An interactive computer simulation which uses a business start-up situation to illustrate how important it is for different functional groups to share information. At the beginning of the exercise each team member is given a different role brief. The information contained in these briefs must then be shared with fellow team members to enable them to submit a comprehensive business plan to a potential financial backer and then, if successful, to run their business profitably. The exercise is designed for groups of 3-6 members with up to six groups competing in each league. The exercise can last for up to eight hours, which can be split into discrete time periods, depending on the objectives set.

OBJECTIVE
The exercise will:

• demonstrate the need for functional areas to share information;
• illustrate the need for an integrated strategy with production and marketing functions operating closely together;
• provide participants with practice in analysing and using the data available to them;
• improve group cooperation.

HOW IT WORKS
The exercise is introduced by the tutor who distributes the different functional briefs to the team members. The roles covered are Managing director; Marketing director; Production director; Finance director. The separate briefs contain data about the market place and the probable capability of the factory to be established. In the first round of the exercise the directors must share the knowledge given to them and prepare a business plan for submission to a financial backer. Having obtained finance they then proceed to make decisions about production and marketing policies for the year ahead. These decisions are processed by the tutor and the team receive feedback which contains details of, production activity, supply performance, cash flow, and profit/loss. In successive rounds the teams, receive feedback, analyse their performance and plan for the future.

WHAT PARTICIPANTS WILL BE DOING
Studying written data about an imaginary company and its situation; sharing information contained in separate functional briefs; debating alternative strategies; making decisions and entering these on a form; analysing in depth the computer-generated financial and operational reports that chart the company’s performance over each past year.

FOR WHAT LEVELS IS IT APPROPRIATE?
Middle and senior managers. Students of business and management.

INCLUDED
Tutor manual; Player’s instructions; Program disc and all supporting documentation

COST
90 day license £490 plus VAT and delivery
Full license £890 plus VAT and delivery

CONSULTANCY VERSION
Includes a copy of the packaged game and tutor backup on the first day the exercise is used cost £890 plus VAT and expenses. More Details