“Business Fundamentals,” a Marketplace simulation from Innovative Learning Solutions

For this task, you will be using “Business Fundamentals,” a Marketplace simulation from Innovative Learning Solutions. You will act as the manager of a firm that manufactures and markets personal computers. You will prepare an analytical report that you plan to discuss with your management team as you review your company’s performance in the simulation.

1.Analyze your simulation results by addressing the following prompts (B1 through B5).

Note: Reflect on the following in your analysis: Your actions during the simulation, the relationship between your actions and your simulation results, your success compared to other competitors, and alternatives to your actions that could have produced better results in the simulation.

Keeping your analysis and the simulation content in mind, do the following:
1. Evaluate how you utilized budgets and pro-forma statements to plan funding of the production capacity you needed to achieve your business goals.
2. Discuss how you could have employed each of the following strategies to improve operating efficiency in your manufacturing facility:

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a. Just-in-time
b. Lean operations
3. Discuss the applicability of work cells versus a traditional straight line method to the type of manufacturing facility used to assemble computers.
4. Evaluate your decisions involving inventory management (e.g., did you have inventory when you needed it without incurring unnecessary inventory carrying costs?).
5. Explain how a specific continuous improvement program could have been used within the type of manufacturing facility in the simulation to achieve quality assurance goals.

2. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note: When bulleted points are present in the task prompt, the level of detail or support called for in the rubric refers to those bulleted points.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in a paper or project, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the paper or project.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.
Introduction:

For this task, you will be using “Business Fundamentals,” a Marketplace simulation from Innovative Learning Solutions. You will play as manager of a firm producing and selling personal computers. Your firm will be competing against others for share of the market and profitable sales.

Task:

A. Analyze your simulation results by addressing the following prompts (A1 through A4).

Note: Reflect on the following in your analysis: Your actions during the simulation, the relationship between your actions and your simulation results, your success compared to other competitors, and alternatives to your actions that could have produced better results in the simulation.

Keeping your analysis and the simulation content in mind, do the following:
1. Explain how you determined your product design decisions in the simulation.
2. Discuss whether you would change the target markets you selected if given the opportunity to repeat the simulation.
3. Discuss whether you would change the sales office locations you selected if given the opportunity to repeat the simulation.
4. Discuss whether you would spend
differently on marketing research if given the opportunity to repeat the simulation.

B. Analyze the factors you considered during the simulation in deciding whether to establish a presence in international markets.

C. Discuss additional factors this type of company should consider when analyzing whether to expand internationally (beyond the factors available in the simulation).

D. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note: When bulleted points are present in the task prompt, the level of detail or support called for in the rubric refers to those bulleted points.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in a paper or project, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the paper or project.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.