After successful completion of the game the student is able to:
- select a strategy for the supply chain management and defend it
- Integrate the different decisions on sales, operations, inventories, and sourcing needed for the execution of the selected strategy
- Assess and review different supply chain strategies using quantitative indicators
- identify group decision making models (rational, administrative, political, garbage can), and apply these to project work
- Identify own and others decision maker’s style (autocratic, information seeking, consulting, negotiating, delegating), and can identify decision making bias
- Understands sources of power to influence others, and can identify influence tactics that they use themselves
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The Fresh Connection is a web-based supply chain management learning environment. It is built around a cross functional business simulation. Students are making strategic and tactical decisions in The Fresh Connection chain, a virtual producer of fruit juices delivering to retail and out of home channels. As this virtual company is suffering severe losses, a new management team has been appointed. Four students take up a role in this new management team as Vice President (VP) Purchasing, VP Sales, VP Operations, or VP Supply Chain. These four VPs should report to ‘The president’ which is the fifth student in the team. The role of the president is to specify the strategy in consultation with VPs and take responsibility of the coordination and alignment of the different decisions. Per role the following topics are included in the scope of decision making:
- VP Purchasing: Supplier Management
- VP Sales: Demand and Portfolio Management
- VP Operations: Capacity and Production Management
- VP Supply Chain: Inventory Management and Value and Supply Chain Management
- President of the management team of The Fresh Connection
it is clear that all functional roles of VPs are involved from the first round and on. The President can check all the decisions made in all functions, however she/he cannot directly change these decisions in the game. This should be done via the VP responsible for that decision. Participants take decisions in their functional area only, so adherence to the chosen strategy, cooperation and aligning decisions are the key factors to success. The participants can choose their own KPI’s and experience the importance of a good management of information. Besides the internal collaboration, external collaboration with suppliers and customers is another topic which is covered in the game.
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