Instructions to the game

Unless you have an extraordinarily good memory, we recommend that you either print out the rules before you continue, or that you start the game in a new window. In the latter case, you can return to the window containing the rules of the game when necessary by using Alt+Tab.

Start the game in a new window
Start the game in this window

Number of players
Four people take part in the game = four companies that are each other's customers or suppliers in a supply chain.

You can also play with only one or two other players, or completely alone. Ghost players are then introduced in the empty places.

Several games can take place at once, and several teams can therefore play against each other at the same time.

Conditions and limitations
All participants must be connected to the game at the same time. In other words, it is not possible to disconnect during the game and return later.

The aim
The aim is to minimize the total cost for everyone in the supply chain by maintaining low stocks but nevertheless managing to deliver all orders. It is in other words not the intention that you should try to reduce your costs at the expense of the other players.

This is how you start/play the game
1. Before a game begins, the players must agree on:

• who is to be the game leader = start the game


• what the game is to be called


• the time at which the players are to log on, i.e. sign on as players in the game and
  what role each players is to have - retailer, wholesaler, distributor or manufacturer


2. In good time before the others log on, the game leader must see to the preparations necessary:

• Go to www.masystem.com/beergame


• Click on Start, whereupon you will be transferred to the form where you generate a new game


• Type in your name


• Type in the name of the game


• Select your role with the aid of the drop-down menu


• Click on Create. The game will now be generated and you will be presented with a new form, which shows the names and positions for the players who have signed on.


3. It is now possible for the other players to join the game. If you belong to the category "other player", proceed as follows:

• Go to www.masystem.com/beergame.


• Click on Join, whereupon you will be transferred to a form where you sign on for a game


• Type in your name


• Select game from the drop-down menu and click on Join. You will now be presented with the form where you choose your role in the game.


• Select your role with the aid of the drop-down menu and click on Play as. You will now be presented with the form that shows names and positions for the players who have signed on.


4. When the list of players is complete, the game leader clicks on Next in the window with the list of players. If the game leader clicks on Next before the list is complete, ghost players will occupy the empty places. The game leader must then select the ghosts' play mode in the Ghost Setup form:
Aim at fixed time in stock: the ghost aims to keep a level of stock that is equivalent to three weeks' sales.
Customer order = Purchase order: the ghost places an order that is as large as the customer's order.

5. The game leader clicks Start Game. The game starts, and you can begin to place orders.

Ground rules
A game extends over a fictitious year and covers 52 rounds of one week each. Each round takes 30-60 seconds and the total playing time is thus 30-60 minutes. The entire game must be played in one go. In other words, you cannot take a break.

For the sake of simplicity, everyone sells only one product: Lover's Beer. One unit = one crate of beer.

There are two costs involved in the game: inventory carrying costs and backlog costs. The inventory carrying cost per unit (beer crate) in stock is 1 dollar per week. The backlog cost per unit (beer crate) that you fail to deliver is 2 dollars per week.

In order to reflect reality better, two delays are introduced between you and your fellow players:
From when you reach a decision, it takes two weeks before your supplier receives the order
It takes two weeks before his delivery reaches you.

Course of the game
In each round, the following happens:

• You receive goods from the supplier.


• You receive orders from the customer.


• You deliver to the customer as ordered.


• You order new goods.


In the course of the game, we do all the calculations for you. The only thing you need to do is to decide how much you will order each week.

If for some reason you cannot deliver, the product is noted as backlog and you must deliver this order next time you have products in stock.

During the course of the game, players must not exchange any information other than that constituted by the order itself.

End the game
The game ends after 52 weeks, but can be concluded at any time before that by the game leader.

Results
The results are shown in figures and diagrams when the game is over. We regret that we cannot store and display results for the various teams and games, but here are some scores that can be considered good and reasonable:

Result	Reasonable score	Very good
Retailer	900	1 000
Wholesaler	1 500	1 100
Distributor	2 300	1 200
Manufacturer	3 400	1 350
Total	8 100	4 650

Start the game in a new window
Start the game in this window

SÖK