Simulation Methods and Educational Games: Application Areas for Learning and Strategic Decision Making in Manufacturing Operations (original) (raw)

Business Simulation Game Development for Education and Training in Supply Chain Management

2012 Sixth Asia Modelling Symposium, 2012

This paper presents a simulation-based business game for training and education in the area of supply chain management. It starts with a short review of existing simulation games used for training and education in supply chain management, which is followed by a brief description of the ECLIPS game that has been developed for providing an insight into various aspects of supply chain management, with opportunity to analyze different supply chain structures and control mechanisms. In particular, the application of the ECLIPS game to comparison of different supply chain inventory management policies, including non-cyclic and cyclic ones, is provided. Also, the paper presents a special computeraided tool that allows testing and evaluating various scenarios of the ECLIPS game. The method of scenario evaluation is described as well.

Learning and practising supply chain management strategies from a business simulation game: a comprehensive supply chain simulation

Simulation Conference, 2008. …, 2008

An Internet based supply chain simulation game (ISCS) is introduced and demonstrated in this paper. Different from other games and extended from the Beer Game, a comprehensive set of supply chain (SC) management strategies can be tested in the game, and these strategies can be evaluated and appraised based on the built-in Management Information System (MIS). The key functionalities of ISCS are designed to increase players' SC awareness, facilitate understanding on various SC strategies and challenges, foster collaboration between partners, and improve problem solving skills. It is concluded that an ISCS can be used as an efficient and effective teaching tool as well as a research tool in operations research and management science. Problems and obstacles have been observed while engaging in the SC business scenario game. The actions proposed and implemented to solve these problems have resulted in improved SC performance.

Education and training of manufacturing and supply chain processes using business simulation games

Procedia Manufacturing, 2021

Various studies confirm the positive outcomes of business simulation games, which can be effectively used in the education of manufacturing and supply chain processes. The use of them in education increases business knowledge, causes better understanding of business processes, improves decision making, problem-solving, and interpersonal communication skills. General business simulation games with manufacturing functions included are described briefly. Twenty-two specialized manufacturing and supply chain simulations are discussed in detail showing their features and decision-making possibilities. The study is useful for educators, trainers, and companies looking for practical learning methods. The discussion of the games gives them an opportunity to better understand available business simulations and be able to choose the appropriate one for their expected learning outcomes.

Business simulation game for teaching multi-echelon supply chain management

International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 2009

The objective of this paper is to present a new educational tool developed in the form of a business game for helping to understand concepts developed in the ECLIPS project, supported by the European Commission. The game provides an insight into different aspects of supply chain management, i.e. general supply chain mechanisms, as well as non-cyclic and cyclic inventory replenishment policies. This allows for people that have no deep notion in this area to better understand the project concepts and evaluate their efficiency in practice. Demonstrating concepts in a playful way is considered as more powerful and effective than purely explaining the underlying theory. The paper describes the rules of the game, playing process and provides results of the game test sessions.

Parameterised Business Simulation Game Development for Education in Supply Chain Management and Logistics

This paper examines the development of a business simulation game for training and education in the area of supply chain management. The paper be- gins by identifying the need for an apparatus that could be used in many disci- plines, minimising the learning time with regard to the simulator with reasonable parameterisation, followed by a brief conclusion about the available games. Fidel- ity and embodied experiences are needs that are effectively detected in the design process, demonstrating the relevance of these aspects. One topic of interest is that the effects of the main functions of management (marketing, finance, and produc- tion) were minimised in this game to make decisions on logistics with higher rele- vance. This paper describes the process that was used to design the simulator and draws the first conclusions about interface, usability, technical functionality and potential adoption in an educational context.

A Game-Based Approach for Simulation and Design of Supply Chains

Sustainable Logistics and Strategic Transportation Planning

This chapter reviews the potential benefits and challenges of knowledge-based computer game simulation as means of understanding the dynamics of global procurement and manufacturing supply chains. In particular the chapter focuses on the use of software agents to assist decision making across the supply chain, for example in raw material procurement. The chapter describes a framework for supply chain scenarios in multi-agent based simulation games. The agents' behaviour is governed by business rules, based on the concept of normative knowledge representation and its reasoning mechanism (known as rule-based reasoning, RBR) and that also come closer to the task that confronts the supply chain operational manager – the analysis of current case in hand in terms of previously decided business problem solutions, known as case-based reasoning (CBR). The aim is to introduce more realistic behavior of the supply chain actors and improve understanding in operational management of supply c...

Supply Chain Dynamics: Simulation-Based Training and Education

2011

The paper discusses use of simulation-based business games for training and education in the area of supply chain management. It starts with a state-of-the art review of extant application of simulation games used for training and education in supply chain management, followed by description of a recently developed ECLIPS game. It has been developed within a European project for providing an insight into various aspects of supply chain management, with possibilities to analyze different supply chain structures and control mechanisms. In particular, application of the ECLIPS game to comparison of different supply chain inventory management policies, including non-cyclic and cyclic ones, is provided. For that particular situation, game rules and playing process are explained, as well as sample results obtained by participants are presented and interpreted.

Simulation and Optimization Models in a Business Game for Decision-Making in Logistics Processes

IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, 2016

Business games using simulation and optimization models can help users to find out solutions to complex management problems and develop critical and strategic thinking skills. The main goal of this paper is to present the application of a business game provided with a simulation and optimization model for decision-making in logistics processes, including total cost, calculated results of costs and trade-offs involved in the logistics business operations. Furthermore, it is expected that the developed models can contribute to the use of business games in teaching and learning process with a focus on professional preparation of students for the labor market. In the end, it is observed that this tool may be useful for training professionals and students.

Business Games Based on Simulation and Decision-Making in Logistics Processes

Advances in Production Management Systems. The Path to Intelligent, Collaborative and Sustainable Manufacturing

The use of business games can help users to find solutions to complex management problems, to develop critical and strategic thinking skills, and to prepare professionals for the labor market. Business games as an active learning method has been widely debated, and there is a continuing interest in how students learn when they are stimulated. The goal of this research is to analyze the application of business games as an effective teaching methodology and decision-making in logistics processes in business administration undergraduate courses. The business game ENTERSIM was built with software and cloud computing. As the results, the student's testimonies showed some deficiencies in the instructions given and in the activity application's time. However, students emphasized the wish to carry out again activities that involve business games for bringing theory to practice. Students recognized the contribution of the business game to improve learning about operations, problem-solving, and decision-making.