Week 32: Capstone Simulation (Module 8)

Week 32 has ended and with it so has the week long Capstone Simulation. Wow! Hard work, but very awesome. To sum it up in two words: LIFE CHANGING.

Everyday this week we have entered our decisions into the LINKS Enterprise Management Simulation and awaited our results. 2 decisions were due everyday: one at 12:30 PM and one at 5:30 PM. Results were made available from the previous quarter at 7:30AM and 1:30 PM everyday. This was to allow people the luxury to sleep. Also, 2 memos were due everyday detailing your teams strategy and decisions with references to all of your MBA courses and learnings. A final 5 page report is also do tonight at midnight.

Basically the 13 teams were separated into 2 "industries" with 7 teams in industry A and 6 teams in industry B. Both industries were identical, but separate (ie they did not interact with each other). The basis was that you were manufacturing "set-top boxes" for TVs. You could conduct research, request market studies and many other information gathering actives. These in turn would help you set your price, marketing budgets, choose distribution channels, choose regions/countries to sell in, take out loans, increase capacity, change product configurations, etc. Overall it is impressive the level of complexity that can be simulated. It is also impressive how competitive MBA students can make an activity such as a week long simulation.

Industry A was won by team 417 who came from the mid-field with an impressively well thought out strategy to sell high volume low quality products. They blew the competition out of the water, pretty much literally. This industry had people all over the place: low end, high end, mid end...everywhere.

Industry B was won by team 407 who excelled at making and managing margins to maximize profits. This industry was tightly clustered for the entire game with everyone locked in a price war.

Congratulations to the winners who will have their teams immortalized on the Capstone Simulation plaque.

With the end of this module we are also seeing the end of our teams. We have been in these same teams since May and now we find ourselves saying good bye. In addition there are several people that will not be returning after the holiday break. Some of these people will be away for a few months and some are gone to finish their degrees abroad on exchanges. To celebrate we are embarking on the "twelve pubs of Christmas". Should be fun, but it is still bittersweet.

We have from today, Dec 12th, off until Jan 13th when classes start-up again. Finally some time to spend with my wife. Also, the first week of January is MBA Games in Halifax! I'm not going, but a good portion of the class will be there and I hope they do Queen's proud.

Well, I'm now off to practice a case for the upcoming John Molson International Case Competition starting on Jan 5th 2009 in Montreal. Afterwards we will meet up with the class. This is a long week...