In less than one minute, see how your people would benefit from the experiential learning of a business acumen simulation.
Trusted by some of the world's largest companies
Business acumen simulations that turn managers into business leaders
Teams run a company, make real decisions, and see the results in real timeWhat clients say
Running a business acumen and strategy simulation is one of the best decisions we ever made, and one of the most praised learning experiences we've offered.
Traci BatsonGlobal Learning Consultant, Sales, Kerry Group
The simulation enabled us to assess and develop each group's business and financial acumen in a highly engaging, competitive and fun way. People enjoyed the simulation so much.
James OngOrganisation Development Officer, Jollibee Foods Corporation
Why business acumen matters
- 65.6%of the variation in business performance explained by financial literacy
- 36%of corporate directors fully understand their company's financial position
The challenge: acumen is what separates a manager from a leader
Most people are promoted for being good at their job, not for understanding how the whole business makes money. That gap shows up in slow decisions, weak commercial judgement, and strategies that do not survive contact with a balance sheet.
Closing that gap is what business acumen training is for. The question is whether it changes how people decide, or just tells them what the words mean.
Figures above: Usama and Yusoff, 2019; McKinsey Global Survey of corporate directors, 2011
See a business simulation in action
What is a business acumen simulation?
A business acumen simulation is a hands-on form of business acumen training in which teams run a simulated company, make strategic and financial decisions, and see the impact on its performance.
In a typical simulation:
- Teams set strategy, price products, manage costs, and invest for growth
- Results appear in a live profit and loss statement and key performance indicators
- Time moves faster than in real life, so the consequences of each decision show up quickly
- A facilitator connects every decision back to how your own business makes money
The result is business acumen people can use the following week, not just a glossary of financial terms.
The business acumen skills our simulations develop
Every simulation is built around the same core competencies. Which ones we emphasise depends on who is taking part and what you want them to do differently.
Financial literacy
Reading a profit and loss statement, understanding margin, contribution, and break-even, and telling fixed costs from variable ones
Strategic thinking
Reading a market, choosing where to compete, and aligning pricing and investment with a clear strategy
Commercial decision-making
Making pricing, budget, and investment calls under pressure, with the numbers in front of you
Customer and market awareness
Understanding what customers value and how competitors respond to your moves
Cross-functional understanding
Seeing how sales, operations, finance, and people decisions affect each other
Judgement under pressure
Weighing trade-offs when the right answer is not obvious, and learning from the consequences
Matched to seniority
The same simulation can be pitched at very different levels.
- New starters and early-career managers focus on the numbers: how profit is made and what drives it, running rival businesses in live markets
- Middle managers focus on trade-offs between teams, and between short-term and long-term results for the business
- Senior leaders focus on strategy, investment, and leading the business through uncertainty
Built around your world
Every business makes money differently, so we tailor our simulations to our clients' needs.
- Product, service, or hybrid business models
- B2B or B2C markets
- Your sector, your customers, and your terminology
Business acumen simulation vs traditional business acumen training
Think back to your last training day. How much of it stuck?
Most business acumen training explains how a business works. A simulation lets people run one, making real decisions under pressure with psychological safety built in, so the learning lasts.
- Practical: real financial statements and KPIs, not slides
- Immersive: a challenging experience people remember
- Collaborative: teams debate decisions and learn from each other
- Facilitated: in person or virtually, and debriefed against your business
Business acumen training compared: classroom, e‑learning or simulation
| Feature | Classroom | E-learning | Simulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explains key financial terms and concepts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Delivered in person or virtually | Yes | No | Yes |
| Applies the numbers to real business cases | Yes | No | Yes |
| Make decisions and see their effect on a live profit and loss statement | No | No | Yes |
| An immersive, interactive experience | No | No | Yes |
| Weigh commercial trade-offs under pressure, as a team | No | No | Yes |
| Peer learning on how each part of the business makes money | No | No | Yes |
| Debriefed against your own business | No | No | Yes |
| No pre-reading or coursework needed | No | No | Yes |
| Done in a day or two, not spread over weeks | No | No | Yes |
| Self-paced | No | Yes | No |
| Lasting learning that shows up in everyday commercial decisions | No | No | Yes |
Our signature business acumen simulations
Five simulations, five very different businesses to run. We also build tailor-made simulations around your own business.
Compete
One market, rival teams, and only one way to win it.
Setting: rival businesses competing for customers in one shared market
Consortium
Collaborate with your competitors, or lose the contract.
Setting: competing businesses forming a consortium to deliver a joint pilot project
Dilemma
No right answers. Only consequences.
Setting: rival national restaurant chains facing tough calls on innovation, ethics, people, and technology
Acumen
The whole business is yours. So is every result.
Setting: the leadership team of a global streaming company
Acuity
Four years, three regions, one company to steer.
Setting: the leadership team of a global B2B company
Start building your leaders' business acumen
Tell us who you want to develop and what you want them to do differently, and we will suggest the right simulation.
Thanks, we're on it.
Frequently asked questions
Who are business acumen simulations for?
They are designed for new managers, high-potential talent, and senior leadership teams who need to make commercially sound decisions. We pitch each simulation at the right level for the group, and have developed more than 15,000 leaders over 20 years.
How long does a business acumen simulation take?
It depends on the depth you need. Formats range from a short workshop to a half day, a full day, or a multi-day programme.
Can a business acumen simulation be run virtually or in person?
Both. Every simulation runs live, in person or virtually for remote and global teams, on any phone, tablet, or laptop through our real-time collaborative platform. Sessions are facilitated by our team or by your in-house facilitators.
How many people can take part in a business acumen simulation?
Group sizes range from a single team up to large-scale conferences. Participants play in small teams, with more teams added as the group grows, so the format scales to your headcount. Tell us how many people you have and we will set it up to suit.
What is the best business acumen training programme for managers?
For managers, the most effective business acumen programme is one where they run a business rather than sit through theory. Participants make real strategic and financial decisions under pressure and review them in a facilitated debrief, so the learning transfers back to the job. We match the simulation, depth, and format to your managers' level and goals, and tailor it to your business.
How is a business acumen simulation different from a business acumen course?
A course explains how a business works; a simulation has your people run one. Rather than lectures or slides, participants make real strategic and financial decisions under pressure, live with the consequences, and review them in a facilitated debrief, which is what makes the learning last and transfer back to work.
What will participants be able to do differently after a business acumen simulation?
Outcomes are tailored to the audience, so not everyone takes away the same things. Most participants leave with a clearer sense of how their everyday decisions affect the financial performance of the business, and a broader, enterprise-wide view of how it all fits together. Depending on the group, that might mean reading a profit and loss statement with more confidence, or weighing strategic trade-offs across functions.
Can a business acumen simulation be tailored to our business or sector?
Yes. Every simulation can be tailored to your sector, your business model, and the capabilities you want to build, from adjusting the scenario and terminology to designing a fully bespoke simulation around your business.
Is commercial acumen training the same as business acumen training?
Broadly, yes. Commercial acumen is the term more often used in the UK, and both describe understanding how a business makes money and making decisions that improve its performance. Our simulations develop both, with the balance between financial, strategic, and customer-facing skills set to suit your people.
How much does a business acumen simulation cost?
Pricing depends on how you choose to run the simulation, so there is no single figure. The main factors are the format, whether it is facilitated by our team or by your in-house facilitators through Train the Trainer certification, and which simulation you choose. Tell us what you have in mind and we will build a quote around it.