VAPOURSEAL BUSINESS SIMULATION GAME

Vapourseal Business Simulation Game

Vapourseal Business Simulation Game

Introduction

Business simulation games are games that focus on the management of economic processes, usually in the form of a business. Pure business simulations have been described as construction and management simulations without a construction element, and can thus be called management simulations. Indeed, micromanagement is often emphasized in these kinds of games. They are essentially numeric, but try to hold the player's attention by using creative graphics. The interest in these games lies in accurate simulation of real-world events using algorithms, as well as the close tying of players' actions to expected or plausible consequences and outcomes. An important facet of economic simulations is the emergence of artificial systems, game play and structures.

Business simulation game has been played during 7 weeks by four different teams in cohort (A). It was a big challenge for all teams specially (team 4). The competition was about four different companies who sale two kinds of products, Agriculture products and Horticulture products. The game consists of seven quarter and each quarter was discussed in one week. Team four members worked together in each week to make decisions, such as the production number, the products prices and how many units should be used for advertising in each kind of products. Team 4 worked with the other teams in the same market which create a kind of competition between the teams. Team four members had the eagerness to learn from this game and to understand the different elements which can lead to success. This paper will present a case study of the team 4 business simulation games, answering three question and present an action plan for company four.

Task1

The Case Study

Q1 Q2 Q3

Answer 1, 2, 3: In the beginning, Company four members were facing difficulties in working as a group to make decisions as it was the first time for them to work together. Later on, one of the members withdrew from the group. All of that had a negative impact on the company. The company four members decided to produce 10.500 agricultures units in the price of 37 pound and 2,000 horticulture units in the price of 43 pound. The company strategy is to sell all products they produce so they decided to spend high amount of money in adverting. After a long discussion they decided to spend 25,000 pound on advertising (15,000 pound for Agriculture products and 10.000 for horticulture products). In the same time the company wanted to minimize the cost thus, they decided to work in one shift as it was going to cost less. Moreover, the company expected that the order number in the first quarter will not exceed 13.000 units. In the end of march (the first quarter) the company realized that they spend a very high amount on adverting in the horticulture products and that was not beneficial to the company at all; as it did not help to increase the sales number. According to the market intelligence, the companies which spend ...