Narita GroupInterpretive Simulation

What is the way you use to solve your Problems ??

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NOW

It’s SIMULATION Time

About Business Simulations

A training methodology designed to take participants beyond the typical classroom environment and into a simulated business situation. A real-world classroom where participants go through simulations of actual business events and learn by doing not simply by learning theory. By creating real-world simulated scenarios, participants are able to see the immediate result of decisions and actions, thus creating a learning environment based on actual experience.Business simulations transform people through experiential learning which create positive business change and generate real business profit for clients.

Simulations methodology

Simulations Benefits• Risk to Business is reduced as the simulation Give

the trainees the opportunity to take decisions and test this decision impacts without any effect on the Business

• Save money the simulation protect the Business from losing money through Providing safe environment to try al the new ideas and Projects

• Training addresses a wide range of Technical and Behavioral Competencies in a unique way Provide the trainee with all the needed information and Techniques through a Unforgettable Experience

• Support in measuring the training Impact on the performance level in both technical and behavioral Aspects

Interpretive Simulations offers realistic business experiencesInterpretive simulations compliment the concepts taught in marketing, strategy and management classes.

– Founded in 1986– Arose out of industry consulting– Authors come from leading academic institutions– 12 simulations for classes in Management, Marketing and Strategy– Over 50,000 students each year use our simulations– Used by over 500 schools around the world each year– A variety of our simulations are available in multiple languages

About Interpretive

Our Partners

Fast Track Project Management (Taiwan) FTPM is a management consulting firm providing business solutions and customized training services to leading organizations in Taiwan, China, and the United States

Pearson EducationInterpretive Simulations has an exclusive partnership with Pearson US and Pearson Canada.

PriSim (corporate training and consulting)PriSim teaches decision-makers about business, strategy, finance, and leadership.

Academic Success Partners Business Success Partners

Management Simulation

The Business Essentials Simulation

The Business Simulation in

Retailing

The Human Resource Management Simulation

Strategy Simulation

Introduction to Airline

Business Strategy

in a Global Environment

The MarketingStrategy

Simulation

The StrategicManagement

Simulation

The Strategy Simulation

with a Focus on China

The Marketing Principles Simulation

Delivering Marketing Value … with Market

Share

An Integrated Marketing

Management Experience…with

PharmaSim

The International MarketingSimulation

Marketing Simulation

Simulation Training

Management Simulations

The Business Essentials Simulation

The Business Simulation in

Retailing

The Human Resource Management Simulation

OverviewWith BizCafe, students experience the importance of the fundamentals of business by running a small, college-town coffee shop. As students progress through BizCafe, they will encounter the real world problems of managing personnel, marketing their product, and managing cash flow in the easy-to-understand context of a local coffee shop. Students learn business terminology and how to interpret business information as they develop an understanding of the key functional areas of a business at a basic level. BizCafe is an excellent complement to traditional teaching methods, allowing students to apply business concepts in a dynamic, integrative environment.

ObjectivesBizCafe is primarily designed for classes in business fundamentals. To that end, the simulation should help your students understand:• How to manage staffing and operation of a service

business (hiring, firing, budgeting)• How to calculate their break-even involving multiple

factors• How to read basic financial statements• The impact of marketing and promotion on the business• The importance of customer satisfaction

BizCafe

Groups of 2-4 students receive $25,000 from a local entrepreneur to start-up a coffee shop near a university in a good downtown location. They must hire servers, decide on a marketing plan, and purchase materials and equipment to make their shop a success. Challenges include keeping customers and employees happy, ordering the right amount of coffee and cups to meet demand, and attracting customers to their shop. Students learn the difference between cash-based and accrual accounting and must manage their cash flow and payroll accordingly• RES ULTS AND DIS• CUSSIONS Renovation• Insurance• Staff Training Problem Employee • Baked Goods Coffee Roaster • Internet Café• Advertising• Green Upgrade• Live Entertainment• Unwanted Sexual Advance• Expansion Opportunity• New Supplier• Irate Customer

BizCafeThe Case

OverviewEntrepreneur is designed for classes in entrepreneurship, introduction to small business management, and retailing. Students learn about the issues that face a start-up business and how to manage the difficult first 3 years of a business. They will learn about basic management issues, operations, marketing, and finance in the context of a retail clothing store. Decisions include product line, pricing, advertising, sales, promotion, staffing, and inventory management

Entrepreneur

ObjectivesThe main objective of Entrepreneur is to expose students to the variety of issues of starting and operating a new venture. Student teams will function as a “real-life” company competing in a dynamic and evolving industry. With direct-competitive play, students' stores all compete with each other, their decisions affecting each other.Entrepreneur is designed with the following goals for your students:• To teach staffing and operations management for a small retail

business.• To help students read basic financial statements.• To demonstrate the impact of advertising and promotion.• To illustrate the importance of good business practices.• To help students develop logical and rational decision-making

skills and to consider the multidimensional aspects of these decisions.

• To provide students with the opportunity to interact within an organizational teamwork.

• To improve the student’s communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.

Entrepreneur

EntrepreneurThe Case

Groups of 2-4 students take the role of running the operations of a specialty retail clothing store for 12 quarters. The new management team will choose a location and name for their store and then begin to manage the on-going operations. As the simulation progresses, ethical, environmental, and management dilemmas will challenge students and stimulate class discussions. As students continue in Entrepreneur, they will appreciate the importance of accounting information provided by key financial statements (income statement, balance sheet, cash and inventory analysis), in addition to environmental reporting (including sales, pricing, and promotion reports).

EntrepreneurThe case

• that occur one per period, thus challenging students to consider a variety of issues related to running a business. These incidents cover the following topics (and corresponding functional areas):

• Security Devices (operations) Students have the opportunity to select a security system for the store.

• A Ethical Dilemma (ethics) A local school offical wants a kickback for bringing business to the store.

• The Pushy Employee (human resources) An employee receives a cash incentive from a vendor to push their clothing line.

• Bait and Switch or Customary Practice? (marketing) Students need to decide if they want to use the same tactics as their competitor.

• Purchasing Policies (operations, strategy) Students are given the opportunity to diversify their product line.

• The Problem Employee (human resources, ethics) One of the employees may be shoplifting.

• Cooperative Advertising (marketing) A wholesaler offers to pay a portion of all advertising expenses that feature their product.

• Community Support (social responsibility) Local community causes ask for support from the store.

• Political Cause (community relations) Senator Boasting seeks a donation.• Homecoming Festivities (marketing) The local college wants support for their homecoming

activities.• The New Store (operations, planning, strategy) Students decide whether or not to expand

to an additional location.

OverviewThe Management Simulation is a competitive simulation where students take on the role of Human Resource Director for a growing organization. It offers students valuable experience with decisions that affect compensation, turnover, productivity, diversity, morale, quality, accident rate, grievances, fringe benefits, absenteeism, and budget utilization. Students will make the connection between HR principles and how those play out in business.

HR Management

HR Management

ObjectivesThe main objective of HR Management is to simulate the operation of a human resource department within a budget and market constraints. The students must not only make informed decisions but they must react to the outcomes of their decisions.HR Management is designed to help your students understand:• Overall HR Strategy: What do they want to attempt to

accomplish with their given budget?• HR Operating Decisions: wages, hiring, training,

benefits, etc.• Financial: Management of the HR Department budget,

creating and maintaining• How to manage behavioral elements they encounter in

the incidents (see above)

HR ManagementThe Case

Groups of 3-5 students take the role of a newly-appointed Human Resource Director of a 500 person company. The company has been growing rapidly and the human resource department and its functions have not kept pace with this growth. The Chief Executive Officer has instructed the HR Director to get the human resource department organized, build a strong HR function, and "get the company moving.“ "incidents" (mini-cases) that occur one per period, thus challenging students to consider a variety of issues related to running an HR department. Each of the incidents has an outcome that will affect the student's performance in the simulation

HR ManagementThe Case

The incidents cover the following topics (and corresponding functional areas):• Job Analysis (operations) Many employees are confused regarding their

job duties.• Job Design (operations) Possible solutions may capture the energy and

creativity of the workforce.• Recruiting for temporary positions (operations) Product (or service) staff

must be augmented to meet next quarter's production.• Selection of employees (affirmative action) Students must hire one of

three applicants for a Level 3 supervisor position.• Performance appraisal (morale) The CEO requests recommendation for

a system of performance appraisal for all supervisors and managers.• Sexual harassment policy (ethics) Does the sexual harassment policy

that has been in effect for several years need to be updated?• Compensation planning (morale) Select compensation plans for further

study by your team.• Self-managed work teams (operations) The CEO has asked for a

recommendation concerning the use of self-managed work teams.

HR ManagementThe Case

The incidents cover the following topics (and corresponding functional areas):• Employee health, assistance and wellness (social

responsibility) Several proposals have been suggested to improve the health and well-being of employees.

• Safety issues (OSHA, operations, morale) The CEO is concerned that the firm may have some safety violations and wants to remedy this.

• Exempt employees (operations, morale, ethics) A review of Level 2 positions indicates that some are eligible for overtime pay, while others are not.

• References: How much do I say? (ethics, social responsibility) A former employee has applied for a position at another company in the community.

• The "Harassment versus Lying" dilemma (ethics) An employee accuses her supervisor of sexual harassment while her supervisor claims the employee lied on her job application.

• The staff decision (affirmative action) Two employees are up for promotion but both have issues that may impact their job performance.

• Wage negotiations (operations, morale) The union representing Level 1 employees begins negotiation for next year's contract.

• Collective bargaining (operations, morale) The CEO has requested recommendations for the upcoming union contract negotiations.

• Crisis management (operations) The CEO has asked how the company would handle a crisis.

Overview

Strategic management is at the core of all decisions made in StratSimManagement. Students start by conducting environmental analysis before articulating the vision and mission of the organization. They must manage short- and long-term objectives, making integrated decisions that impact all areas of the business. Teams compete directly against each other with the results being dependent upon how the competitors interact, what new products are introduced, and how these products are supported. StratSimManagement is built on the StratSim methodology used by thousands of students since the mid-1990s. This version of StratSim (StratSimManagement)--with its focus on strategy and international business--is an excellent complement to traditional teaching methods, allowing students to apply strategic planning concepts in a dynamic, integrative environmen

StratSim Management

ObjectivesMuch of the complexity of the automobile industry has been simplified to allow participants to focus their time and energy on strategic issues. However, we've retained as much realism as possible to make it easier to quickly understand the overall environment. StratSimManagement addresses the following issues:• Developing a business definition and implementing a profitable

long-term business strategy• Identifying market opportunities and creating product/service

offerings to satisfy them• Analyzing competitors and understanding their strategic intent• Creating the corporate infrastructure necessary to sustain growth• Allocating scarce resources among products, functions, and other

investment alternatives• Exploring the options of marketing and sourcing internationally

(optional)

StratSim Management

Groups of 3-6 students are put in the role of a management team that takes over one of five companies competing in the domestic automobile industry. Some companies are positioned as high-end niche producers while others are more value and volume driven. Each company begins the simulation with three vehicles and then must decide how best to improve their performance and potentially enter new market segments that offer opportunities for growth. Optionally, students may source from or enter into international regions.

StratSim ManagementThe Case

Overview

StratSimChina is a strategy simulation game based on the automobile industry that provides participants an opportunity to experience strategy in the high-growth/high-competition market of China. Managing a business in this environment requires careful attention to investment, cash flow, and rapidly changing market conditions. Students will start by conducting environmental analysis before articulating the vision and mission of the organization. They must manage short- and long-term objectives, making integrated decisions that impact all areas of the business. Teams compete directly against each other with the results being dependent upon how the competitors interact, what new products are introduced, and how these products are supported. StratSimChina is built on the StratSim methodology used by thousands of students since the mid-1990s.

In addition to the simulation, StratSimChina also includes an article by Juan Antonio Fernandez, author of China CEO, as well as five supplemental cases all focusing on various issues related to doing business in China. Thus, in one package, students receive a wealth of information about China ranging from background information to specific business school cases, plus the opportunity to experience managing a company competing in a high-growth market such as China through the StratSim simulation.This unique version of StratSim is an excellent complement to traditional teaching methods, allowing students to apply marketing concepts in a dynamic, integrative environment.

StratSimChina

Objectives

Much of the complexity of the automobile industry has been simplified to allow participants to focus their time and energy on strategic issues. However, we've retained as much realism as possible to make it easier to quickly understand the overall environment. At its core, StratSimChina is a simulation about strategy formulation for a company doing business in China. Along those lines, students will be challenge to:• Develop a business definition and implement a profitable

long-term business strategy in a rapidly developing and highly competitive industry environment

• Identify market opportunities and create product/service offerings to satisfy them through new product offerings or upgrades to existing product lines

• Develop the corporate infrastructure necessary to sustain growth

• Allocate scarce resources among products, functions, and other investment alternatives

StratSimChina

Student teams play the role of a management team competing in the Chinese automobile industry. They are one of six firms per industry, each company having a unique position and product offering. Some companies are positioned as high-end producers, while others are more value and volume driven. Each company begins the simulation with two vehicles and then must decide how best to improve their performance and potentially enter new market segments that offer opportunities for growth. Revenues are generated through the sales of cars and trucks to automobile dealers in the StratSim world. Additional revenues are possible through direct sales to fleet buyers. To read the full copy of the case for the simulation.

StratSimChinaThe case

As an added resource, StratSimChina comes with five supplemental cases and articles in the Student manual that address the following topics:• Tips for doing business in China, specifically the role of “guanxi” in business

and government relationships• Learning about the personal and leadership dimensions within a

multinational enterprise, the role of a country manager, the role of partnerships in global strategy, and the multi-dimensional challenges facing the executive who is charged with making global strategy happen.

• Considering the issue of product localization and when a product should be global vs. local.

• Matching internal capabilities against results from an environmental scan• Making operational decisions relating to city selection in an international

context• Contrasting the pros and cons of product and geographic market

diversification and consideration of the factors that may constrain a firm’s strategic options and pace of diversification.

• Illustrate the numerous difficulties of doing business in emerging markets with a focus on China, despite the enormous potential.

• Emphasize the nuances of maintaining relationships with powerful global partners while exploring strategic partnerships with smaller players to expand specific markets.

• Stress the importance of creating a channel strategy in an international context based on financial analysis as well as qualitative concerns.

StratSim ManagementThe Case

Marketing Simulations

The Marketing Principles Simulation

Delivering Marketing Value … with Market

Share

An Integrated Marketing

Management Experience…with

PharmaSim

The International MarketingSimulation

OverviewNewShoes covers marketing concepts at a basic level, focusing on the roles of price, product, promotion, and place. Perfect for an introduction to marketing class, it provides an engaging interactive experience. Students compete against each other, utilizing the 4Ps in marketing to make their company profitable. They will be exposed to marketing concepts such as marketing mix, dealing with different marketing environments, B2B sales, contract bidding, and using marketing research in a “real-world” setting.NewShoes

ObjectiveThe main objective in the development of NewShoes was to create a simple simulation that allows students to apply marketing concepts and manipulate marketing variables in a realistic setting. NewShoes is designed to help your students understand:• Marketing mix (price, promotion, product, place)• Markets with differing responses (foreign markets) and with

different business climates• Push vs. pull promotional strategy• Short-run vs. long-run strategies• Business-to-business sales and contract bidding• Group decision-making• Research and its use in making decisions• Responding to competitors' actions

NewShoes

Groups of 3-4 students take over management of an athletic shoe company selling in a home and domestic region. At first, student teams work toward improving performance in these two markets, but later have the opportunity to expand sales into a foreign region and also explore contract bids. When the students begin in the simulation, their company has shown a loss in its previous two periods. The company has recently had a significant drop in sales in the home market and they "replaced" their marketing department with your students! The students must analyze their situation and determine how marketing can encourage new sales. Through new product development, entering new regions, focus on new promotion and determining their best price, the students need to turn this company around.

NewShoesThe Case

OverviewMarketShare is based on our leading marketing management simulation PharmaSim, but simplified for use in a marketing principles or intermediate marketing level class for undergraduates. Students become a member of the marketing management team for a pharmaceutical company. They are exposed to and must wrestle with concepts such as understanding market segmentation, multiple channels, intermediaries, and promotional content. They will also reformulate an existing product, as well as launch a new product.

MarketShare

Objective

The main objective of MarketShare is to have all of the characteristics of a case analysis, while also placing the participant into a dynamic, simulated business environment. It also sticks with issues pertaining to the 4Ps framework. MarketShare is designed to help your students understand:• Marketing Research: the different types of research and what

type is best• Consumer Behavior: the decision-making process and influences• Competitor Analysis: differentiating brands, using research to

accomplish this• Features, Benefits, & Value Proposition: the differences between

these and how to highlight each to sell more product• Break-Even Analysis: connecting the marketing process to

accounting information• Gross Margin Analysis: focus on the intersection of pricing and

distribution concepts• Retail Store Visits: getting a full picture of what buyers see when

making a decision• Advertising Storyboard: identifying key elements such as the

target audience, the message, budget objectives, ad design, pre-testing, choosing media, establishing a schedule, and evaluating the ad

MarketShare

Students take the role of a brand management team in the over-the-counter pharmaceutical industry for up to 6 simulated years. Students can work in teams of 2 to 4 students or individually. As a member of their marketing management group, students manage the marketing mix for their products and make product decisions such as, reformulating their existing brand and launching a new product. MarketShare is modeled from an OTC brand management perspective, but the issues raised apply to marketers in any industry. Out of five competitors in the market, their company is at the bottom in terms of sales. But management believes their brand should drive future growth and profitability for the company--so the pressure is on! The task of the Allround brand management team is to increase market share and profitability in a competitive and changing environment

MarketShareThe Case

MarketShare also comes with 6 "incidents" (mini-cases) that challenge students to wrestle with various behavioral elements of their business. These are:• Social Media (Advertising) Students choose to create a website with a

blog, a Facebook and Twitter account, or any one of these options with 5% of the ad budget going towards Google Adwords.

• Targeted Advertising (Advertising, Segmentation) Provides the students the option to target their consumers based on demographic data.

• Employee Over-Sharing (Ethics) Dealing with a personnel issue of an employee's personal blog that talks about your company in a less-than-flattering manner.

• Volume Discount (Pricing) An opportunity to discuss offering high-volume discounts (or not) and what effects it might have.

• Product Tampering (Product, Public Relations) A bottle of Allround is suspected to have been linked to some poisonings in a metropolitan area. This is a PR issue but also involves issues of operations and how that will affect the company.

• Sales Force Management (Sales force) One of Allround's salespeople wants to redefine her sales territory so that the workload is more even. The salesperson with the adjoining territory (who is doing better than she is) does not agree. Students must decide how to manage this situation.

MarketShareThe Case

Overview

PharmaSim is designed for Marketing and Brand Management classes and is based on the packaged goods industry. PharmaSim drives home the 4Ps of marketing. This simulation covers segmentation and position, resource allocation across brands, integrated marketing communications, and multiple channels with intermediaries. Students learn how to motivate consumers and channel partners, measuring their progress through marketing research. Each simulated environment will develop uniquely depending on the choices each student team makes and the reaction of their competition. This helps to illustrate the impact a competitor may have on an entire industry.PharmaSim

Objectives

The purpose of PharmaSim is to use the strengths of both the case and simulation methodologies to bring about the most effective learning experience. The simulation has all the characteristics of case analysis while also placing the students into a dynamic business environment. PharmaSim focuses on the following framework:• Situation analysis and the 5Cs (context, customers,

competitors, collaborators, company)• STP (segmentation, targeting, positioning)• Marketing Mix/ 4Ps (product, price, promotion, place)• Integrated marketing decision-making and analysis• Managing the buyer purchase process:

– Awareness: advertising and consumer promotion– Intention to Buy: product characteristics and MSRP,

meeting the need of the consumer– In-Store Attractiveness: sales force and promotion

decisions– Purchase: attention to price and maintaining quality– Usage/Satisfaction: meeting the needs of the consumer– Repurchase: maintaining high satisfaction rates

PharmaSim

PharmaSimThe Case

Students can compete in groups of 2-4 students or individually and run through up to 10 simulated years. They take the role of a brand management team for the OTC division of a pharmaceutical company. Each student (or team) competes against the same environment, made up of four competitors,each with a different marketing strategy and portfolio of brands. Their product is currently the market share leader in the OTC cold and allergy remedy market--though not the leader in terms of sales. In the past three periods, the industry has seen several product introductions as well as major increases in advertising and promotional expenditures. The senior management team is concerned that this increased competitive activity will lead to declining market share and profitability. The task of the brand management team is to maintain long-term profitability and market share in an increasingly competitive and changing environment. With extensive marketing research studies and a solid strategy, the brand management team will make decisions in areas of product choice, distribution, promotion, and pricing.

PharmaSimThe Case

PharmaSim also comes with 10 "incidents" (mini-cases) that challenge students to wrestle with various behavioral elements of their business. These include:• Social Media (advertising) Students choose to create a website

with a blog, a Facebook and Twitter account, or any one of these options with 5% of the ad budget going toward Google Adwords

• Quality Assurance (product) An Allround product is within six months of expiration; students must decide what to do with the product and consider how that will affect their bottom line and/or distributor/customer relationships or perception.

• Cannibalization (product) Taking 3 specific line extension examples, students must decide which line extension would provide the least amount of cannibalization to their current brand.

• Social Media Problem (advertising, ethics) How does a company deal with negative comments on its social media pages? This is a Public Relations exercise and students must wrestle with how these decisions affect the company's image and bottom line.

• Detailing Changes (sales force) Students get the chance to look more closely into their relationship with their detailers. This provides a more in-depth look behind the numbers of indirect sales force

PharmaSim also comes with 10 "incidents" (mini-cases) that challenge students to wrestle with various behavioral elements of their business. These include:• Price Discrimination (pricing) One of the large drug

store chains is unhappy with their price discounts and wants to receive an additional discount. Students must determine if offering an additional price discount will affect their relationship with other customers.

• Product Tampering (product, public relations) Allround is suspected to have been linked to several poisonings in a metropolitan area. This is a PR issue but also involves issues of operations and how that will affect the company.

• Special Promotion (promotion) Students can provide specific details about the type of special promotions they would like to do for Allround. Each has its advantages but they serve different strategic objectives.

• Sales Force Management (sales force) One of Allround's salespeople wants to redefine her sales territory so that the workload is more even. The salesperson with the adjoining territory (who is doing better than she is) does not agree. Students must decide how to manage this situation.

PharmaSimThe Case

Overview

CountryManager explores the modes of market entry, segmentation, and targeting, and the 4Ps in an international context. This simulation provides valuable experience for marketing students who wish to explore the launch of a product into a new country.

We now have two scenarios available for two different regions, Latin America or Asia:

Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.

Asia: China, India, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, and Thailand.

Students will take the role of Country Manager for their company, specifically marketing their company's toothpaste brand in these countries. They will encounter international, regional and local competitors, and through research and strategy, determine the best course of action to establish a presence in these markets.

CountryManager

ObjectivesThe objective of CountryManager is for students to experience international market entry and expansion by playing the role of a category manager for Allstar brands. CountryManager is designed to help the instructor introduce students to the experience of market entry and to wrestle with the issues that arise. During the course of the simulation, they will explore the following topics:• Understanding buyer behavior and motivating the buyer:

Where customers shop, what motivates their purchasing decisions, and their level of brand awareness.

• Segmentation, targeting, and positioning: Select segments to target and how best to position brands for chosen segments.

• Product decisions: Select global, adapted, or local product and appropriate product for a specific market, from an existing set of product offerings.

• Pricing: Set price to meet local market conditions or to maintain multi-country pricing consistency. Determine the gray market impact of large across-market price differences and an overall pricing strategy.

• Advertising and promotion: Use standardized home country ads, or create new local campaigns (cost, consumer tradeoffs). Allocate budget across advertising and other promotional expenditures. Differing ad and promotional objectives across markets.

• Distribution: In addition to the mode of entry issues raised above, decisions need to be made about the allocation of sales force to types of accounts, implying a relative emphasis on specific channels.

• Financial impact of each decision: Students must manage their margins and understand the impact of fixed costs and capacity utilization.

CountryManager

Country ManagerThe Case

Students compete either in groups of 2-4 students or individually in this benchmark simulation. They compete with 4 computerized competitors (both regional and national competitors). The U.S. market has matured and Latin America (or Asia--depending upon which region you choose ) has been identified as having the best potential for future growth by senior management. The toothpaste brand management team must decide which of six countries is the most attractive for their Allsmile brand and then how to expand their presence throughout the region. Students also have the option to source production in one of their chosen countries. Each country has its own specific advantages and disadvantages. Through the use of country, market, and consumer research, students must determine the most suitable market to enter.

Country ManagerThe Case

• The Country Manager mini-cases were designed to challenge your student’s critical thinking, problem solving and analytic skills. Related to the simulation, these incidents provide topics for in-class discussion, homework, quizzes or even exam questions that will spur conversations about the challenges of doing business internationally. These incidents include:

• Currency devaluation effects on transferring local profit to headquarters in the home currency

• Impact of an economic crisis on political stability, and in turn on product demand and gross margins

• How an environmental event such as an earthquake or tsunami affects business operations and consequently costs of doing business

• Pricing challenges that occur when the costs of exported goods increase due to uncontrollable events such as escalating oil prices

• Ethical and social responsibility issues when moving production offshore

• Each incident comes with a mini-case and an instructor’s guide that provides solutions, discussion topics and suggested readings. Also, an instructor’s Excel file with solutions accompanies each incident

OverviewMarketing strategy is at the core of all decisions made in StratSimMarketing. It provides a dynamic learning environment where customer needs evolve, new products are introduced, and the economy and context change. Students must manage short- and long-term objectives by making integrated marketing decisions that also impact other functional areas of the business, such as operations and finance. Teams compete directly against each other, with the results being dependent upon how the competitors interact, what new products are introduced, and how these products are supported. StratSimMarketing is built on the StratSim methodology used by thousands of students since the mid-1990s. StratSimMarketing is an excellent complement to traditional teaching methods, allowing students to apply marketing concepts in a dynamic, integrative environment and to demonstrate how the marketing function impacts financial performance.

StratSimMarketing

ObjectivesMuch of the complexity of the automobile industry has been simplified to allow participants to focus their time and energy on strategic issues. However, we've retained as much realism as possible to make it easier to quickly understand the overall environment. StratSimMarketing addresses the following issues:• Learning what it means to have a market-oriented

perspective• Developing and implementing a profitable long-term

marketing strategy• Identifying customer needs and creating products to

satisfy them• Analyzing competitors and understanding their strategic

intent• Using marketing research tools and techniques as a

source of competitive advantage• Allocating scarce resources among products, functions,

and other investment alternatives• Understanding the differences between consumer and

B2B buying processes (optional)• Negotiating mutually beneficial relationships with other

firms though licensing (optional)

StratSimMarketing

Groups of 3-6 students are put in the role of a management team that takes over one of five companies competing in the domestic automobile industry. Some companies are positioned as high-end niche producers while others are more value and volume driven. Each company begins the simulation with three vehicles and then must decide how best to improve their firm's performance and potentially enter new market segments that offer opportunities for growth.

StratSimMarketingThe Case

Strategy Simulations

Introduction to Airline

Business Strategy

in a Global Environment

The MarketingStrategy

Simulation

The StrategicManagement

Simulation

The Strategy Simulation

with a Focus on China

OverviewAirline requires students to implement their strategy by making a wide range of decisions in marketing, operations, management, human resource development, finances, and asset management. Additionally, they will encounter a series of real-life real-time environmental incidents that include diversification, hiring practices, safety issues, distribution channels, and more. A unique aspect of Airline is its service context, which is very applicable to issues in today's economy.

Airline

ObjectivesOverall, Airline provides an environment for students to see how their strategy turns out. To that end, the simulation has multiple key objectives:• Learn to formulate their overall strategy: through corporate

positioning, routes to pursue, fleet acquisitions, potential entry into cargo business.

• Understand the importance of marketing: establish the price of tickets, advertising, promotion, number of salespersons, promotional fares in each market served, type of cabin (food) service, and market research studies.

• Utilize operations management: through the scheduling of aircraft and number of trips in each market, maintenance level, fuel forecasting/pricing, quality programs budget.

• Manage human resources: through wages paid, bonus or other incentive plans, training and development.

• Manage the financial components: through the leasing or purchase of new aircraft, capital acquisition through equity or borrowed funds (short- or long-term loans), cash management through the issuing of CDs, dividends.

• Asset management: equipment acquisition and disposal. Firms may choose between seven different configurations and sizes of aircraft (actual manufacturer's specifications are given).

Airline

Groups of 2-5 students in up to 12 teams are put in the role of a management team that takes over a regional airline with three planes. The company currently operates in multiple cities but has the option of expanding into new markets, including international and resort routes. Groups must decide how best to position their airline and develop an operational plan to support that strategy.

AirlineThe Case

Incidentshe Airline simulation also comes with 14 "incidents" (mini-cases) that challenge students to wrestle with various behavioral elements of their business. These include:• Press Release or Not?• Channels of Distribution• Competitor's Safety Problem: an ethical issue• Diversification--Auto Rental• Dual Designate• The Charter Trip• Hire Competitors' Employees• Hiring Decision• Purchasing Policies• Advertising Campaign• Air Ambulance Service• Flight for Congressman• Kickback Problem• Diversification Planning

AirlineThe Case

Overview

Corporation provides students the opportunity to run a multi-national corporation overseeing three strategic business units in a dynamic and engaging environment. They set the course for the company in areas such as pricing policy, product/service quality, cost of leadership, as well as the major functional areas of marketing, operations, and finance. Twelve mini-cases (incidents) provide added discussion in social, ethical, operational and environmental business issues that relate to the corporation. Students are responsible for setting measurable goals and objectives that are aligned with the vision and mission of the organization. Corporation is an excellent complement to traditional teaching methods, allowing students to apply business concepts in a dynamic, integrative environment.

Corporation

Objectives

Overall, Corporation provides an environment for students to see how their strategy turns out. To that end, the simulation has multiple key objectives for students:• To learn how to operate in the global environment.• To allow students with different backgrounds and training to

make business decisions after considering the multidimensional aspects of each decision.

• To provide the opportunity for participant interaction in an organizational teamwork.

• To allow the player to practice his/her leadership and interpersonal communication skills.

• To aid in developing logical and rational decision-making skills.• To demonstrate the importance of management information

tools.• To introduce the student to the various environmental, ethical,

and social responsibility problems that may occur in a firm and to show the consequences of their decisions.

Corporation

CorporationThe Case

Corporation is a multiple business unit simulation based on a company that provides products and services in the information systems industry. This industry is typical of many post-industrial age businesses in that it operates without traditional production functions. The simulation focuses on operating one or more strategic business units or divisions that can be bought and sold on the open market or swapped in privately negotiated deals. Operations decisions are made for each SBU, as well as for corporate resource acquisition and deployment, each period. Each decision may be accompanied by a management incident that focuses on various stakeholders of the firm. It was originally designed for a major U.S. company to train middle managers about strategic decision-making in a multi-unit corporation.

Incidents• Corporation comes with 12 incidents that challenge

students to wrestle with various behavioral elements of their business. These include:

• Product and Service Standardization• Ethical Policies for Overseas Operations• Selling Excess Capacity Offshore• New Advertising Campaign• New Business Tactics• Outsourcing Parts/Supply Chain Policy• Social Responsibility• New Product Introduction• Excess Inventory• Overseas Assignment Policy• Employee Stock Program• Political Activity• These incidents all have outcomes that affect the team's

performance. They make great discussion topics in addition to covering important aspects of managing a business.

CorporationThe Case

StratSimMarketing

ObjectivesMarketing strategy is at the core of all decisions made in StratSimMarketing. It provides a dynamic learning environment where customer needs evolve, new products are introduced, and the economy and context change. Students must manage short- and long-term objectives by making integrated marketing decisions that also impact other functional areas of the business, such as operations and finance. Teams compete directly against each other, with the results being dependent upon how the competitors interact, what new products are introduced, and how these products are supported. StratSimMarketing is built on the StratSim methodology used by thousands of students since the mid-1990s. StratSimMarketing is an excellent complement to traditional teaching methods, allowing students to apply marketing concepts in a dynamic, integrative environment and to demonstrate how the marketing function impacts financial performance.

Objectives

Much of the complexity of the automobile industry has been simplified to allow participants to focus their time and energy on strategic issues. However, we've retained as much realism as possible to make it easier to quickly understand the overall environment. StratSimMarketing addresses the following issues:Learning what it means to have a market-oriented perspectiveDeveloping and implementing a profitable long-term marketing strategyIdentifying customer needs and creating products to satisfy themAnalyzing competitors and understanding their strategic intentUsing marketing research tools and techniques as a source of competitive advantageAllocating scarce resources among products, functions, and other investment alternativesUnderstanding the differences between consumer and B2B buying processes (optional)Negotiating mutually beneficial relationships with other firms though licensing (optional)

StratSimMarketing

StratSimMarketingThe Case

Groups of 3-6 students are put in the role of a management team that takes over one of five companies competing in the domestic automobile industry. Some companies are positioned as high-end niche producers while others are more value and volume driven. Each company begins the simulation with three vehicles and then must decide how best to improve their firm's performance and potentially enter new market segments that offer opportunities for growth.

StratSimManagement

OverviewStrategic management is at the core of all decisions made in StratSimManagement. Students start by conducting environmental analysis before articulating the vision and mission of the organization. They must manage short- and long-term objectives, making integrated decisions that impact all areas of the business. Teams compete directly against each other with the results being dependent upon how the competitors interact, what new products are introduced, and how these products are supported. StratSimManagement is built on the StratSim methodology used by thousands of students since the mid-1990s. This version of StratSim (StratSimManagement)--with its focus on strategy and international business--is an excellent complement to traditional teaching methods, allowing students to apply strategic planning concepts in a dynamic, integrative environment.

Objectives• Much of the complexity of the automobile industry

has been simplified to allow participants to focus their time and energy on strategic issues. However, we've retained as much realism as possible to make it easier to quickly understand the overall environment. StratSimManagement addresses the following issues:

• Developing a business definition and implementing a profitable long-term business strategy

• Identifying market opportunities and creating product/service offerings to satisfy them

• Analyzing competitors and understanding their strategic intent

• Creating the corporate infrastructure necessary to sustain growth

• Allocating scarce resources among products, functions, and other investment alternatives

• Exploring the options of marketing and sourcing internationally (optional)

StratSimManagement

StratSimManagementThe Case

• Groups of 3-6 students are put in the role of a management team that takes over one of five companies competing in the domestic automobile industry. Some companies are positioned as high-end niche producers while others are more value and volume driven. Each company begins the simulation with three vehicles and then must decide how best to improve their performance and potentially enter new market segments that offer opportunities for growth. Optionally, students may source from or enter into international regions.

StratSimChina

OverviewStratSimChina is a strategy simulation game based on the automobile industry that provides participants an opportunity to experience strategy in the high-growth/high-competition market of China. Managing a business in this environment requires careful attention to investment, cash flow, and rapidly changing market conditions. Students will start by conducting environmental analysis before articulating the vision and mission of the organization. They must manage short- and long-term objectives, making integrated decisions that impact all areas of the business. Teams compete directly against each other with the results being dependent upon how the competitors interact, what new products are introduced, and how these products are supported. StratSimChina is built on the StratSim methodology used by thousands of students since the mid-1990s.

Objectives• Much of the complexity of the automobile industry has

been simplified to allow participants to focus their time and energy on strategic issues. However, we've retained as much realism as possible to make it easier to quickly understand the overall environment. At its core, StratSimChina is a simulation about strategy formulation for a company doing business in China. Along those lines, students will be challenge to:

• Develop a business definition and implement a profitable long-term business strategy in a rapidly developing and highly competitive industry environment

• Identify market opportunities and create product/service offerings to satisfy them through new product offerings or upgrades to existing product lines

• Develop the corporate infrastructure necessary to sustain growth

• Allocate scarce resources among products, functions, and other investment alternatives

StratSimChina

StratSimChinaThe case

Student teams play the role of a management team competing in the Chinese automobile industry. They are one of six firms per industry, each company having a unique position and product offering. Some companies are positioned as high-end producers, while others are more value and volume driven. Each company begins the simulation with two vehicles and then must decide how best to improve their performance and potentially enter new market segments that offer opportunities for growth. Revenues are generated through the sales of cars and trucks to automobile dealers in the StratSim world. Additional revenues are possible through direct sales to fleet buyers. To read the full copy of the case for the simulation