Global Supply Chain Management Simulation
Assignment Guidelines
Observations & Reflections
BEFORE completing the simulation, review this document to see what kind of information you should collect/write down. Consider ‘why’ your decisions worked (or didn’t). The five general topics are listed below, and these can be the ‘headers’ of your paper. Alternatively, you can record audio or video comments for each section (record over this document or use another screencapture package). Note the last section allows for you to paste a screenshot of your best run of the simulation.
Comment on your analysis and decisions regarding the following topics:
1. Phone Options
a. What criteria did you use to select options? What tradeoffs did you consider? What analyses did you conduct to support the options selections?
b. How are Models A and B different?
2. Forecasting
a. Which approach did you use for your annual forecasts? Why did you use this method? Did you like the results?
b. Did you use the same approach for each model of phone? Why or why not?
c. How did you use the forecasting information? How did you adjust your method over the simulation run(s)? Why?
3. Supplier Selection
a. How many suppliers did you use? Did you change this number over the four years?
b. What criteria did you use to select suppliers? What characteristics were most/least appealing? How did you determine if it was better/worse to use closer/farther suppliers?
c. How did you decide whether to spend more to reduce lead times?
d. How did your supplier selection decisions change? Why?
4. Production
a. How did you set initial production levels? How did you allocate the models across suppliers? How did you factor in carrying costs, capacity constraints, and/or lead times? Did you issue production change orders? Why or why not?
b. Which model had higher carrying costs? Which had higher stockout costs? How did this information affect your decision-making?
c. Did you invest in the Celldex shows? Why or why not? How did your thinking change year to year? Why?
5. Lessons Learned / Questions
a. What conclusions can you draw regarding forecasting? Or global supply chain design? Or adapting to new market information?
b. What information was most valuable? Least? What were the biggest challenges?
c. How might this apply to new electronics being introduced today? Do the lessons apply to other products, too?
6. Add a screenshot of your best performance here.
2/15/22, 6:43 AM Week 7: Monday 2/14- Deliverable: GSCM Simulation — Reflection Write Up
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1601545/assignments/6986406#submit 1/2
Week 7: Monday 2/14- Deliverable: GSCM Simulation —
Reflection Write Up
Due Feb 14 by 11:59pm Points 100 Submitting a file upload
Available after Feb 10 at 12am
For the GSCM assignment: To Be Completed After This Week’s Lecture on Supply Chain
For the GSCM assignment (Simulation inside course pack):: Due Monday, February 14th by 11:59 pm
You will have to purchase access to the simulation from Harvard Business Press for $15. If
you are partnering on this assignment, only one of you needs to purchase the simulation. If
you haven’t purchased it yet, you will need to do so here:
https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/896448
You are allowed to work with one other student and create a single submission for which each
student will receive the same score. You can also choose to work alone.
Your submission will be a written paper (about 1,000 words) where you respond to the prompt
questions in-lone on the word doc in the next bullet.
The areas for reflection are contained in this document
(https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1601545/files/67672871/download?download_frd=1) that
presents the guideline information as well as will serve as a template for your reflection
submission. Be sure to reference the rubric for items you need to include that are not called
out in the prompts.
Be sure to read and review the prep materials before you begin…I’ve attached the ‘How to Play
Guide (https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1601545/files/67672876/download?download_frd=1)
‘ (https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1590953/files/65568432/download?download_frd=1)
here, and the interactive preparation materials are useful, too.
This is a fun and challenging simulation and you can run it multiple times. If you are wondering what
a career in SCM might entail, this can be an inexpensive preview.
Upload a file, or choose a file you’ve already uploaded.
File Upload Google Doc DropBox Google Drive Office 365 Studio
Upload File Use Webcam
Add Another File
Click here to find a file you’ve already uploaded
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1601545/files/67672871/download?wrap=1
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1601545/files/67672871/download?download_frd=1
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1590953/files/65628708/download?wrap=1
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1601545/files/67672876/download?wrap=1
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1601545/files/67672876/download?wrap=1
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1601545/files/67672876/download?download_frd=1
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1590953/files/65568432/download?wrap=1
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1590953/files/65568432/download?download_frd=1
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1590953/files/65568432/download?wrap=1
2/15/22, 6:43 AM Week 7: Monday 2/14- Deliverable: GSCM Simulation — Reflection Write Up
https://seattleu.instructure.com/courses/1601545/assignments/6986406#submit 2/2
Total Points: 100
GSCM Reflections
Criteria Ratings Pts
10 pts
20 pts
20 pts
20 pts
20 pts
10 pts
Comments…
Cancel Submit Assignment
Phone
options
10 pts
Full Marks
8 pts
Missing variance analysis
5 pts
Too brief
0 pts
No Marks
Forecasting
20 pts
Full
Marks
18 pts
Good, but missing key element or
support for approach
15 pts
Missing support for
approach or changes
0 pts
No
Marks
Supplier
Selection
20 pts
Full
Marks
18 pts
Good, but missing key element or
support for approach
15 pts
Missing criteria, lead times,
and/or changes
0 pts
No
Marks
Production 20 pts
Full
Marks
18 pts
Good, but missing key element or
support for approach
15 pts
Missing rationale for
choices/changes
0 pts
No
Marks
Lessons
Learned
20 pts
Full
Marks
18 pts
Good, but missing key
element or support for
approach
15 pts
Missing forecasting, SC design,
information, and/or other products
0 pts
No
Marks
Look and
feel /
Quality
10 pts
Full Marks
8 pts
Not quite perfect
5 pts
OK
0 pts
No Marks
Global Supply Chain
Management V2 Simulation
How to Play Guide
Updated: March 31, 2017
Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the
permission of Harvard Business Publishing.
1
Challenge
When companies provide extensive product options, it makes predicting
and fulfilling customer demand highly complex.
This simulation illustrates how a few key decisions can improve the
ability of a company to accurately predict and fulfill demand.
You have just been hired as the Supply Chain Manager responsible for
production of two new lines of mobile phones. You will be able to make
key decisions and see the impact of your decisions on the
performance
of your company over the span of 4 years.
Updated: March 31, 2017
Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the
permission of Harvard Business Publishing.
2
Your Objectives
• You are in charge of releasing two models of mobile phones:
• Model A, a base model
• Model B, a high end model
• Decide which features to include and with whom to outsource the work.
Important Info:
• Sales season is May through December—there is no demand before May or after December
• Demand is anticipated to be consistent over these months
You will be judged on the following criteria:
Gross Margin
Number of Votes of Confidence by Board Members
Updated: March 31, 2017
Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the
permission of Harvard Business Publishing.
3
Design Room
• Add up to four options to the base model
• *Pay attention to the estimated change in
demand created by each option, its impact on
profit per unit, and other variables
Updated: March 31, 2017
Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the
permission of Harvard Business Publishing.
4
Forecasting Room
• Predict the demand of the two phone
models for each year
• *Remember, demand is spread out
evenly across all months from May to
December.
Updated: March 31, 2017
Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the
permission of Harvard Business Publishing.
5
Production Room
• After choosing suppliers you will advance
month by month and observe the accuracy of
your forecasts
• You will be able to change your production
schedule, but this will require a significant
payment to your suppliers
Updated: March 31, 2017
Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the
permission of Harvard Business Publishing.
6
Board Room
• Review your financial
performance
• See how well your strategic
choices have played out over the
year based on Board Member
feedback.
Updated: March 31, 2017
Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the
permission of Harvard Business Publishing.
7
• When the board meeting ends, return to the Design Room to
start the next year
• You will repeat the cycle of design, forecasting, production,
and board evaluation for four years
• Remember that you can track your progress using the
scorecard on the left-hand side of the screen
• You can refer to previous decisions you made by clicking on
the Decision History section.
Updated: March 31, 2017
Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the
permission of Harvard Business Publishing.
8
Good Luck!
