Executive at ….
Staffordshire University
April
TRAINING
Level 3
Undergraduate Programme
Business Simulation 2011
EMC plc
April Training Executive Ltd.
April House, Tarvin Road, Frodsham
Cheshire WA6 6XN 01928 735868
Welcome to Executive
April
TRAINING
A Real Time Simulation based on the
European Automotive Industry
Our Aim is :
To provide practical and relevant
experience in the operation of a
business team to achieve
strategic business challenges and
deliver impressive business
results in a challenging market
and economic environment.
The Simulation in Overview…
You will be working in a team environment to manage an automotive
company trading in the European car market. The module will
comprise the following elements :
PLANNING – Preparing a Strategic Plan, agreeing
responsibilities
DECISION MAKING – Making five sets of business
decisions as a team and to deadlines
REVIEWING AND REPORTING – Assessing your
progress during each year of the simulation and
submitting an individual report at the end of the
module
PRESENTATION – Some teams MAY be asked to make a
presentation on their experience at the end of the
module
Learning Objectives (1)
Learning during the module will include :
1. Critical thinking
2. Business review and financial analysis
3. Environmental and business analysis
4. Portfolio and market management and
development
5. Stakeholder expectations management
Learning Objectives (2)
6. Managing across the market and
business value chains
7. Managing unexpected events
8. Managing financial investment and
performance
Learning Objectives (3)
9.
Understanding the impact of
business decisions on company
performance and results
10. Working in a team environment
under strict deadlines and
reporting pressure
Module Structure
 5 leagues
 Up to 9 companies trading in each league
 You are taking managerial responsibility for EMC plc
as it enters FY 2011/2012. The company has been
trading for many years already
 In a period of significant market turbulence
 The marketplace replicates what is happening in the
real environment today
 External business issues will crop up from time to time
 Briefing documents have been provided
Leagues in the
Simulation Module
Alpha
Delta
Beta
Gamma
Epsilon
Assessed Performance
Measures
 Share Price
 Return on Capital Employed
 Current Ratio
 Capital Gearing Ratio
 Market Position & Share (total)
 Gross Profit %
 Output per worker per annum
Business Plan
You will be required to prepare your business strategy and plan in
not more than 7 ppt slides (plus a header page)
Unique company name, logo and strap line
The company mission/vision statements
Choice of target market
Summary of competitor analysis to identify
problems or threats and opportunities
 Overall target markets and strategic rationale




 Financial objectives
WE WILL PROVIDE A SET OF TEMPLATES FOR YOUR USE
Management Roles Available….








Chief Executive Officer
Strategic Planning Executive
Manufacturing Executive
Finance Executive
Technical and Engineering Executive
Sales and Dealer Network Executive
Human Resource Executive
Marketing Executive
Key Stakeholders
 Customers
 Employees
 Suppliers
 Shareholders
 Governments
 Local Communities
Simulation Module Schedule
A full timetable can be
found on page 7
of the Handbook
THE SIMULATION
The Marketplace
All your production facilities are situated in the UK
and cannot be relocated to other European locations
How the market is segmented
CITY
MEDIUM
LARGE
LUXURY
Under 25
1
2
3
4
25 to 40
5
6
7
8
41 to 55
9
10
11
12
Over 55
13
14
15
16
Platform
e.g. Mini
e.g. Astra
e.g. Jaguar X e.g. BMW 6
Age Group
Your products will be targeted at one of these sector numbers
Market sector share %
of the total market when you takeover
EMC plc
City
Size
% of total
market
Medium
Large
Luxury
e.g. Mini
e.g. Astra
e.g. Jaguar X
e.g. BMW 7
37.25
38.97
18.72
5.06
Market Forecast for 2011/12 is 12-15m new car sales
What’s it all about?
Marketing and Image
People and Teams
Managing Finance
Operations
Annual Business Decisions
 Products (Models)
 Names, Market Sectors, Specifications, R&D, Price
 People
 Number to be Employed, Pay
 Plant
 No. of Factories, Level of Automation, Output Capacities
 Promotion
 Advertising
 Customer & Dealer Incentives
 Sponsorship
 Finance
 Loans, overdrafts, credits terms for customers and suppliers,
financial investments, share trading
Starting Position
 First year of trading is year 3 of the simulation
 Inflation will be 5-6%
 Company has a debt of £800m – You MUST
begin repaying this immediately at a rate of
£100m per annum
 Company has invested £425m in a new model –
you will be responsible for its launch in your
first year of trading
 The company has offered 500,000 shares for
sale to the General Public
 Gilts can be purchased with an interest rate of
14.48% for 5 years
To begin running the
Simulation
You will receive an email containing a team
number, a password and a link similar to:
http://executive.trainingsimulations.co.uk//
PlayerLogin/index.php
Click on the link to run the simulation
Introductory Screen
Enter your
serial no. and
game name here
and press Next
Then…
Select your team
number from the
drop-down menu,
enter your
password and
press
Enter the Simulation
Click here to view
Cost & Data
Sheet/Reports
Click here to go straight
to the decision-making
screens
Screen 2
Press the button
to view and print/save the Cost & Data sheet.
To print or
save a report
click on the
relevant icon
here
Note: This can be accessed at any time via the
Results option on the quick navigation panel on
the left-hand side of the page
Decision Screens 1
Enter the name, size,
age group target
and price for the
model. Press
Decisions to move to
further options
General
is provided on
each page
For information on
individual decisions,
click on the question mark.
Model Designs Decisions
You can select more
than one option per
model, if you wish
Select a body style
and engine size
for the model by
choosing the
appropriate
checkbox
Press
once
you are happy with
your choices
Model Options Screen
Select as many or as few
as required. Prices can
be found on the Cost &
Data Sheet
Pick other options
that can be made
available on your
model
Press
to continue, or
to change your earlier
inputs.
returns you
to the overview screen
Research & Development
Projects
Choose any R&D
projects that you
wish to apply to this
model
Once you’re happy with your
decisions for that model
Follow this procedure for all subsequent models,
and then press
to enter Company Decisions
PRODUCTION
Enter the
workforce
to be allocated to
each model
Insert any automation
expenditure, the target
factory output and the
weekly wage to be paid.
Select
Marketing, New Model &
Market Research
Notification of the number
of factories needed to
house the workforce
employed
Invest in
advertising
to raise the
profile of your
company &
products
If you wish to launch
a new model next
year, invest here
Purchase market
research/data on
competition
FINANCE
 Enter :
 The amount
you wish to
borrow
 The dividend
to pay
 Shares to be
issued
 Number of
credit & debit
days
Decide if the
company will invest
in gilts
Invest in your competitors’
companies by purchasing
and trading shares (from
year 2)
Next…
Once all Model and Company Decisions are
entered, press
to view a forecast of your results.
Note: All Model and Company Decisions must show a
green light
before proceeding
Changing Decisions
This report
gives a prediction
of the results that MAY
be achieved with
this set of decisions
To return to the decision
screens and make
amendments select
Finally
IMPORTANT
ONCE THIS BUTTON HAS
BEEN SELECTED YOU WILL
NO LONGER BE ABLE TO
CHANGE OR ACCESS THE
DECISIONS FOR THE
YEAR/ROUND
Once the team is happy
with the decisions
made, select
to submit them to the
simulation for processing.
In summary….
 The business simulation activity lasts for 2
months
 It covers a wide range of business and
project management skills
 It is a competitive activity – you need to make
good business decisions
 The deadlines are critical events and MUST
be met
 Your group tasks are detailed in the briefing
notes
If you have any questions….
 Please post all queries on the
Blackboard facility
 Please refrain from posting several
individual questions - collate them for
your team
 We will respond quickly to your
questions
 Please direct ONLY simulation-related
queries to Julio Faria
April Training Executive Ltd
April House
Tarvin Road
Frodsham
Cheshire WA6 6XN
Tel : 01928 735868
Email : jjf@trainingsimulations.com