Business simulation

Duration

30h Mon. WS

Number of credits

Lecturer

Wilfried Niessen

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

All year long

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Important remark : this course is organized in English for the incoming Erasmus students of the fall term

The simulation game consists of 5 teams of 5 students each. Each team represents a company on a market, and competes with the four others. The students make up the board of the company.
The game lasts 4 days. The first half-day is devoted to presenting the game and briefing all participants. Each team makes 12 decisions, which corresponds to one decision per quarter for 3 years. According to its decisions, and the decisions of competitors, the company receives a quarterly result sheet.
After 3 simulated years of company life, the board has to present their results to their partners (shareholders, bank, works council). In the game, those partners are represented by all participants. The decisions of each team are analysed and synthesized in a final report drawn up by the organizers.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

This course aims at helping students (working in teams) :
- discover the interaction between the major functions of a company (production, finance, marketing, human resources);
- learn how to define policies, infer objectives & compare results with objectives;
- train at decision-making.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

FIN 505 Accounting & Finance
SC 529 Logistics and Production
MKTG 552 Marketing
RH 132 Staff Management

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

The game is organised in Banneux on four consecutive days from 8.30 to 6. A € 25 fee is to be paid.
Two simulations are prganized :
- from the 20 to the 23 of October 2014;
- from the 16 to the 19 of March 2015.
The repartition between both simulations will be done before the first simulation.

Recommended or required readings

A leaflet with the rules of the game will be available on-line one week before the game starts.
It should be read carefully .

Assessment methods and criteria

1st session assessment : continuous assessment of each team's performance; written report and presentation
2nd session assessment : idem
prolonged 2nd session assessment : idem

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

"Enseignement toute l'année" means one simulation by part of the year.

Contacts

Wilfried Niessen
HEC-Ecole de Gestion de l'ULg (Bât. N1)
Tél.: +32 4 2327264
email : Wilfried.Niessen@ulg.ac.be