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BDM CW2 October 2018 Group Assignment

The document outlines the requirements for a coursework assignment evaluating decisions made during a business simulation game. Students were assigned to groups and played as a team managing a sneaker company, making decisions over 8 rounds against other student groups. The report requires students to: 1) Explain their initial business plan and how it changed during the game. 2) Evaluate the rationale and impact of their management, purchasing, marketing, staffing and financial decisions each round. 3) Discuss the most uncertain external factors and how they addressed these. 4) Provide a 150-word pitch for potential investors. The assignment is worth 25% of the course grade.

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Arsalan
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118 views4 pages

BDM CW2 October 2018 Group Assignment

The document outlines the requirements for a coursework assignment evaluating decisions made during a business simulation game. Students were assigned to groups and played as a team managing a sneaker company, making decisions over 8 rounds against other student groups. The report requires students to: 1) Explain their initial business plan and how it changed during the game. 2) Evaluate the rationale and impact of their management, purchasing, marketing, staffing and financial decisions each round. 3) Discuss the most uncertain external factors and how they addressed these. 4) Provide a 150-word pitch for potential investors. The assignment is worth 25% of the course grade.

Uploaded by

Arsalan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Business Decision Making (5BUSS001W)

Semester1, 2018/19
Coursework Assignment: Decision Simulation Report
1. Key Features of the Business Simulation Game

a) The coursework is a group report which evaluates and reflects on the


decisions made by your group/ team in the Edumundo Sneakers Inc
simulation game over the course of the semester and by your
group/team’s performance relative to that of your opponents.

b) Following the initial trial period, the simulation is being played out over
eight rounds according to the timetable published in the Module Handbook
(available on Blackboard and reproduced on page 4 below). Every week,
the deadline is set for 6pm UK (GMT) time on Sunday at which point the
game calculates the outcome for each team based on the last decisions
made (and saved) which have been input (nb: be aware that, in practice,
the round can close up to 30 minutes before the 6pm deadline). The
deadline for the eighth and final round is Sunday, 2 nd December at 6pm
(GMT).

c) You have been allocated to a group/team, normally consisting of five


members in your Workshop, have completed a group learning contract
and play against up to 11 other teams in a market (designated by the
name of a UK city).

d) Five introductory videos for the Sneakers Inc simulation game are
accessible via the module Blackboard site. These give useful hints on how
to improve your company’s performance in the simulation game.

e) Key decisions and performance indicators for each team are monitored by
your Workshop tutor who is available to discuss these with you, as
required, after each round.

f) You must ensure that you have fully completed your Business Plan; this
includes (i) a generic Competitive Strategy; (ii) your chosen
Market(s)/Segment(s) that you wish to operate in each round, (iii) a SWOT
analysis (one or more produced during the course of the game), (iv) the
five Targets your company set for each round and (v) an Ansoff Matrix.

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g) Please keep a record of the Decisions you make in each round
(week/year) of the simulation and the reasoning behind these. This will
help you in the writing of this Decision Simulation Report.

2. What your report needs to cover.

Please address the following:

a) Explain the thinking behind the Business Plan that you set out at the
start of the simulation game and how and why your approach
changed during the course of the game.

Here you should include reference to Generic Competitive Strategy, your


chosen Market(s)/Segment(s) and the Targets that you set yourself.
Include, also, your SWOT & Ansoff analyses. (Word limit: 600 words) (25
marks)

b) Explain the rationale for the decisions you made in all key categories
(Management, Purchasing, Marketing, Staff & Financial) as the game
evolved. Evaluate, as far as you are able, what effect these decisions
had on your company’s performance and ranking.

You should include, as an Appendix, a table summarising the decisions


you made in each round of the simulation under each category and refer
to this in your discussion. The Appendix table is not included in the word
count. (Word limit: 600 words) (25 marks)

c) What did you feel were the most uncertain elements you faced in the
external decision ‘environment’ and how did you overcome these?
(Word limit: 250 words) (10 marks)

This should cover both the broader business/economic environment


(captured in various news items or events that occurred in the game) and
the actions of rival companies.

d) Provide a brief statement (of no more than 150 words) regarding your
company’s future and why a potential investor should buy a share in
your company. (10 marks)

This is the chance for you to make a pitch to potential investors; make it
clear, lively and aspirational.

e) Include a reflective Appendix of 300-400 words commenting on the


skills you developed during the game and the two most important
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things you learned about decision making from playing the game.
(20 marks)

NB: The final 10 marks for the assignment will be allocated according to
your company’s ranking in terms of overall points scored by teams
across all city markets (this will be done on a sliding scale with a
maximum of 10 marks allocated to the top 10% of teams. 9 marks for the
next 10% and so on down to a minimum of 4 marks). There will be a
separate prize for the best performing team.

This coursework assignment is worth of 25% of the module mark.


The deadline for on-line submission (via Turnitin/Blackboard) is Thursday, 13th
December 2018 at 13.00 (1pm).
Marks & Feedback will be available via Blackboard on 7th January 2018 (within
the 15 working day limit set by the University).
Please be aware that this coursework will automatically be scanned through a
text matching system (designed to check for possible plagiarism). You will be
permitted to submit drafts of your work via Turnitin (to check for possible
similarities) prior to final submission.
All members of the group will receive the same mark. The learning outcomes
addressed by this assignment and overarching assessment criteria (drawn from
the Module Handbook) are highlighted below. Further guidance and a full
marking scheme will be provided via Blackboard.
The pass mark for the module is 40%. To pass overall, the minimum mark for
each assessment is 30%. (If your mark for an assessment is under 30%, you will
be required to complete a referral assessment and your mark for that will be
capped at 40%).

From the Module Handbook

The assignment is designed to:

Test student knowledge and application of a range of key decision concepts and
techniques, market research and data collection, and their ability to work as a
group to determine a solution to a decision simulation ‘game’ and to reflect on
their decision choices. (Decision Simulation: LOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 8)

Learning Outcomes this coursework assignment assesses:

1. Describe, and evaluate the impact on organisations of the key global


economic and financial issues facing the world today.
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2. Understand and justify how organisations secure and deploy financial
resources according to their capability and capacity.
3. Select, evaluate and apply concepts, data, tools and techniques in a practical
context.
4. Use quantitative information to verify and extend existing theory.
8. Interact effectively within a group, allocating tasks, receiving and giving
information and ideas, and modifying responses where necessary to achieve
team goals.

Assessment Criteria

Students will be assessed on their:


 Ability to work together to apply a range of decision making
techniques and to reflect on these Equally weighted
 Conceptual knowledge and data analysis skills criteria
 Ability to determine a solution to a decision making problem,
as part of a group.

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