Financial History Simulation

Our Financial History Simulation immerses participants in the pivotal crises and breakthroughs that shaped the modern world, from the South Sea Bubble to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.

Financial History Simulation Overview

This innovative simulation transports participants across centuries of financial evolution. Unlike static case studies, it creates a dynamic, time-pressured environment where teams manage institutions, set policies, and react to unfolding economic shocks based on real historical data and narratives.

Participants will confront the same incomplete information, herd mentality, and systemic fragilities that defined eras like the Great Depression or the Latin American Debt Crisis. By blending historical context with competitive financial decision-making, the simulation creates a profound, visceral understanding of how markets, psychology, and regulation interact. It’s not just about learning history; it’s about living it and understanding the timeless patterns of financial behavior.

Although ideal for undergraduate and graduate finance courses, executive training, and corporate finance skill workshops, the simulation is modular and scalable, allowing instructors to vary complexity.

Financial History Simulation Concepts

Participants work through realistic scenarios, which can be customized to emphasize or exclude specific topics depending on the learning goals. This modular structure allows the simulation to be tailored to any type of session. Key concepts include:

Market Manias and Crashes
Monetary Policy and Central Banking
Financial Innovation and Systemic Risk
Regulatory Response and Arbitrage
Sovereign Debt and Currency Crises
Liquidity vs. Solvency Crises
Moral Hazard
Historical Parallels

Gameflow

What Participants Do

In the simulation, participants will:

Assume roles such as Central Bank Governor, Investment Bank CEO, Regulatory Head, or Sovereign Debt Manager.
Set interest rates, approve mergers, issue new securities, design bailout packages, or impose capital controls.
Interpret period-accurate financial statements, economic indicators, and news flashes.
Form alliances with other teams, negotiate bailout terms, or lobby for regulatory changes.
Balance short-term survival with long-term stability for your institution.
Justify your team’s decisions to a mock historical "oversight committee".

Learning Objectives

By the end of the simulation, participants will be able to:

Identify the root causes and transmission mechanisms of major historical financial crises.
Evaluate the trade-offs and unintended consequences of different policy and regulatory responses.
Articulate how financial innovation can simultaneously drive growth and amplify systemic risk.
Analyze the psychological and behavioral factors (greed, fear, herd behavior) that drive market cycles.
Develop frameworks for crisis management and decision-making under extreme uncertainty.
Draw informed parallels between historical financial events and modern market conditions.

How the Financial History Simulation Works

This simulation can be run individually or in teams in academic or corporate contexts. Each cycle represents a stage of getting through a pressing financial situation.

1. Era Selection and Briefing Teams are assigned a specific historical era and receive background on their roles, objectives, and starting financial positions.

2. Decision Rounds The simulation progresses through chronological "rounds," each representing a key phase or year. Each round, teams analyze new economic data and news, then submit strategic decisions via the simulation platform.

3. Market Resolution The facilitator inputs all team decisions into the simulation engine, which calculates outcomes based on historical economic models and inter-team dynamics. Results are broadcast to all.

4. Crisis Injects Unscripted "crisis events" (like a major default or bank run) are triggered, forcing teams to react in real-time.

** 5. Debrief and Historical Comparison** The facilitator-led debrief is crucial. Teams’ results are compared to the actual historical outcome, sparking discussion on why decisions led to different or similar results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this simulation designed for? It is ideal for university finance and economics programs, MBA students, executive education cohorts, corporate training for finance professionals, and any organization seeking deep insight into risk management and economic cycles.
What prior knowledge do participants need? While helpful, deep historical knowledge is not required. The simulation provides all necessary context. A foundational understanding of core financial concepts (like bonds, equities, and interest rates) is sufficient.
How is this different from a traditional case study? Case studies are static and analyzed post-hoc. This simulation is dynamic, competitive, and forward-looking. Participants make decisions without knowing the outcome, experiencing the pressure, uncertainty, and real-time consequences that historical figures faced.
What historical periods are covered? Modules can cover major events including the Tulip Mania (1637), the South Sea Bubble (1720), the Great Depression (1929), the Latin American Debt Crisis (1980s), the Asian Financial Crisis (1997), and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis or any other.
What technology or setup is required? The simulation is browser-based. Participants need a laptop and internet connection. It can be run in-person in a computer lab or virtually with video conferencing for team breakout rooms and a central briefing plenary.
Can the simulation be customized for our specific curriculum? Yes. We can emphasize specific eras, concepts, or learning objectives to align with your course syllabus, whether it’s focused on macroeconomics, banking, investments, or financial regulation.
How long does the simulation typically last? Core experiences can be condensed into 3-hour workshops. More comprehensive versions, involving multiple crisis eras and deep debriefs, can span 1-2 full days for maximum impact.

Assessment

Assessment of participant performance can be tailored according to the host institution’s objectives (business school, corporate training, assessment centre). Typical assessment criteria include:

Financial stability, profitability, and risk management outcomes relative to their historical objectives.
Quality of the Final Debrief Presentation
Ability to adapt and revise valuations in light of news shocks or changes
Collaboration, division of work, integration of roles, and final coherence
Rating by peers and self-reflection on approach and decisions