We have just released a new version of our digital Beer Game about the foundations of logistics, where the objective is to create an understanding of the importance to share information between the supply chain actors and how our learned behaviour can contribute to undesired and unexpected effects.
The game was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and our digital version of the game is used all over the world at universities, companies and organisations. In our new version, we have simplified, clarified and adapted for different types of users, both if you are playing individually or in groups as part of a course or a competence boosting activity within a company or organisation.
The game shows how we (re)act in different situations and how these situations lure us into thinking in habitual patterns. This leads to many ”eye-openers” and ”aha-experiences” which in turn lead to interesting discussions, an increased understanding of the supply chain and the insight that a changed way to work can lead to a more efficient supply chain.
By playing Beer Game with MA-system, a number of basic problems in a general supply chain are exposed. This concerns mainly the bullwhip effect (often called the Forrester effect) and what causes it to occur. Simply explained, the bullwhip effect occurs when demand variations escalate with every link in the supply chain. The effect is well documented and occurs naturally as information is processed manually in several steps that include long lead times, optimized order quantities and an inefficient exchange of information.
Read more and play The Beer Game here