Prepare a reflection paper on Beer Game

EBeer: A Competitive Supply Chain Simulation (with Practice)

EBeer is an online simulation of a simple supply chain that manufactures and distributes cases of beer. This online game extends a manual board game developed at MIT decades earlier.

Whereas actual supply chains can consist of complex networks of manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers, EBeer was created to provide insights into supply chain dynamics with just a single manufacturer, a single distributor, a single wholesaler, and a single retailer. A team consists of four players, with each player taking one of the four positions in the supply chain. The retailer receives customer demand and fills demand by ordering cases from the wholesaler. The wholesaler in turn orders cases from the distributor who in turn orders cases from the factory. The factory meets orders by scheduling production.

The game is played in rounds, with each round representing one week. Each week, each player observes his or her incoming order and then places an order to the next position upstream. The factory observes its orders and schedules production. So each player makes one decision each round. A game lasts between 30 and 50 rounds. Players must think fast. Except for the first round, players have 30 seconds to place their order each round. If player doesn't place that week's order in time, the default order is placed, which is the size of the order that was received earlier that week.

The objective of the game is to meet customer demand while minimizing the cost of inventory and stockouts. Team members only communicate by passing orders to each other. Verbal commu¬nication is considered cheating because such communication is much more difficult in a realistic supply network. To father capture the difficulty of collecting remote information in complex sup¬ply networks, the only data each stage of the chain can only see its own incoming orders and ship¬ments at the beginning of the week those orders and shipments arrive, and its own inventory.

You must register yourself before you can play any games. To register, go to the web address provided by your instructor and click "Register." Then enter the course code provided by your instructor and click submit. You will then be asked to make up an ID and password. In the game, you will be identified by your ID, not your name. After submitting your ID and other information you will be asked about your team. You can create a new team or join an existing team. To join an existing team you must know the password used to create the team.

The online game board is shown on the last page of this handout. You will see a similar board in your browser when you log in to play games your instructor has enabled. Each round of the game represents one week and consists of the following events:

For the retailer, wholesaler, and distributor, the incoming shipment from the upstream station is added to inventory. For the factory, completed production is added to inventory.

Prepare for the Game

Set your browser to the URL address provided by your instructor
Login using your individual ID and password
Select a scenario to prepare and click start

You can run the practice game as many times as you want
If other members of your team are logged in at the same time you can practice together
Later, the real game will hide some information and the demand will be different

Start a Competition

Set your browser to the URL address provided by your instructor

Login using your individual ID and password

Wait for the game to begin.

Playing the Game
At the end of each round change the default order in the yellow box and click submit
Round 1 allows more time for you to understand the game
After round 1 you will have 30 seconds to submit your order
Plan next move during the animation (~30 seconds)
There will be 30 to 50 rounds.
Clicking on the tabs to the right of the game board will display historic inventory, shipments, orders, and all teams' current scores.

Start a Competition

Set your browser to the URL address provided by your instructor

Login using your individual ID and password

Click the Start button next to the game provided by your instructor

Wait for the remaining members of your team to join, then begin.

Playing the Game
At the end of each round change the default order in the yellow box and click submit
Round 1 allows more time for you to understand the game
After round 1 you will have 30 seconds to submit your order
Plan next move during the animation (~30 seconds)
There will be 30 to 50 rounds.
Clicking on the tabs to the right of the game board will display historic inventory, shipments, and orders.

Follow-up Round
Return to the Home screen
For second half of competition, wait until instructor starts and syncs game
Your game will begin automatically
Timing of rounds is synchronized for all teams
If a supply chain entity logs out or fails to join, the computer will play that role

It has to be about 3 page.