1. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Root Beer Game V2
Andrew Christensen and Heide Abelli
April 22, 2017

2. Supply Chain Management: Root Beer Game V2
Based on: The Classic Beer Game by Jay Forrester at MIT
Multi-player Simulation with 4 roles
Factory, Distributor, Wholesaler, Retailer
Single-player option: Retailer only
Seat Time: 60 minutes plus time to debrief
Used in 1st Year Required Operations Management course at Harvard Business School
Academic Price = $12.50 / Exec Ed = $37.50

3. Learning Objectives: Root Beer Game V2
Understand the “Bullwhip” effect
Understand demand forecasting, required lead times, and the effects of batch ordering
Explore techniques for controlling the Bullwhip effect
Reduce uncertainty and demand variability
Understand the role of centralized information

4. New in V2
Student interface and animation
Better notifications of missing chain members
Administrative Changes
New graph: Compare Roles
All players can be single player
Debrief slides with class data
Works on an iPad

5. Students play one of 4 roles
Setting the Stage
Students play one of 4 roles
Cases Shipped
Factory
Distributor
Wholesaler
Retailer
Orders

6. Famous Bullwhips
Zorro’s Black Whip is a 1944 movie that tried to capture the fame of the successful Tyrone Power movie called the Mark of Zorro. In this one, however, Zorro does not appear. The heroine is a Zorro-like character who goes by the name The Black Whip.
Indiana Jones is perhaps the most famous bull-whip carrying movie celebrity.
But who can forget Catwoman? – Shown are Halle Barry and Michelle Pfeiffer. There’s a great scene where she uses a bullwhip to snap the heads off mannequins. Something the actress did in a single take.

7. The Bullwhip Effect

8. The Bullwhip Effect Factory Distributor Wholesaler Retailer
Order Quantities
Factory
Distributor
Wholesaler
Retailer
Time

9. How to Play

10. Ready to Play
Go to: hbsp.harvard.edu
User name = First initial + Last hbpsales.com
Password = simulation
Example: