Elementary, My Dear Watson It's an air-tight case: Staging business-related mystery events proves positive!

There was no mystery about Michael Gordon's motives forgathering Angelo Gordon & Co.'s employees together. The NewYork City investment firm's co-owner and COO wanted to give his40 employees an evening of socializing, relationship-building andfun. The time and date were set. The place: a New York Cityrestaurant. Which left only one question--who done it?

Five years ago, Gordon, now 54, held a corporate mystery event.Over dinner, his employees were challenged to solve a make-believemurder staged by hired actors as part of an exercise inteam-building, problem-solving and icebreaking. "It was verygood," reports Gordon. "Everyone got involved, and it wasa fun, relaxing night."

It turns out plenty of other corporate types have been sleuthingin the name of management. Companies such as Dell Computer, SamsungSemiconductor and Hershey Chocolate are just a few of thename-brand firms that have hired one of the burgeoning number oftheatrical companies that mix mystery with business goals. And theidea works just as well for entrepreneurial firms.