May not be used without permission from Responsive Learning Technologies

info@responsive.net  March 2010.

Welcome to …
 Setup and Decisions
Each team consists of four players:
 a retailer,
 a wholesaler,
 a distributor,
 and a factory.
 Two Games
 In the first game, you only see information
for your piece of the supply chain. We will
most likely run only the first game.
 In the second game, you see information
for the entire supply chain.
 Game Time
Each game lasts 30 to 50 weeks.
Each player makes one decision each week:
 The retailer orders cases of beer from the wholesaler
 The wholesaler orders cases of beer from the
distributor
 The distributor orders cases of beer from the factory
 The factory schedules production

All orders must be eventually filled. If you can’t

fill an order with inventory, the order is
backlogged until you can fill it.
 Note
Each order takes 2 weeks to get to the
upstream player
Each shipment takes another 2 weeks to
get to the downstream player.
 Information
Your game board displays the following information:
 dem – actual customer demand that round
 order – order placed that round
 sched – production scheduled by the factory
 brew – work in process at the factory
 shipped – goods in transit
…and for each player:
 Beginning - inventory held when that round begins
 Arriving - that round’s incoming shipment
 Order In - that round’s incoming Order
 Ending - inventory held when that round ends
 Objective
Each week, every player incurs the following
expense:
 $0.50 for each case in inventory, shown by a
positive ending inventory
 $1.00 for each backlogged case, shown by a
negative ending inventory

Beginning + Arriving – Order In = Ending

Your objective is to finish with the lowest cost.

 Player Registration
Please enter your Name, Team, and System Password.

Player Name Joe Sample Accept Name

^
Team: 1

Select a Team
Password: ******
1
2
3 Click Accept
4
5
6
Enter nameyour assigned
Select
7
8 Enter access code
team number
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Connecting to Server (eb.responsive.net)…

Please enter your Name, Team, and System Password.
 Game Setup
If you aren’t Retailer, select a game and position and Join. If you are Retailer, select a game below and click Activate.
Open Games Players The game will appear to your left in the Open Games list.
classic: Joe Sample’s Game Joe Sample
R: Joe Sample Activate New Game Selected Below
To view the settings, select a game type and click View.
Game Types:
^
classic

View Game Type

Notice: the game’s name
Position:
^
shares that of the Retailer
Retailer …then activates
Join Unjoin the New Game
Team leader selects
Ready to Play
Game Type
Team leader plays
the Retailer
A new game appears in the
list of games for your section

Creating
Hello Joegame.
Sample!Please be patient...
If youare
You aren’t
in a the Retailer,
game. If you select
wish toa change
game and position
games, toUnjoin.
click Join.
 Players Join Game
If you aren’t
***Game Retailer,
start select a game and position and Join.
pending*** If you are Retailer, select a game below and click Activate.
Open Games Players Boot The game will appear to your left in the Open Games list.
classic:Joe
classic: JoeSample’s
Sample’sGame
Game Sue
R: Sample
Joe Sample Activate New Game Selected Below
W: Sue Sample (PLAY) Once team is
To view the settings, select a game type and click View.
D: Don Sample (PLAY)
F: Lisa Sample (PLAY) complete…
Game Types:

Retailer may “boot”

^
classic

Position:
unauthorized players
View Game Type

^ Player is added
Retailer
Wholesaler
Wholesaler
Wholesaler
to the team
Join
Distributor Unjoin
Factory
Ready to Play

Player selects a role

Player joins the

Player selectsselected
the game
correct Open GameEach player clicks
“Ready to Play”
to begin game

Waiting for server

Hello Player to play game
Sue Sample!
***Game start
If you aren't pending***
Retailer, select a game and position and Join.
 Remember

To simulate the effect of a

complex supply chain, no
communication is allowed
during your game!
 Customer’s
demand arrives Retailer’s Game Play
4
3

3
dem=4
=3 4 order order order order sched brew brew

Retailer
Player chooses Distributor
Wholesaler
an Factory
SUB
order quantity

W Beginning= 4 Beginning Beginning Beginning

E
E …then clicks
+ Arriving= 3
4 Arriving Arriving Arriving
K “submit”
2
1
- Demand= -4
-3 Order In Order In Order In

Week advances once

Ending= 4 Timer counts down
all players submit Ending Ending Ending
remaining seconds
their orders
4 3 shipped
shipped shipped shipped shipped shipped
Time Left: 60
Beergame: classic

It is now week 1.
2. Your costs last week were 2.0
Incoming shipment received
The order for this week is 4.
3. Please enter an order… by warehouse
 Retailer’s
Order movesGame
forward Play
33?
dem=3 4
3 order order order order sched brew brew
 Player considers next order quantity
Ending inventory
 Only hasis 60 seconds to enter a
evaluated
decision for Distributor
that week
Retailer SUB Wholesaler Factory
 If no change is made, the default order
Beginning
quantity is equal to the demand
W Beginning= 4 Beginning Beginning Beginning
4  The maximum order quantity is 99
E +
E Arriving Weeklyinventory
Ending expense updates
is calculated
to
+ Arriving= 3 Arriving Arriving Arriving
K 3
become 4 * $0.50
initial = $2.00
inventory
-
23 Demand
- Demand= -3 3 Order In Order In Order In
3
=
Ending
Ending= 4 Ending Ending Ending
4
Full order
Week updatesshipsWeekly costs
update
3
4 shipped shipped Ending inventory
shipped shipped is shipped shipped
Time Left: 60
positive Beergame: classic

It is now week 3.
2. Your costs last week were 2.0
3. Please enter an order…
The order for this week is ?.
Turn Ends
 Wholesaler’s Game Play Retailer’s order
arrives

4
3
demand order 5
order 4 order order sched brew brew

Player chooses an
Retailer Wholesaler Distributor
SUB order quantity Factory

W Beginning Beginning= 8 Beginning Beginning

E
E …then clicks
K Arriving +Arriving= 3
4 Arriving Arriving
3
4
“submit”
Order In -Order In= -4
-5 Order In Order In

Week advances once

Ending Ending= 8 Timer
Ending counts down
Ending
all players submit
remaining seconds
their orders
shipped 4 4 3 shipped
shipped shipped shipped
Time Left: 60
Beergame: classic

It is now week 4.
3. Your costs last week were 4.0
Incoming shipment received
4. Please enter an order…
The order for this week is 3. by warehouse
 Wholesaler’s Game Play
Order moves forward

3
?3
demand order order 43 order order sched brew brew

Ending inventory is
evaluated
Retailer Wholesaler SUB Distributor Factory

 Player considers next order quantity

W  Only has 60 secondsBeginning=
Beginning to enter86 a
Beginning
Beginning Beginning
E decision for that week +8
E Weeklyinventory
expense updates
is calculated
K  If no change Arriving
Arriving is made, +Arriving=
the default
3 order Ending
Arriving Arriving
to
3
become6 * $0.50
initial = $3.00
inventory
4
5 quantity is equal to the Order - In amount
Demand
Order In -Order In= -55 Order In Order In
 The maximum order quantity
5 is 99
=
Ending
Ending6 Ending= 86 Ending Ending
6

Week updates Weekly costs

Full order
update
shipped 4 5
4
ships
shipped shipped Ending inventory
shipped shippedis
Time Left: 60
positive Beergame: classic

It is now week 5.
4. Your costs last week were 3.0
4.0
3. Please enter an order…
The order for this week is ?.
Turn Ends
 Distributor’s Game Play Wholesaler’s
order arrives

4
3
demand order order order 8
order 4 sched brew brew

Player chooses an
Retailer Wholesaler Distributor Factory
order quantity SUB

W Beginning Beginning Beginning= 6 Beginning

E
E …then clicks
K Arriving Arriving +Arriving= 4
2 Arriving
5
6
“submit”
Order In Order In -Order In= -4
-8 Order In

Week advances once

Ending Timer counts down
all players submit Ending Ending= 6 Ending
remaining seconds
their orders
shipped shipped shipped 4 4 2 shipped
shipped
Time Left: 60
Beergame: classic

It is now week 5.
Incoming shipment received
6. Your costs last week were 2.0
3.0
by warehouse
3. Please enter an order…
The order for this week is 4.
 Distributor’s Game Play
3
3
?
demand order order order dem=8 4
3 sched brew brew

Ending
 Player considers next inventory
order quantityis
evaluated
 Only has 60 seconds Order
Retailer moves
to enter a
Wholesaler forward Distributor SUB Factory
decision for that week
W If no change is made, the default
Beginning Beginning
order Beginning
Beginning= 60 Beginning
E quantity is equal to the Order In amount 6
+
E
Arriving
K The maximumEnding
Arriving
Weekly inventory
order quantityupdates
expense isis 99 to
Arriving
calculated +Arriving= 2
2
Arriving
6
7 become initial =
inventory -
0 * $0.50 $0.00
Demand
Order In Order In -Order In= -88 Order In
8
=
Ending
Ending Ending Ending= 60 Ending
0

Week updates Weekly costs Full order

update ships
shipped
Ending inventory
shipped shipped 4
is84 shipped shipped
Time Left: 60
positive Beergame: classic

It is now week 7.
6. Your costs last week were 0.0
3.0
3. Please enter an order…
The order for this week is ?.
Turn Ends
 Factory’s Game…then
Playclicks
“submit”
4
3
demand order order
=8 order order order 8
order 4 1

Retailer
Player schedules
WholesalerDistributor’s
Distributor Factory SUB
production
order arrivesFinished product
W enters warehouse
Beginning Beginning Beginning Beginning= 6
E
E
K Arriving Arriving Arriving +Arriving= 41
7
8
Order In Order In Order In -Order In= -4
-8

Week advances once

Ending Timer counts Ending=
down 6
all players submit Ending Ending
remaining seconds
their orders
shipped shipped shipped shipped shipped 4 4
Time Left: 60
Beergame: classic

It is now week 8.
7. Your costs last week were 4.0
2.0
4. Please enter an order…
The order for this week is 3.
 Factory’s Game Play
Production
moves ahead
3
3
?
demand order order
Beginning inventory updates
order order order order 4
4
3 1
4

to reflect backlogged orders

 Player considers next Ending order quantity
inventory is
 Only has 60Wholesaler
Retailer seconds to enter evaluated
a
Distributor Factory SUB
decision for that week
W  If no change is made, the default order Beginning
Beginning Beginning Beginning Beginning= -1
6
E quantity is equal to the Order In amount 6
+
E Weekly expense is calculated
K  The
Arriving maximum order quantity is Arriving
Arriving 99 Arriving
+Arriving= 1
|-1 |* $1.00 = $1.00 1
8
9 -
Demand
Order In Order In Order In -Order In= -8
7
8
=
Ending
Ending Ending
6 Ending Ending= -1
6
Partial -1

Week updates Weekly costs order ships

update Ending inventory
shipped shipped shipped shipped shipped is negative
4 7
4
Time Left: 60
Beergame: classic

It is now week 9.
8. Your costs last week were 1.0
2.0
4. Please enter an order…
The order for this week is 3.
Turn Ends
 Game’s End
4

dem=4 4 order order order order sched brew brew

Retailer SUB Wholesaler Distributor Factory

W Beginning= 4 Beginning Beginning Beginning

E
E
+ Arriving= 4 Arriving Arriving Arriving
K
??
1
- Demand= -4 Order In Order In Order In
A reset button
Press to replay
appears
The
Ending= game will end
4 after
Ending Ending Ending

running a predetermined
number of simulated days Play Again
4 shipped shipped shipped shipped shipped shipped
Time Left: 60
Beergame: classic

The game is now over. Waiting for results...

Press Play Again to start a new game.
 Replay Game
If you aren’t Retailer, select a game and position and Join. If you are Retailer, select a game below and click Activate.
Open Games Players The game will appear to your left in the Open Games list.
transparent: Joe Sample’s Ga R: Joe Sample Activate New Game Selected Below
To view the settings, select a game type and click View.
Game Types:
^
transparent

View Game Type

Position:
Retailer
^
…then activates
Join Team leader selects
Unjoin the New Game
Ready to Play
Game Type

A new game appearsPlayers

in the select Unjoin
list of games for your To
section
enter second game

You are in a game. If you wish to change games, click Unjoin.

Unjoining game. Please be patient...
 Viewing Results
1 network transparent 805.0

First
Second
column column 2 network
Third column classic 1010.0
Fourth column
shows
showsclass
team
rankname
shows game
showsOncetype
total costs
your instructor
3has
teamwork
(lower classicviewing,
is better)
enabled 1242.0

you may plot historic

4order
donothing
quantities and1616.0
inventory levels
5 teamwork transparent 1734.0
All members of donothing
always place the default
6 whiplash transparent 1795.0
order quantity.

7 whiplash classic 2530.0

Good Luck !