What is Pillars?

The Pillars Series is a series of interactive, real-time business simulators that will dramatically increase your students' excitement for your class. They will love to learn in this environment! The biggest difference between Pillars and other simulations is that the world keeps turning. There are no decision "uploads/downloads". There are no spreadsheets to type numbers into. There are no multiple regression models that the players have to figure out. There is simply a virtual world that is constantly spinning and markets that are constantly changing. It is a fast-paced, fun environment that your students will truly love!

The Pillars Series of simulators is designed for the following undergraduate classes:

• Introduction to Business
• Introduction to Management
• Organizational Behavior

Why did we create it?

Experiential learning is by far the most effective choice. That is why "simulations" have become so popular. However, what kind of experience do students get when they are simply interacting with a fancy spreadsheet, figuring out how to beat the formulas in the multiple regression model? That is what separates a "simulator" from a "simulation". Pillars is a simulator. There are no once-a-year decisions that students type in, then sit around for a "year", get the results, and type in more decisions. The world is constantly turning, decisions have to be made all the time, and there is the real pressure of real competition! We created Pillars in order to provide the experience that simulations are really meant to give.

How does it work?

Students download the software from our site, sign in, and play. The virtual world is "turned" by our computers whenever you want it to. The game administrator (faculty or other person that sets up a game) can set up a schedule of when the virtual world should be turned "on". This is an automatic process. Teams will sign into their software at the scheduled time and find the world turning, meaning the game is turned "on" and they can make decisions whenever they want to. At the end of the last scheduled session, you can end the game and the final company values will be published.

What skill sets will it develop?

By creating a realistic, highly competitive business environment, Pillars helps students develop, evaluate, and value:

• Market Intelligence
• Setting objectives
• Planning steps to achieve goals
• Scheduling work
• Budgeting and financial controls
• Organization structure
• Selection and Staffing
• Performance evaluation
• Alternative decision models
• Designing MIS tools
• Making mid-course corrections
• Servant leadership
• Managing personal stress
• Individual accountability
• Teamwork
• Managing Time

What hardware, software do I need to use Pillars?

To set up a game, you will simply need to access our web site. No other software is required to set up a game. To play a game, the Pillars software will need to be downloaded from our site. You can find it on our downloads page. Any Windows computer with Internet access should be capable of playing Pillars.

Do I have to do a lot of preparation?

You can easily learn the game yourself by playing Pillars Solo. This will show you how the game works, help you learn some strategy, and allow you to prepare for any questions your students/trainees might have.

Managing the game itself is quite easy. It is a simple 4-step process to run your own game of Pillars:

1. Sign up for a free account.
2. Create a new game
   • Name your game so you can identify it easily.
   • Tell us the number of students/trainees playing the game (can be changed later).
3. We will then give you a unique Game Code which you can give to your students/trainees so they will sign up for the right game.
4. After creating a game, set the game schedule (optional) - the game will run automatically once you set the schedule

College preparation

While this game is designed for college courses, it can be used very effectively at the high school level as well. There are special prices and free offers available for high schools. Contact sales@dunatos.net for more information.

University classes

The Pillars Series is specifically designed for these university classes:

• Introduction to Business
• Introduction to Management
• Organizational Behavior

If you are faculty looking for more information about Pillars, visit our specific faculty page which is designed to answer your specific questions.

Corporate

Pilars can be used effectively in corporate training programs to promote and develop teamwork.

Whether you are an in-house or an independent trainer, Pillars will take your training sessions to the next level. People will truly enjoy training with a Dunatos Simulator. You ratings will soar as the simulator creates a "buzz" around the office.

Contact sales@dunatos.net for a price estimate.