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Setup and Decisions Each team consists of four players:  a retailer,  a wholesaler,  a distributor,  and a factory.

Game Time Each game lasts 30 to 50 weeks. Each player makes one decision each week:  The retailer orders cases of beer from the wholesaler  The wholesaler orders cases of beer from the distributor  The distributor orders cases of beer from the factory  The factory schedules production All orders must be eventually filled. If you can’t fill an order with inventory, the order is backlogged until you can fill it.

Note Each order takes 2 weeks to get to the upstream player Each shipment takes another 2 weeks to get to the downstream player.

Objective Each week, every player incurs the following expense:  $0.50 for each case in inventory, shown by a positive ending inventory  $1.00 for each backlogged case, shown by a negative ending inventory Beginning + Arriving – Order In = Ending Your objective is to finish with the lowest cost.

Retailer’s Game Play Retailer Beginning= 4 + Arriving= 4 - Demand= -4 Ending= 4 Wholesaler Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Distributor Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Factory Beginning Arriving Order In Ending dem=4order schedbrew shipped 4 4 Time Left: 60 Beergame: classic It is now week 1. The order for this week is 4. Please enter an order… SUB 3 Player chooses an order quantity Timer counts down remaining seconds 2 Incoming shipment received by warehouse Customer’s demand arrives …then clicks “submit” =3 3 4 It is now week 2. Your costs last week were 2.0 The order for this week is 3. Please enter an order…

Retailer’s Game Play Wholesaler Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Distributor Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Factory Beginning Arriving Order In Ending order schedbrew shipped 4 Time Left: 60 Beergame: classic SUB 4 Retailer Beginning= 4 + Arriving= 3 - Demand= -3 Ending= 4 3 dem=3 It is now week 2. Your costs last week were 2.0 The order for this week is 3. Please enter an order… Order moves forward 3 4 Beginning 4 + Arriving 3 - Demand 3 = Ending 4 Ending inventory is evaluated Ending inventory is positive 3 Full order ships 3 4 Ending inventory updates to become initial inventory 4 3 ? 3 It is now week 3. Your costs last week were 2.0 The order for this week is ?. Please enter an order… Weekly expense is calculated 4 * $0.50 = $2.00  Player considers next order quantity  Only has 60 seconds to enter a decision for that week  If no change is made, the default order quantity is equal to the demand  The maximum order quantity is 99

Retailer Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Distributor Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Factory Beginning Arriving Order In Ending demandorder schedbrew 44shipped 4 WEEK3WEEK3 Time Left: 60 Beergame: classic SUB Wholesaler’s Game Play Wholesaler Beginning= 8 +Arriving= 4 -Order In= -4 Ending= Player chooses an order quantity Timer counts down remaining seconds Week advances once all players submit their orders 4 Incoming shipment received by warehouse Retailer’s order arrives …then clicks “submit” 5 It is now week 3. Your costs last week were 4.0 The order for this week is 4. Please enter an order… It is now week 4. Your costs last week were 4.0 The order for this week is 3. Please enter an order…

Retailer Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Distributor Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Factory Beginning Arriving Order In Ending demandorder schedbrew 44shipped 4 WEEK4WEEK4 Time Left: 60 Beergame: classic SUB Wholesaler Beginning= 8 +Arriving= 3 -Order In= -5 Ending= 8 3 Wholesaler’s Game Play Order moves forward 3 6 Beginning 8 + Arriving 3 - Demand 5 = Ending 6 Ending inventory is evaluated Ending inventory is positive 5 3 Ending inventory updates to become initial inventory 6 Turn Ends 5 ?  Player considers next order quantity  Only has 60 seconds to enter a decision for that week  If no change is made, the default order quantity is equal to the Order In amount  The maximum order quantity is 99 3 Week updates It is now week 4. Your costs last week were 4.0 The order for this week is 3. Please enter an order… It is now week 5. Your costs last week were 3.0 The order for this week is ?. Please enter an order… 6 Full order ships 5 6 Weekly expense is calculated 6 * $0.50 = $3.00 Weekly costs update

Retailer Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Wholesaler Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Factory Beginning Arriving Order In Ending order schedbrew shipped 44 4 WEEK5WEEK5 Time Left: 60 Beergame: classic SUB demand Distributor Beginning= 6 +Arriving= 4 -Order In= -4 Ending= 6 4 Distributor’s Game Play 3 Player chooses an order quantity Timer counts down remaining seconds Week advances once all players submit their orders Wholesaler’s order arrives …then clicks “submit” 8 It is now week 6. Your costs last week were 3.0 The order for this week is 3. Please enter an order… It is now week 5. Your costs last week were 2.0 The order for this week is 4. Please enter an order… Incoming shipment received by warehouse

Retailer Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Wholesaler Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Factory Beginning Arriving Order In Ending orderdem=8order schedbrew shipped 44 4 WEEK6WEEK6 Time Left: 60 Beergame: classic SUB demand Distributor Beginning= 6 +Arriving= 2 -Order In= -8 Ending= 6 3 Distributor’s Game Play Order moves forward 3 0 Beginning 6 + Arriving 2 - Demand 8 = Ending 0 Ending inventory is evaluated Ending inventory is positive 8 3 Ending inventory updates to become initial inventory 0 Turn Ends 7 ?  Player considers next order quantity  Only has 60 seconds to enter a decision for that week  If no change is made, the default order quantity is equal to the Order In amount  The maximum order quantity is 99 3 Week updates Full order ships 8 0 Weekly expense is calculated 0 * $0.50 = $0.00 Weekly costs update It is now week 6. Your costs last week were 3.0 The order for this week is 3. Please enter an order… It is now week 7. Your costs last week were 0.0 The order for this week is ?. Please enter an order…

Retailer Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Wholesaler Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Distributor Beginning Arriving Order In Ending order 41 shipped 44 WEEK7WEEK7 Time Left: 60 Beergame: classic SUB order demand Factory Beginning= 4 +Arriving= 4 -Order In= -4 Ending= 4 4 Factory’s Game Play 3 Timer counts down remaining seconds Week advances once all players submit their orders …then clicks “submit” =8 8 It is now week 7. Your costs last week were 2.0 The order for this week is 4. Please enter an order… It is now week 8. Your costs last week were 4.0 The order for this week is 3. Please enter an order… Player schedules production Distributor’s order arrives Finished product enters warehouse

Retailer Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Wholesaler Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Distributor Beginning Arriving Order In Ending order 41 shipped 44 WEEK8WEEK8 Time Left: 60 Beergame: classic SUB order demand Factory Beginning= 6 +Arriving= 1 -Order In= -8 Ending= 6 3 Factory’s Game Play Production moves ahead 3 Beginning 6 + Arriving 1 - Demand 8 = Ending Ending inventory is evaluated Ending inventory is negative 7 3 Turn Ends 9 ? 3 Week updates 6 7 Weekly costs update Partial order ships Beginning inventory updates to reflect backlogged orders It is now week 8. Your costs last week were 2.0 The order for this week is 4. Please enter an order…  Player considers next order quantity  Only has 60 seconds to enter a decision for that week  If no change is made, the default order quantity is equal to the Order In amount  The maximum order quantity is 99 Weekly expense is calculated |-1 |* $1.00 = $1.00 It is now week 9. Your costs last week were 1.0 The order for this week is 3. Please enter an order… 4 4

Game’s End Retailer Beginning= 4 + Arriving= 4 - Demand= -4 Ending= 4 Wholesaler Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Distributor Beginning Arriving Order In Ending Factory Beginning Arriving Order In Ending dem=4order schedbrew shipped 4 4 Time Left: 60 Beergame: classic The game is now over. Waiting for results... Press Play Again to start a new game. SUB A reset button appears ?? 4 Play Again The game will end after running a predetermined number of simulated days Press to replay

Week 7 Week 8 Retailer Example 4 weeks after your order, demand will be satisfied if available from upstream partner Downstream Demand Current Upstream Supply Arriving Next Week Demand Satisfied 2 weeks to Wholesaler

Week 7 Week 8 Wholesaler Example Downstream Demand for Next Week Upstream Supply Arriving Next Week 2 weeks to Factory 2 weeks to Get to Retailer

Week 7 Week 8 Distributor Example Downstream Demand for Next Week Upstream Supply Arriving Next Week 2 weeks to Factory 2 weeks to Get to Wholesaler

Week 7 Week 8 Factory Example 2 weeks after your order, demand will be satisfied Downstream Demand for Next Week 4 Brews for 2 weeks then arrives 2 weeks to Get to Distributor Order from Distributor 2 weeks ago