Students’ creativity and ideation in supply chain management (SCM) 4.0 Pedagogy: Computer simulation versus Lego Serious play

This paper investigates the comparative effectiveness of traditional computer-based simulation and LEGO Serious Play (LSP) in enhancing students' ideation and creativity in Supply Chain Management (SCM) 4.0 education. An empirical study was conducted with 53 students across two academic terms, utilizing both methods in projects focused on digital SCM 4.0 design. The Runco Ideational Behavior Scale (RIBS) was adapted to evaluate ideation outcomes, and both quantitative and qualitative analyses were applied. Findings indicate that LSP significantly outperformed computer-based simulation in developing creative problem-solving skills, while both methods showed similar results in fostering collaborative innovation. This is the first study to directly compare the impact of these two pedagogical tools on creativity in SCM 4.0 education, offering novel insights for educators. Despite the limitation of a specific student sample, the results provide valuable implications for integrating LSP into SCM curricula and lay the foundation for further research across broader educational settings.