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Introduction
Cesim Business Simulations are instructional tools that are meant to offer participants, who are often students or professionals, with a dynamic and realistic environment in which to study and practise subjects pertaining to business management. Various facets of operating a company are modelled in these simulations.
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Context of the Organisation
In the setting of taking part in a Cesim Business Simulation, our organisation is a computer company that works in a synthetic market. This simulation is based on a certain market area or business, and our company is a part of this setting. The simulation fosters learning in a risk-free setting, honing skills in strategic management, decision-making, and market analysis(Fitó-Bertran,2018). -
Plan of action and strategy
Our plan for the Cesim Business Simulation is based on a thorough study, careful strategic planning, and the ability to change. Here's why and how we're doing it:
The reason why
We think that an organised and scientific method is important in the game because it's like how business decisions are made in the real world. By using a structured approach, we can better understand how causes lead to effects, improve our ability to make decisions, and learn how to run a business well.
How to do it
The following are the most important parts of our plan,
- Analysis in its entirety: Before we make any choices, we carefully look at the market data, financial reports, and industry trends that have been given to us. This research helps us find chances and risks, understand how customers act, and evaluate the tactics of our rivals(Ferk,2018).
- Making your goals clear: Each time we make a choice, we set clear goals. These goals are in line with our long-term plan and could include things like growing our market share, making the most money we can, or starting a new product line.
- Making decisions based on data: Our choices are based on a mix of facts and reasonable guesses. To make good decisions, we look at things like the price's flexibility, the cost of production, how well we sell the product, and our financial forecasts.
- Planning for different possible outcomes: We do have a core plan, but we're also ready to change it if the market changes. We make backup plans for different situations so that we can act quickly on challenges or chances that come up out of the blue.
- Making decisions with other people: We value different points of view on our team. We like to have open conversations and arguments so that choices are well-rounded and take into account different points of view.
Strategy for the long term
In the scenario, our long-term plan is based on steady growth, market control, and new ideas. We want to slowly get a bigger share of the market by making high-quality items and services and running good marketing efforts. We put the security of our finances at the top of our list of priorities. One way we do this is by making smart decisions about how to handle our money. Our path towards becoming a resilient and competitive virtual firm will be further supported through collaborative decision-making, efficient operations, and strategic collaborations (Offord,2022).
Reflection and Discussion
Business Performance
Our business's performance in the Cesim Business Simulation was a mix of achievements and challenges across key areas.
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Sales
Initially, as a result of successful marketing efforts and reasonable pricing, our sales increased on a consistent basis. However, as the rounds progressed, the level of competition grew, which had the effect of slowing the rise of our sales. -
Profit
When we first started out, our pricing approach was well-aligned with our manufacturing costs, which resulted in strong profit margins. However, as a result of changes in the dynamics of the market, we were forced to adapt our pricing strategy, which had an impact on our profitability(Hernández-Lara, A.B,2019). -
Market Share
We were able to capture a reasonable part of the market early on, but the intense rivalry caused shifts in the market share. Despite this, the continual efforts in marketing and innovation that we have been putting up have enabled us maintain a steady market share in the regional market.
Competition Behaviour
Throughout the whole simulation, participants were engaged and receptive. While some concentrated on differentiating their products, others embraced aggressive pricing techniques in an effort to increase their share of the market. A couple of our rivals placed an emphasis on using cost-cutting initiatives in order to preserve their profitability. After observing these behaviours, we found that we needed to make certain adjustments to our methods in order to remain competitive. Pricing tactics, product differentiation, marketing efforts, manufacturing choices, and the dynamics of market share are all included in the scope of competition behaviour in the Cesim Business Simulation. Having an understanding of these behaviours provides direction for strategic choices, which in turn enables successful adaptation and placement within the ever-changing environment of the virtual market
Rationale for Business Decisions
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Demand
We properly predicted demand by keeping a close eye on customer tastes and market tendencies. -
Production
To save unnecessary expenses, we made manufacturing choices based on anticipated demand and available capacity.HR
- We were sure not to overestimate our manufacturing demands or underutilize our staff.
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Research and Development
Research and development is receiving funding from our company so that we may develop new items and improve current ones. -
Marketing
When making our marketing selections, we took into account the competitive landscape as well as the tastes of the target audience and concentrated on targeted campaigns. - LogisticsWe optimised the logistics in order to guarantee on-time deliveries and reduce the expenses of distribution.
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Finance
We exercised sound financial management and made smart use of loans to invest in growth while mitigating the effects of cash flow issues. Effectiveness of Decisions/Strategies:
Some decisions were effective, leading to increased market share and profitability. However, external factors like unforeseen market shifts occasionally affected outcomes(Hernández-Lara,2018).
Decision Strategics
Within the context of the Cesimic firm Simulation, the choices and strategies that have been detailed reflect a logical and all-encompassing approach to the management of many aspects of the firm. It is laudable that an attempt has been made to traverse the difficult simulated market environment using these tactics, which are founded on solid business concepts. Let's evaluate the efficacy of these methods and look into the aspects of their execution that were successful in addition to any areas that may have fallen short of expectations.
A technique that was notable for its level of success was the focus placed on precisely forecasting customer demand. The company was able to predict shifts in demand patterns by maintaining a careful watch on the preferences of its customers as well as the trends in the market.
This predictive strategy certainly helped to effective inventory management by minimising the danger of overproduction or stockouts, hence allowing for more efficient handling of available goods. When production decisions were made in accordance with expected customer demand, it displayed sensible resource allocation, which saved wasteful expenditures and maximised capacity utilisation.
The expenditure of money on research and development (R&D) stands out as an example of a preventative action. The company showed its dedication to meeting the ever-changing requirements of its customers by devoting resources to the development of new goods and improvements to existing ones. This choice may result in competitive benefits for the company as a result of the launch of new and enhanced products and services. Nevertheless, it is essential to conduct a thorough analysis of the results of R&D efforts in order to guarantee that they will convert into lucrative results.
While making marketing choices, taking into account the competitive environment as well as the preferences of customers highlighted the need of a strategic approach. There is a good chance that the efficiency of marketing efforts was increased by concentrating on focused initiatives. This strategy not only maximises the effectiveness of marketing spending, but it also improves the chances that the message will resonate with the target demographic.
However, despite the fact that these tactics have a great deal of promise, there may have been some occasions in which they were not successful. For instance, despite the fact that precise demand estimates were made, the results might have been affected by unanticipated developments in the market. Even the most well-informed projections might be thrown off by sudden shifts in customer preferences or unanticipated moves made by competitors.
When it comes to making production choices based on expected demand and available capacity, having accurate demand projections is very important to the success of the endeavour. Under the circumstances when demand projections were less accurate, there was a possibility of instances of either underproduction, which would have resulted in lost sales opportunities, or overproduction, which would have resulted in expenses associated with excess inventory.
Although optimising logistics is essential for timely delivery and lowering costs, the company may have been confronted with obstacles that were beyond its control due to external causes such as delays in the transportation system. Because of these unforeseen occurrences, delivery timetables may have been disrupted, and additional expenses may have been spent.
A solid foundation for effectively managing a wide range of business considerations is provided by the choices made and methods implemented inside the Cesimic Business Simulation. Their efficiency is shown by their ability to accurately estimate demand, make production decisions that minimise waste, sell their products precisely, and make investments in research and development. The dynamic nature of the simulation environment, on the other hand, makes it possible for unanticipated market movements and external disruptions to occur, both of which have the potential to influence the results that these strategies produce. The simulation highlights the necessity of adaptation and ongoing vigilance in the face of changing market dynamics by reflecting on successful execution as well as areas that posed obstacles.
Key Lessons Learned
- Adaptability to shifting market circumstances is a need for achievement, making it essential to maintain flexibility.
- In order to guarantee financial success, pricing strategies need to be in line with manufacturing costs.
- Innovation helps to maintain competitiveness and piques the attention of consumers.
- Making decisions together leads to the development of more well-rounded solutions.
Positive/Negative Impact Points
- The successful introduction of the product led to a significant rise in the company's share of the market.
- Unfavourable: A decrease in demand and income as a consequence of the economic slump in one area(Hernández-Lara, A.B,2018).
Conclusion
When we think back on our journey through the Cesim Business Simulation, we've learned a lot about how hard it is to run a business. Our virtual company had a lively mix of wins and problems, which helped us learn more about making strategic decisions, how markets work, and how important it is to be able to change
The way we did in the game showed that we could make good business decisions in many different areas. We had a good market share and made a lot of money because our plans were in line with market trends and what customers wanted. But sometimes things outside of our control, like tough competition and economic downturns, affected how things turned out.
Lessons learned and places to improve is better planning for possible outcomes: We know how important it is to think about different possibilities and make plans for them. We would have been better prepared for unexpected problems if we had done more thorough case planning. A flexible approach to pricing: Even though our first price strategy worked, a more flexible and changeable approach to pricing could have helped us stay competitive in a market that was changing quickly.
Important Business Lessons is Through this practise, we've learned a few important lessons that are useful even after the game is over Being able to change is most important: Markets change, so businesses need to be ready to respond quickly to changes in order to stay competitive. Making decisions based on data: Our choices worked best when we looked at a lot of data and took market trends into account.
References
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Fitó-Bertran, À., Hernández-Lara, A.B. and López, E.S., 2018. The effect of competences on learning results an educational experience with a business simulator. Computers in human behavior, 51, pp.910-914.
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Kikot, T., Fernandes, S.B., Magalhães, R. and Costa, G., 2013. Implementation of business simulation games as learning tool: An example from University of Algarve. In Conferência CEPE 2013.
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