- tomer segments and geographic markets, the role of pricing in managing product inventory, and the short-term and long-term impacts of pricing decisions on the business and on overall marketplace demand. The Everest Leadership and Team simulation is designed for courses in organizational behavior, group dynamics, and leadership. Students play one of five roles on a team of hikers attempting to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Team members must cooperate, share information, and exhibit leader- ship for the group to reach its goal. The simulations are designed for undergraduates or MBA students. Students typically take 60 to 90 min- utes to run through a simulation, not including a debriefing session after the game is completed. Forthcoming simulations from HBSP include Benihana Service Management and Strategic Innovation, both to be released this spring. Another, Global Supply Chain Man- agement, is also in the works. For more information, visit simulations.hbsp.harvard.edu. BizEd MARCH/APRIL 2008 65