Dr. Marie-Odile Richard, Associate Professor of Marketing at SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly), has co-authored a new study exploring how serious games can enhance business ethics education. The research, published in the Journal of Management Education, examines how socio-technical and cultural factors influence students' ability to learn ethical decision-making skills in immersive gaming environments.

The study, titled “Using Serious Games for Learning Business Ethics: Exploring Its Socio-technical Enablers and Cross-cultural Influences,” is based on a survey of 302 students from two British universities. The findings reveal that both social and technical enablers—such as game design, feedback mechanisms, and cultural background—play a critical role in shaping learners' engagement and perception of serious games as effective educational tools.

By extending socio-technical theory to the realm of serious gaming, Dr. Richard and her co-authors highlight the importance of integrating cultural considerations into game-based learning. The research suggests that cultural factors, including performance orientation and emotional drivers (shame versus guilt cultures), impact how students approach and benefit from ethics-focused gaming experiences.

This study adds to the growing body of research advocating for interactive and experiential learning methods in business education. It also underscores the potential of serious games in bridging the gap between theoretical ethics education and real-world application, offering a compelling alternative to traditional classroom instruction.

Dr. Richard’s work reinforces SUNY Poly’s commitment to advancing innovative educational methodologies and preparing students for ethical leadership in the business world.