6 Timeframes

These schedules can serve as examples for incorporating the simulations. Most courses include a final debrief presentation and at least five decision rounds.

6.1 Sample Nine Week Schedule

Week 1

• Assign participants to companies;
• Direct participants to the Team Member Guide, which includes registration instructions (15 min);
• Determine role assignments for each participant. See How Can We Organize Our Company? in the Online Guide (15 min);
• Determine company strategy: Participants can create their own or choose from the Six Basic Strategies in the Guide;
• Participants register at www.capsim.com;
• Review Getting Started area of the website (5 min);
• Complete Rehearsal Tutorial, which introduces the simulation software (60 min);
• Complete Situation Analysis exercise in the Guide or the Online Guide. This will help participants analyze external/internal conditions prior to managing their corporation (60 min).

Week 2

• Make Practice Round 1 decisions (90 min);
• Essay Assignment on Vision Statement and/or Outlining Your Strategy (essay assignments are available from the homework assignment library).

Week 3

• Review results of Practice Round 1 (15 min);
• Review with participants the various reports automatically generated by the simulation, especially the Courier/FastTrack (15 min);
• Restart simulation to begin Competition Rounds;
• Make Competition Round 1 decisions (90-120 min);
• Enter Success Measures (15 min);
• Essay assignment on why Success Measures were chosen.

Weeks 4- 7

• Review results for Rounds 1 through 4 one round per week (15 min);
• Make Round 2 through Round 5 decisions, one round per week (60-120 min);
• Optional Homework Assignments may include Core Competency and Competitor Advantage, Competitor Analysis, Best/Worst Case Forecast Development or Financial Structure Policy Statement.
• Week 8
• Review results for Round 5 (15 min);
• Make Round 6 decisions (60 min);
• Prepare Stockholders' Final Debrief - participants defend decisions as the executive management team to the Board of Directors and Stockholders (60 min). This can also be done as final paper.

Week 9

• Stockholders' Final Debrief presentations (10 min per team);
• Review results for Round 6 and reveal the winner of the simulation (15 min).