OR/MS games: 1. A neglected educational resource

Games offer OR/MS lecturers and students important educational resources. However, for various reasons the OR/MS literature in general – and introductory textbooks in particular – scarcely make use of this treasure. In this discussion we suggest that it is time to reconsider this position and regard games as a valuable source for developing educationally rich material for OR/MS courses. Hopefully this will initiate a constructive discussion on this topic that will eventually facilitate the identification and development of good OR/MS educational resources and stimulate the development of new exciting ways to make OR/MS tools more accessible to students and the public at large.