Supply Chain Management (ITECH7413) - ERPSIM Game Reflection Report

This report provides a detailed reflection on an ERPSIM simulation game, focusing on a student's experience in a supply chain management context. The report addresses eight key questions, analyzing team performance across three rounds of the game, highlighting improvements in financial metrics such as profit and loss, balance sheet, and company value. It describes the game's business processes, which involved water distribution and decision-making related to product offerings, pricing, and marketing. The author discusses the team's experience, emphasizing the impact of decisions on financial outcomes and the importance of agility. The report identifies both the positive and negative aspects of the experience, including the team's performance and time constraints. It explores potential improvements, such as more informed decision-making and strategic pricing, along with additional skills that could have enhanced performance, such as time management and team bonding. Finally, it highlights the skills and learnings gained from the game, including team management, informed decision-making, and the impact of individual variables in a real-world scenario. The report references relevant academic sources to support its analysis.

Assignment on ERP Simulation Game
Introduction
The assignment is a reflection of experience gathered in simulation game held today in
relation to business process. The assignment generally answers 8 questions:
Analysis of performance
The performance of the team has been quite satisfying over the three rounds of the game. The
said fact is evident from the profit and loss account and balance sheet of the company which
has shown a development each round by a very good percentage. All the key component of
the balance sheet has shown a great spike including Current Asset, Equity, Long term asset
etc. Further, expenses and liabilities of the company has also increased over the rounds as
interest expense showed surge, liabilities have increased by substantial amount over the three
week period so is the marketing expenses and other allied expenses of the organisation.
The value of the company has also spiked over the rounds of the game despite heavy
competition from the other teams. Some products in the fold of the company has shown very
promising results namely product 11 to 16 while product 1 to 6 has been stable over the
period.
Thus, in short, the results of the team is satisfying and it may be stated that team has played
well and took good strategic decision.
Question 1
Describe the game and related business process
Answer 1
The game consisted of three rounds involving decision making of key elements of business
wherein our team was required to take fundamental decisions of the business considering the
competitors response. Further, the ERP simulation game related to distribution of water in a
specific country. There were range of products along with different packaging size to be
marketed.
The following details were required to be estimated:
(a) Creation of purchase order;
(b) Forecasting sales;
(c) Planning of marketing expense;
(d) Pricing;
(e) Computation of requirements etc.
Question 2
Describe the team experience
Answer 2

The team experience has been unique as they experienced a real life experience of impact of
decision variables on balance sheet, profit and loss account, cash flows etc. The process and
game help them to understand that how each factor plays a crucial role in decision making.
Further, how you need to be active and agile in a market otherwise competitors will dwindle
your reserves and funds.
Question 3
What did you like the most about your game experience today
Answer 3
To be frank, the most liked part of the game was our good performance from round 1 to 3
which is apt from the profit and loss account and balance sheet of company. Our excellent
performance in the game was the motivating factor too take further quick and good steps to
reach such revenue.
Question 4
What did you like the least about your experience today
Answer 4
The least liked part of the game experience was the shortness of time which did not allow us
to apply all that we have learnt in our courses. The brevity of time has initiated us to take
certain actions which would have been better based on our knowledge of the subject matter.
Thus, I believe the least liked part was the time brevity. (Léger, 2013)
Question 5
With your knowledge of the game what could have been done differently
Answer 5
If I had previous knowledge of the game, the action that I would have taken was more
informed decision making which would have outperformed my financials. Further, I would
have set the price initially low and raised it as per market demand. Further, I would have
taken more informed decisions. (Léger P.-M. C., 2012)
Question 6
What did you like the most about your game experience today?
Answer 6
To be frank, the most liked part of the game was our good performance from round 1 to 3
which is apt from the profit and loss account and balance sheet of company. Our excellent
performance in the game was the motivating factor too take further quick and good steps to
reach such revenue. (Comparing Objective Measures and Perceptions of Cognitive Learning
in an ERP Simulation Game, 2020)
Question 7
What additional knowledge or skills would have helped you play the game today

Answer 7
Additional skills regarding time management, quick and informed decision and better agility
could have been the game changer and would have contributed further to our performance
and excellent results in the given time space and rounds. Further, the skills of team bonding
and allocation of role among each member based on unique persona of individual would have
added to the performance and efficiency of the business process. (Caya, 2014)
Question 8
What skills/learning edges could you take away from playing the game today?
Answer 8
The skills/learning edges that I have taken away from playing the game today encompass
team management, team bonding, time management, informed decision, agileness and how a
single variable could be the game changer in the real life scenario.
References
Caya, O. L.-M. (2014). Integrating, sharing, and sourcing knowledge in an ERP usage context.
Knowledge Management Research & Practice,.
Comparing Objective Measures and Perceptions of Cognitive Learning in an ERP Simulation Game.
(2020, April 14). Retrieved from journals.sagepub.com:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1046878111433783
Léger, P.-M. C. (2012). Authentic OM problem solving in ERP context . International Journal of
Production and Operations Management.
Léger, P.-M. L. (2013). Scope Management: A Core Information System Implementation Project
Pedagogy. nternational Education Studies.