Modes of simulation practice: approaches to business and military simulation

Although simulation is performed in a wide range of disciplines there has been almost no debate about the practice of simulation across these domains of application. This paper concentrates on two domains of practice, business and military simulation, and identifies three modes of practice: simulation as software engineering, simulation as a process of organisational change and simulation as facilitation. The facets of each of these modes of practice are described, and the predominant usage of the modes in business and the military are identified. The implications for simulation software suppliers, practitioners, researchers, educators and users are discussed.