• Ref. Code: WS08

  • Chair: Fabio Nonino, Luca Fraccascia, Mirko Giagnorio

  • Duration: 3h

  • Organization: Sapienza University of Rome

The workshop immerses participants in a virtual clothing company, challenging them to reevaluate traditional business models and achieve a sustainable balance between economic viability, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. Through dynamic business game simulations, participants gain practical experience, navigating real-world challenges and refining their decision making acumen. The workshop aims to foster an understanding of sustainable business principles and their practical application in the fashion industry. Participants are encouraged to integrate the triple bottom line framework into their decision-making processes.

In response to the growing significance of sustainability in contemporary business, this workshop offers a pioneering platform for both experts and students in the field of management education. The workshop immerses participants in a virtual clothing company, challenging them to reevaluate traditional business models and achieve a sustainable balance between economic viability, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. Through dynamic business game simulations, participants gain practical experience, navigating real-world challenges and refining their decision-making acumen. The overarching objectives are multifaceted. Firstly, the workshop aims to foster an understanding of sustainable business principles and their practical application in the fashion industry. Participants are encouraged to integrate the triple bottom line framework into their decision-making processes. Critical thinking takes center stage as participants engage with dynamic scenarios, dealing with both the general setting of the business and the transition towards sustainable production. The competition is based on performance metrics aimed at evaluating efficiency and effectiveness of participants’ choices across three distinct dimensions: Economic Value, Environmental Value, and Social Value.
A post-competition session is scheduled as a forum for participants to articulate the rationale behind their strategies, share insights gained from the simulation, and reflect on the challenges encountered. Through this collective reflection, the impact of the workshop is extended beyond the experimental game, creating a space for ongoing dialogue and refinement of sustainable business strategies. Finally, each participant will be encouraged to complete an evaluation form for the business game, also in order to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and innovative ideas that can enhance the overall framework.

Educators, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of management education, sustainability, and game-based learning may be directly interested in developing similar teaching activities. Professionals, experts, and managers from various industries are also welcomed. But also students, which bring fresh perspectives. No specific prior experience in sustainable business management is required, as the workshop is structured to provide foundational knowledge and practical skills. However, a basic understanding of business concepts will be needed for active participation. The intentional mix of scholars, experienced professionals, and students ensures a rich exchange of perspectives, fostering a holistic learning experience that transcends traditional boundaries.

Brief agenda
I. Welcome and introduction (10 minutes)
II. Introduction to the business game platform (10 minutes)
III. Setting the foundation and knowledge quiz (15 minutes)
IV. First simulation round (Round 0: Introducing sustainable clothing line) (20 minutes)
V. Initial assessment of the competition (overview of participants’ initial strategies) (15 minutes)
VI. Second simulation round (Eight rounds mimicking business semesters) (90 minutes)
VII. Debriefing sessions and closing remarks (20 minutes)”

Fabio Nonino
Fabio Nonino is Full Professor of Business and Project Management (Engineering Management Scientific Sector) at the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering “Antonio Ruberti” (DIAG) of Sapienza University of Rome.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Italian Association of Management Engineering. From 2014 to 2020 he was President of the Monitoring Committee of the Faculty of Information Engineering, Informatics and Statistics at Sapienza University. Since 2021 he has been a member of the Sapienza Technical-Scientific Committee on Sustainability.
He is Director of Advanced Training Course in Project, Portfolio and Program Management and Agile Project Management organized by Sapienza also in collaboration with the Project Management Institute. He has numerous experiences as a scientific coordinator and member of scientific committees of Academic and Executive Masters. He is a member of the Faculty of the CUOA Business School and the Higher Police School. He has collaborated with various public institutions and companies, including Epasa-Itaco, General Command of the Harbor Offices, the Ministry of Agricultural, Food, Forestry and Tourism Policies, ItalFerr, Aprilia Piaggio Group, Febal, Finmeccanica, illycaffè, Permasteelisa Group, Italian post.
He was principal investigator of the Sapienza operational unit within the European Collective projects of FP7 and PMBoG (Erasmus+) and participated as a researcher (investigator) in numerous European and national research projects financed by public and private.
He is a founding member of an academic spin-off active since 2008 in the management training market using business games. Since 2011 he has been a member of the operational nucleus of the Committee for the development of Scientific and Technological Culture established by the Ministry of Education, University and Research.
He carries out his research activity in the field of Management Engineering, focusing on areas such as Operations and Service Management, Innovation and Project Management and Organizational Behavior and Development. He is the author of over 140 publications, mainly internationally distributed, of the books “Additive Manufacturing – Enhancing Business Value” (Springer) and “The Road to Servitization – How Product Service Systems Can Disrupt Companies’ Business Models” (Springer) and of the book “La Il Sole 24 Ore Guide to Project Management”.

Luca Fraccascia
Luca Fraccascia is a Senior Assistant Professor at Sapienza University of Rome and guest researcher at University of Twente (The Netherlands). In 2019, he received the Italian scientific qualification as Associate Professor from the Ministry of Education, University, and Research. His main research interests concern circular economy, industrial symbiosis, business models, agent-based models, and economic complexity.
Luca holds a PhD in Mechanical and Management Engineering at Politecnico di Bari (Italy). He has published in leading international journals such as Ecological Economics, International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Production Research, Applied Energy, Business Strategy and the Environment. He is Editor of Resources, Conservation and Recycling Advances and acts as guest editor, editorial board member, and referee for several international scientific journals.

Mirko Giagnorio
Mirko Giagnorio is Assistant Professor of Management Engineering at Sapienza University of Rome – Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering “Antonio Ruberti” (DIAG). He obtained his PhD at the same university, defending a thesis entitled “The ecological r-evolution of public transport: a strategic and economic analysis with policy recommendations”, which was awarded for the Best Doctoral Thesis Award 2023 by the Italian Society of Transport Economics and Logistics (SIET).
His main research topics include transport cost-benefit analysis, appraisal and sustainability, transport policy and pricing, transport electrification and zero-emission buses. He is interested in public services with a focus on the economic, environmental and social sustainability of network industries. Research results have been presented annually in national and international conferences, and published in international journals such as Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment.
He has worked in several research projects funded by grants from firms and institutions such as, among others, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructures, ANAV-National Association for Road Transport and Travelers, ISFORT-Research and Education Transport Institute, Lazio Region, and Metropolitan City of Rome. He spent months of visiting research periods at Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI-Stockholm) in 2022 and at Cornell Tech (New York City) in 2023.
He teaches Economics and Management of Public Administrations (Master’s Degree in Management Engineering) and Business Economics and Organization (Bachelor’s degree in Management Engineering) at Sapienza University of Rome.

This workshop is organized by the team conducting the project “Learning for Empowering Green Society” (LEGS), as part of the Rome Technopole initiative, which has received funding from the European Union Next-GenerationEU (CUP B83C22002820006). The project team is located at the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering “Antonio Ruberti” (DIAG) – Sapienza University of Rome.

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To ensure an engaging and interactive environment, we aim to limit the workshop to a moderate-sized group. A target range of approximately 20 participants is anticipated, allowing for effective facilitation, meaningful discussions, and personalized engagement. The registration form for the workshop is available on the website of the event (website link: https://sites.google.com/uniroma1.it/legs/workshop-bg-comp , registration form link: https://forms.gle/vcUQaodw159j6A6H9)