Case Study: Simulation Use in Action – Professor Steven Koch’s Two-Decade Journey with Markstrat

For over twenty years, Professor Steven Koch has used the Markstrat simulation to transform how students learn marketing strategy. As a Senior Professor of Practice at the C.T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston, he has brought Markstrat into MBA, EMBA, and undergraduate Honors courses, as well as international corporate leadership programs.

To Steven, Markstrat is not just a tool for teaching. It is an immersive experience that brings theory to life through competition, collaboration, and reflection.

Why Markstrat Works

Steven continues to rely on Markstrat because it aligns directly with the strategic marketing concepts he teaches. It provides a structured way for students to move from learning theory to applying it in a realistic, high-stakes environment.

He sees its benefits as:

• Reinforcing key concepts like segmentation, positioning, and resource allocation
• Driving student engagement through friendly team competition
• Encouraging active, experiential learning that helps students internalize strategy

How the Simulation Is Integrated

Steven introduces the simulation after the first quarter of the semester. From that point forward, it becomes a central part of the course.

His process includes:

• Assigning students to teams that represent competing companies
• Referring to the simulation during lectures to highlight concepts such as market research and budget allocation
• Requiring each team to develop an initial ingoing plan for their firm
• Concluding with a Postmortem presentation where teams share insights, lessons, and recommendations for a hypothetical incoming management team

This format allows students to build strategic thinking skills over time while grounding their decisions in the concepts taught in class.

Student Engagement and Evaluation

Steven believes you can measure engagement by the energy in the room. If students are joking with each other, debating decisions, and competing with real intensity, the learning is happening.

To evaluate performance, he focuses on:

• 80 percent from the team’s final Postmortem presentation, assessing how well they used strategy, data, and reflection
• 20 percent based on the team's final ranking in stock price index

He advises students to avoid tactical details in their presentations. Instead, he asks them to focus on strategic choices, data-driven adjustments, and future recommendations.

Skills Students Develop

Through the simulation, students learn how to:

• Interpret and apply market research to make strategic decisions
• Adjust communication, product, and sales strategies based on feedback
• Evaluate outcomes and pivot when needed

By the end of the course, students walk away with more than theoretical knowledge. They have experienced what it means to lead a company, navigate market dynamics, and make decisions with real consequences.

Ready to Transform Your Teaching with Simulations?

Whether you teach marketing, strategy, or leadership, Markstrat and our other experiential learning tools can elevate student engagement and outcomes.

Explore how you can integrate a simulation like Markstrat into your curriculum by booking a demo.