Emerging Markets - Business Simulation

Overview of Simulation

In this international business simulation, students act as the management of a multi-national bicycle company. Working in teams, students compete in four of the largest emerging markets, which include Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. In each round they must respond to fluctuations in the market, complete internal and external analyses, determine/change their strategic focus, and make operational decisions for all departments of their companies.

Managing a Multi-National Company

Once the students have been placed in teams, they then decide on their company name and logo and divide managerial roles between themselves. Members can either choose to be in charge of a specific department such as marketing, HRM, finance or purchasing and distribution or this can devolved to regional level roles, with each student focusing on one of the four emerging markets.

Students must make their operational decisions in-line with their chosen strategy to outperform those who compete in the same market segments. Their performance is then measured by the Balanced Scorecard with each team (company) ranked using a 'stock exchange' valuation.

Flexibility

The simulation game offers a wide variety of different strategic modules that can be added, removed, or placed in a certain sequence in-line with the module’s weekly teaching subjects. For example, if you are teaching SWOT and PESTEL in week 1, and BCG and CSR strategy in week 2, then our Operations team will introduce those features in the simulation according to your schedule.

Other international business elements that can also be added include subjects such as Porter's Five Forces and Ansoff's Growth Strategy, as well as a range of other modules. This business simulation allows students to apply the tools and theories that you have introduced to them and put them into practice.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Students create an effective international strategy designed to increase sales, market share, and stock-market value.
• Students gain a greater understanding of the impact of domestic and international policies on their multi-national organisation. 
• Students learn more about cultural factors when entering new markets.
• Students develop effective team-working, analytical, strategic, and leadership skills.
• Students understand and value the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) the effects this has on internal and external stakeholders.

Assessment ideas and examples

The Emerging markets simulation is usually assessed in several ways. Below you will find the most popular options:

• Ask students to individually keep track of decisions in a logbook (from their own management position’s perspective) about their SMART objectives and what they have done each round operationally to achieve these goals.
• Written group report in which the teams write down each round what decisions they have taken and what they think the outcome will be. They reflect on the decisions made each new round and continue doing this throughout the management simulation.
• 360 Peer assessment in which students have to allocate a hundred points among their fellow teammates based on their contribution.
• Organise a “Dragon’s Den” elevator pitch, a presentation to ‘investors’, played by other student teams or lecturers.
• The stock exchange could become part of the assessment. Their share price or position can be translated into 25% of their final mark.