ENGINUITY
Using within Higher Education
©Virtual Management Simulations
Introduction
Students studying for construction-related degree programmes undertake a
variety of modules designed to equip them with the technical skills needed when
they go out into industry.
However, how often are they given an insight into the challenges and decisions
that face corporate management on a daily basis in the ‘real world’ ?
ENGINUITY competitions bridge this gap, providing a practical and engaging
supplement to undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and putting the “theory
learnt into practice” in an inspiring leadership and management exercise.
Using a sophisticated computer simulation, competing teams are given the task of
managing a UK-based global construction business, with jobs, clients, competitors
and people across different continents and countries, resulting in unique
challenges and opportunities, which will require some special management skills
to be successful.
Each team’s progress against the other competing teams is based upon
league tables based upon a number of Key Performance Indicators.
ENGINUITY competitions have already been integrated into the annual teaching
programmes of a number of universities in the UK and Worldwide.
Showcase
Some of the Universities using ENGINUITY are outlined below.
AUCKLAND/CANTERBURY UNIVERSITIES
(New Zealand)
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY
(Australia)
Departments of Civil Engineering
Undergraduate level
Throughout semester two
Departments Civil/Environmental Engineering
Postgraduate level
Throughout semester one
PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR
FURTHER DETAILS
www.enginuitycomp.co.uk
UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK
(Ireland)
PORTSMOUTH UNIVERSITY
(UK)
Department of Management and Marketing
Postgraduate level
2-week course
School of Civil Engineering and Surveying
Postgraduate level
During both semesters
The Task
A fledgling UK-based multinational construction company, with its headquarters in
London, has been trading for just one year.
A new management team is needed to run the company for the foreseeable future.
The first task facing the new management team is to form a business strategy to
satisfy the high demands of the company's shareholders, who are keen to see a
quick return on their investment.
Although based in the UK, and subject to UK tax laws and interest rates, expansion
into overseas markets, and different continents, may be an attractive proposition.
A lot will depend upon the prevailing economic climate in the UK, and worldwide.
Working in different countries will present some particular challenges to overcome,
such as client restrictions, global competitors and environmental problems
(extreme weather conditions, civil unrest, local labour problems etc).
However, the potential rewards and opportunities of operating globally, such as
worldwide client base, niche markets and lucrative large-scale contracts, may
outweigh the risks.
The decisions that have to be made each period, and the fate of the
company, lies in the hands of the new management team.
Making Decisions
Decisions are made for a period, which represents a quarter (3 months), in key business areas.
• Looking after the company’s
shareholders
• Managing the assets of the
company
Financial
• Bidding for new work in a
competitive tendering
environment
• Assessing costs, risks and rival
competition for work
Procurement
• Expanding the company’s
market share by identifying new
work in different sectors and
locations
• Staffing the support service
departments efficiently
Overheads
• Allocating labour and project
managers to progress contracts
awarded through to successful
completion
• Overcoming construction
problems that may occur
Job Progression
Timeframe
Each team starts the competition with the same company, which has already been
operating for one year. They must manage their company through 2 possible stages.
Early Years
During the Early Years the management teams are competing for new work against simulated companies,
based in particular countries, who may tender for work in their own country only, or worldwide.
Each rival company has their own unique profile and tendering history, which has to be carefully scrutinised
in order to formulate an effective procurement strategy for competing against them.
Later Years (“Head to Head”)
During the Later Years, the teams compete ‘Head to Head’ against each other for both new contracts,
and for the services of the same key personnel, in particular project managers.
This creates an even more uncertain environment in which the management skills, team dynamics, global
market strategy and client relationships formed in the Early Years are put to the ultimate test.
Measuring Performance
The success of the company is determined by 10 key performance indicators.
The indicators are all weighted at the start of the Early Years to reflect their variability, and
initially sum to 1,000 at the end period 4.
Each company’s progress against the other competing teams is based upon the total of the
performance indicators using the Enginuity League Table, which is displayed on the competition
web page at the end of each round.
Success of Failure
The decisions that have to be made each period, and the fate of the company, lies in the hands of
the new management team.
Success
Failure
Key Features
Managing the global business involves demonstrating and developing a range of leadership and
management skills.
Managing The
Global Business
Corporate level
Operational level
Understanding the
industry
Forming company
strategy
Making key decisions
UK and worldwide
Economic climate
Availability of work
Rival competition
Client expectations
Satisfy stakeholders
Improve asset value
Achieve profitable growth
Increase market share
Manage risk
Enhance company reputation
Finance
Marketing
Overheads
Procurement
Construction
Overcoming
problems
Changes in economy
Job delays
New competitors
Changing client requirements
Personnel issues
Supply chain problems
Management
skills required
Interpreting reports
Measuring performance
Analysing information
Solving problems
Making effective
decisions
Team Working
Effective team working will be vital to ensure that the company runs smoothly.
“I was team leader this year of my group in the Auckland and Canterbury
Universities Enginuity Competition. I have thoroughly enjoyed the
competition not only because I get to compete against my fellow University
students but also because of what I have learnt about the nature of the
multi-national construction industry.
Enginuity has taught me a lot about business that I didn’t already know; in
terms of all the decisions that a company is required to make and the impact
that these have on its profitability and success. The competition models well
the variability of the real world and hence the need to have strategic plans
for any unexpected events that may occur.
It has been a lot of fun working in a small group where I’ve formed some
great friendships and learnt valuable teamwork skills. I highly recommend
Enginuity and am thankful that I had the opportunity to compete in it.”
• Deciding upon the structure of the team, individual
roles, and who should lead the team
• Identifying strengths and weaknesses
• Resolving conflicts as they arise
Assessment
Having taken part in an ENGINUITY Competition, it is important to assess what the teams
have learnt from taken part.
The teams will need to describe : The initial state of the company when they took over
 Their strategy for running the company during the early and later years
 A review of their performance against the initial objectives
 How their strategy was changed according to their progress
 The lessons learnt, their strengths and weaknesses, team dynamics etc
The assessment can be delivered in a number of ways.
A written Business Performance Report
A slideshow presentation
How It Works
Up and Running
The Competition
(Pre Competition)
(Played Remotely)
• Participants split into teams, and
registered for the competition
• Instructions, information and data
emailed to the teams to get them up
and running
• Teams install the software, and have
some time to practise learning how to
play Enginuity, know as trialling
• Full 7-day support, with detailed
feedback given to the teams
• A number of rounds played against
computer-simulated rival companies,
known as the Early Years
• A number of rounds where the teams
compete directly against each other,
‘head to head’, known as the Later
Years
• Assessment in a number of ways, such
as presentations or business
performance reports
• Feedback to review progress, strengths
and weaknesses, and what has been
learnt
Considerations When Setting Up A Competition
WHERE ENGINUITY FITS IN
Decide upon the appropriate course/module for the ENGINUITY Competition.
TEAMS
 Number or students taking part
 Number of teams (between 3 and 6 team members is recommended)
STRUCTURE
 Allow 3 weeks for trialling
 Number of weekly rounds of the Early Years
 Number of weekly rounds of the Later years
Normally run over a 12 week semester with a : 3/4/4 format for 10 or less teams (trialling / early years / later years)
 3/8 format for more than 15 teams
ASSESSMENT
What format should assessment take : Presentation
 Business Performance Report
We will provide performance summaries in pdf format for each team at the end of the Competition.
TOOLS/SUPPORT
 Software, tutorial and learning tools can be downloaded from the website
 Full 7-day support/feedback by email
 We can deliver/provide introduction and feedback sessions
 Bespoke competition web page
COST
Depends upon the particular structure of the Competition, but guaranteed to be cost effective value for money.
Further Information
Further detailed information can be obtained from the website at:
www.enginuitycomp.co.uk
or by e-mail
mike@enginuitycomp.co.uk
or by contacting in the first instance
Mike Fletcher
Tel/Fax No: +44 (0)1332 694351