The present research aims to verify how teaching methodologies based on games and simulations promote the training of soft skills of project managers. Specifically, through a review of the literature, the types of soft skills that project managers can acquire if they follow training courses based on simulations and games are identified. The methodological approach we have adopted is quantitative and marked by two phases. In the first phase, we identify the topics consistent with the objective of the survey, with the help of the Scopus database, for the period from 1999 to 2024. In the second phase, we analyze, firstly, the content of the articles consistent with reference to teaching methodologies based on games and simulations for the training of project managers and, secondly, we try to identify what types of soft skills they develop. As regards the main descriptive data of the first phase, two main elements emerge. First of all, with reference to the overall figure of publications found on the subject (n = 298) for each year, it emerges that starting from the period 2015 there is an increasing increase in publications and in 2023 there are as many as n = 66 publications. Secondly, most of the documents found are present in the area of Social Sciences (n=122), Business, Management and Accounting (n=99). With reference to the second phase, it emerges that many methods based on simulations and business games allow project managers to acquire specific soft skills such as leadership, communication skills, teamwork, to be able to develop the decision-making process and to be able to solve problems. This article has theoretical implications, as it aims to fill the gap in the current literature on simulations and games to encourage the study of soft skills in project management. In addition, it has important implications from a practical point of view, as it allows HR managers to plan training courses characterized by simulations and games that include the development of soft and hard skills in an integrated way.
Training project managers through games and simulations: a literature review
Gentile T. A. R.;
2026
Abstract
The present research aims to verify how teaching methodologies based on games and simulations promote the training of soft skills of project managers. Specifically, through a review of the literature, the types of soft skills that project managers can acquire if they follow training courses based on simulations and games are identified. The methodological approach we have adopted is quantitative and marked by two phases. In the first phase, we identify the topics consistent with the objective of the survey, with the help of the Scopus database, for the period from 1999 to 2024. In the second phase, we analyze, firstly, the content of the articles consistent with reference to teaching methodologies based on games and simulations for the training of project managers and, secondly, we try to identify what types of soft skills they develop. As regards the main descriptive data of the first phase, two main elements emerge. First of all, with reference to the overall figure of publications found on the subject (n = 298) for each year, it emerges that starting from the period 2015 there is an increasing increase in publications and in 2023 there are as many as n = 66 publications. Secondly, most of the documents found are present in the area of Social Sciences (n=122), Business, Management and Accounting (n=99). With reference to the second phase, it emerges that many methods based on simulations and business games allow project managers to acquire specific soft skills such as leadership, communication skills, teamwork, to be able to develop the decision-making process and to be able to solve problems. This article has theoretical implications, as it aims to fill the gap in the current literature on simulations and games to encourage the study of soft skills in project management. In addition, it has important implications from a practical point of view, as it allows HR managers to plan training courses characterized by simulations and games that include the development of soft and hard skills in an integrated way.
Pubblicazioni consigliate
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
