Spring 2008: Business 294
Business Simulation
Last modified December 3, 2007

Prospective Participants

We are currently soliciting participants for the 2008 competition. Bus 294 meets from Dec. 15, 2007 - April 14, 2008. Please see these key dates:

• Mon, Dec. 3, 4:30-6:00 pm.: required orientation meeting in BBC 022
• Mon, Dec 10: students interested in taking the class should RSVP for the Dec. 15 meeting
• Sat, Dec. 15, 9:00 am-3:00 pm: First class session in BBC 022; add codes handed out.
• Jan. 7-Jan. 31, 2008: 3-5 Practice simulation classes on weekday evenings (dates to be decided at Dec. 15 class)
• Feb. 5-April 11: remote competition (decisions due Monday nights). Teams meet on their own schedule to submit weekly decisions. (Results debriefing sessions will be held Tuesday nights in BT 550).
• April 17-19: intensive competition at Bahia Hotel in San Diego (trip funded by the Lucas School)

Please read the information about the

• course overview and policies
• information on the ICBSC and previous SJSU winners
• testimonials from previous students

If, after reading the pages you have any questions, feel free to e-mail the instructor.

Overview

This graduate course provides an integrated approach to understanding how to run a company, using a business simulation of a hypothetical manufacturing company operating in two countries. One or more student teams compete against teams from around the country in the annual International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition, in hopes of achieving the best financial performance. SJSU has amassed an impressive record of winning teams since first joining this competition in 1982.

Past students have described the course as the “single most rewarding experience in my entire college career”; additional testimonials are available online. The course provides hands-on experience equivalent to actually running a corporation, and allows each student to bring together functional academic concepts resulting in integrated, applied management.

However, almost all the results from this course come from building a strong, closely knit team of four to six students. The ideal team will have a balance of strong quantitative and communication skills. Every student will need both strong competitive instincts, and the ability to work closely together. Thus, essential prerequisites to success include both individual collaborative skills, as well as the bonds built between the team members during (or before) the course. These collaboration skills will be tested during the final, intensive portion of the competition.

Course Policies

See the class schedule for meetings and activities from December 2007-April 2008. After the mandatory orientation meeting, there are a series of meetings in January, weekly meetings (day TBD) through February and March, culminating with a 4-day trip to San Diego to participate in the conclusion of the simulation competition.

Time Commitment

The schedule for this course is set by the intercollegiate competition, not the SJSU semester. The course begins earlier and ends earlier than a typical spring course, including one Saturday class meeting in December and evening meetings in January. It also requires being available to travel to San Diego from Thursday-Sunday (April 17-19).

Please contact the instructor if you have questions about the commitment required or any potential schedule conflicts.

Registration Details

The registration information is as follows:

• Bus 294: on-campus (or off-campus) MBA class. This is 3 units of unrestricted elective. Students should have
  • completed Bus 230 (Marketing Management) or Bus 270 (Financial Management) by December 2007
  • preference is given for students with a graduate GPA of 3.50
• Undergraduates with strong academic records can enroll for Bus 294, and petition to substitute Bus 294 for the Bus 189 requirement

The requirement is to make sure that the team has academically qualified representatives for each of the major functional areas, particularly finance, accounting, marketing and operations (or quantitative decision theory).

We have funding for two graduate teams and possibly one undergraduate team in 2008. In all cases, preferences will be given to students who (realistically) are graduating in 2008, since other students can participate in Spring 2009.

Adding the course is by instructor permission. To add the course, you need to

• Attend the orientation meeting, meet with potential teammates
• Indicate to Prof. West your decision to add the class and obtain an add code
• Attend the initial class session
• Xmas vacation: purchase the Business Policy Game Player’s Manual at Spartan Copy
• January: attend biweekly class meetings for instruction and practice simulations, in preparation for the actual competition.

Textbook

The Business Policy Game: Player's Manual,5th edition. The book is available via online download to registered students. Supplemental materials will also be provided by the instructor.

Grading

The main focus of the course is preparing (and monitoring) student participation in the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition.

• Most of your time is making quarterly spending and investment decisions for your hypothetical company. Your decisions are entered into a computer program, which then calculates sales, inventory and financial performance. The computer also calculates (and reports) the results for the four or five competing teams from other schools that are participating in your “world.”
• Teams are also assessed on a written business plan, annual reports and through a final oral presentation before a panel of judges.

The grade will be primarily (90%) determined by the team performance, as weighted by your teammates’ evaluation of your relative contribution, as well as the instructors’ evaluation of your team’s performance and your contribution. Two additional individual assignments (worth 10%) will determine the remainder of your grade.

Instructor (Team Advisor)

Prospective students need to speak with the instructor prior to receiving an enrollment code, both to answer any questions they may have and confirm that they are prepared for the intensive nature of the class.

Joel West, Ph.D.
BT 555, College of Business, San José State University, San José, CA 95192-0070
E-mail (preferred): west_j@cob.sjsu.edu
Phone: (408) 335-0115

For more about the instructor, read a brief biography.