BEAN GAME INSTRUCTIONS

Here's the URL: http://beangame.bus.oregonstate.edu

You are managing a "supply chain" with four positions

(four computers, if you're playing with others; four screens if you're playing by yourself):

1                  2                     3                   4

(customer)çèRetailerçèWholesalerçè DistributorçèFactoryçè( beanfield)

THE OBJECTIVE:  minimize total (all four positions) inventory costs

or put another way

pLACE YOUR ORDERS SUCH THAT DEMAND ALWAYS EQUALS SUPPLY,

HENCE NO NEED FOR "INSURANCE" (INVENTORY)

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WHEN YOU FIRST LOG ONTO THE BEANGAME, YOU WILL FIRST SEE

Bean Game Simulation

Create New Firm:

PICK A “FIRM NAME” BUT

BE SURE THAT ALL POSITIONS-- retailer, wholesaler, distributor, factory – ENTER THE SAME FIRM NAME -- e.g., Beans R Us..

When this is done, each screen displays the below "dialogue box."

Bean Game Simulation: Firm king, Retailer

Week #2

Cases Received	4
Last Ordered	4
Total on Order	16
Order In	4
Cases Shipped	4
Backlog	0
Current Inventory	12

Each week, every position must “place order” even if it’s just zero

On the supply side

 "Cases received" and "Place Order"  are what you got from your supplier this week and what you are ordering from your supplier this week.

On the demand side

"Order in" and "cases shipped" are your "customer's" order and what you automatically ship to your customer -- if you have it in "Current Inventory", otherwise it registers as "Backlog."

"Last ordered" is what you ordered last week.  "Total on Order" is beans in the pipeline and is your major clue that there are time lags in the system.

Each week  (starting with Week 2)  the Customer orders from the Retailer who, in order to replenish his inventory, orders from the Wholesaler who, in order to replenish her inventory, orders from the Distributor who...from the "beanfield." 

The game starts at Week 2 and ends at Week 30

at which time a “Summary Report” is displayed for each position.

The simulation runs from Week 2 to Week 30 at which time each position's history of orders, etc. is displayed by week. At the top of each position is the same dollar figure -- “Total Carrying Cost For Group.”  This is what you are trying to minimize.

GRADING

l l If “Total Carrying Cost For Group” is below $1500, then the Retailer enters your name(s) in those little boxes at the top of the Retailer's summary sheet and click on "Send Results to Professor."l l

You have until the end of the term to earn:

<$1500 = 1 bean

  <$1000 = 2 beans

  <$500  = 3 beans

These will be converted to 1,2, or 3 points respectively at the end of the term and will be added to your quiz , homework, and mindmap points. Total points possible = 3

PLAYING BY YOURSELF

Enter the beangame URL.

When the "Create New Firm" window appears, enter a firm name.

Then click on  Control + N three times. (This is the "files," "new," "window" shortcut.) You now have four icons at the bottom of your screen. Click on the far left icon. "Factory" will appear in the window. "Start Game." Click on the next icon. "Distributor" will appear in the window. Etc. 

You can play the beangame from remote locations.