Vol. 1, No. 3, Fall 2005
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For the intro to business course, we are offering two new simulations, Business Fundamentals (4 quarters or decision periods) and Intro to Business and Strategy (6 quarters). Both are short, inexpensive exercises designed to illustrate business principles and stimulate interest in a business career. Both can be played against the computer (recommended for large classes) or against classmates. We have also created two new games that take strategic planning to a new high. Most simulations assume that if you give students a complex business world to manage, they will somehow develop their strategic planning skills. We are challenging that assumption and have built into the software a strategic planning template that guides students through the process of strategic analysis, planning, and control. The new strategy template is built into Strategy and Business Policy (an enhancement on Venture Strategy) and Advanced Strategic Corporate Management (an enhancement to Strategic Corporate Management). The former is targeted at the capstone undergraduate course in business and the latter is designed for an integrative course at the MBA and EMBA level. If you want to explicitly develop your students’ strategic planning skills, try one of these simulations. Our most ambitious effort has been to create a supply chain component within the Marketplace business environment. We now offer two new simulations that allow teams to outsource production to other teams who choose to become third-party suppliers in the market. Our International Corporate Management with Outsourcing game is arguably the most sophisticated business simulation available. Not only do students have to deal with multiple channels of distribution, human resource issues, lean manufacturing options, and international trade issues, they also have the ability to develop sophisticated supply chains with the other teams in the exercise. If you are looking for new challenges for your best students, this is the game to try. It is especially attractive if you want a simulation that can maintain its momentum beyond 8 quarters of play. Finally, we have broken the mold on the typical Marketplace scenario. Teams are no longer a complete vertical ladder to the market, but instead, become but one step on a staircase. Reflecting the current business trend of greater specialization, the new Supply Chain Management game has students choose a core competency on either the supply side or demand side of the equation. Some teams will take the first step and be suppliers while others will choose the second step and become distributors. Each is dependent upon the other to reach the top of the market ladder. The Supply Chain Management game is ideal for advanced supply chain, logistics and channels courses. It encompasses the fundamentals of marketing, distribution, finance, human resources and accounting but with a heavy emphasis on operations, supply chain development and channel negotiations. It is a 6-quarter game which makes it suitable for the second half of a semester-long course.
Marketplace Community Newsletter, issued quarterly. www.marketplace-simulation.com |
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