9 Simulation Checklist - 9.7 Encouraging Team Consensus

9.7 Encouraging Team Consensus

As an optional measure, instructors can encourage or even specify work methods for participants via the participants' Conference and Email areas.

9.7.1 Company Conference

The Company Conference area allows participants to discuss action plans before team meetings, and to prepare analysis after team meetings. This puts team members on a more equal footing, because slow students can catch up, all students arrive at meetings well prepared, and participants take positions on the important issues before arrival. Meetings are shorter, and the discussions are more focused.

The Company Conference area also presents a reasonable alternative to face-to-face meetings entirely.

The team can post and maintain a description of their strategic vision in their Company Conference. This statement would, of course, evolve with time. For example, a Capstone® strategy might read " Our strategy targets the Traditional and Low End segments. By the end of the simulation we will have three products in each. Our plants will be relatively small but highly automated, so that we can run overtime without burden. Our competitive advantage derives from (1)cost leadership, (2)differentiation via new products, brand equity, and distribution systems, and (3)focus upon two segments instead of five. By improving productivity via automation, we will reward employees with excellent wages and never take a strike. We reposition our products every 2.5 years to keep up with segment drift, and we never plan to retire a product. We aim to achieve 50% share in each of our target segments, 20% ROS, and above average stock price. By the end of the game we plan to have no debt, preferring dividend streams to interest payments."

The team can record the activity in the team meetings and post them in a weekly report in the Company Conference. Were reports presented by individual members? What plans were proposed? Was consensus reached about each tactic, or were matters settled by a majority vote? What results does the group forecast for the next round?

Individuals can record their learning from the round. In what way does their opinion about company direction differ from the group? Do they feel they are living up to the vision statement? The strategy? Do they challenge any of their group's assessment of the scenario?

9.7.2 Team Email

The email system allows team members to coordinate activities and make announcements.