Seattle, WA – September 5, 2005 – Academic institutions across the country are presenting classes on emerging market, rapidly developing economy countries. Their goal is to prepare students to facilitate the searches Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) are conducting for their next billion customers. Published reports from numerous sources all point to a dramatically shrinking market in developed countries. MNCs are beginning to focus on emerging market, rapidly developing economy countries as one solution, and students need to understand this perspective

To equip students, as well as school employees, for doing business in these countries, schools must prepare them to understand how business is done in these markets. With dramatically different lifestyles and business practices, corporations understand that accomplishing this task is crucial to achieving success in these new markets. Only as students understand this will they be prepared to make a contribution.

Schools will spend a high number of classroom hours students can benefit from an understanding of life as residents of these countries live it. An exiting training game entitled Footsteps is designed for this same purpose. Footsteps will engage players in life in Brazil, Russin, India, and China by letting them experience the daily joys, struggles, andn opportunities residents experience in life and in making a living.

Footsteps was created by MindWare Inc., known for developing creative training solutions to corporate training needs. The two top MindWare executives have a combined 50 plus years of experience working to develop training events and materials.

According to Mr. William Higgins, MindWare founder, “The question I am often asked is, ‘How can we train people without boring them to death with facts and figures?’ “ Footsteps does just that. Players will experience life as a poor maid in Brazil, a middle-class farmer in India, a rich businessman in China, a poor street vendor in Russia, or numerous other roles in each of these countries.” Footsteps is an adventure game of walking in another’s shoes.

Footsteps^Ó will help schools raise student awareness and be better prepared to understand, partner with, develop and market products that these populations need and will benefit from.

“The game is fun, insightful, and teaches a lot about what life is like in these rapidly developing economy countries. It is not always fair, but it is realistic,” says Mr. Higgins.

Country sets available at the present time include Brazil, Russia, India and China. Events and situations portrayed are not fictitious, but come directly from documented news sources and in-country experience. A discussion guide, set of resources, and other materials is included with each game set for facilitators to help players discuss and learn from their experience.

Practicality is a hallmark of the consultative work of MindWare. Their goal is to make people more productive, effective and efficient. Footsteps will contribute to the schools’ goal of preparing students to engage in successful business endeavors in emerging market countries.