Business simulation OPEX WS 2018/2019

Dozent(en)

Ansprechpartner

Veranstaltungsnummer
044200

Art der Veranstaltung
Seminar, 2 SWS (Blockseminar)

Wochentag, Zeit und Ort
Fr. 09.11.2018, 8:30-17:30h, ULB 1 (Krummer Timpen 5)
Mo. 12..11.2018, 8:30-17:30h, S 055 (Schloss)
Tue. 13.11.2018, 8:30-17:30h, AVH 139 (Alexander v. Humboldt-Haus)

Datum der ersten Veranstaltung
09.11.2018

Veranstaltungssprache
Englisch

1. General information

  • Course in Bachelor's Program (PO 2010, Module Business Skills (“Schlüsselqualifikationen”), 2nd year of studies)
  • Course assessment: Regular attendance and active participation, 3 CP

2. Learning objective and Contents

  • Learning objective: It is the objective of this course to impart students business knowledge, strategic thinking, teamwork and interpersonal skills.
  • Contents:
    Business knowledge: Students will learn to recognize and analyse complex interrelations between economic variables and to derive according decisions.
    Strategic thinking: Students will work on their strategic thinking by forward-looking planning, solving complex issues and developing suitable strategies.
    Teamwork and interpersonal skills: Students will improve their soft skills by group discussions, collective decision making and defining their personal role.

 

About the business simulation OPEX:

Each OPEX-company should be managed by three to five officers. Decision-making problems induce the participants to integrate their financial and business objectives,   strategies, tactics and operations in a logical manner. Therefore, it is necessary that the participants establish a business plan in advance for the time to go and a budget for every coming quarter.

 

The participants have to make their business decisions and budget before the game period is to be computed. Minimum 5 quarters will be played. The performance of every management team will be measured by financial statements and by various financial ratios and market- and cost-information.

 

At the end of the game each management team will present its business policy during a 15 minutes presentation followed by an open discussion with the other participants. The planning methods and results as well as the management documents of the previous decision periods.

 

Learning outcomes and assessment

The OPEX business game has various objectives:

 

  • Each management team has to formulate strategies and to determine adequate financial objectives and financial ratios. The decisions for each quarter have to be made according to the long-term strategy of the team.
  • The participants learn to establish the relationship between the decisions and their consequences and new decisions (learning by doing; trial and error).
  • The learning-by-doing-effect enables the participants to apply their prior knowledge and improve it.
  • The participants are encouraged to reduce the time for decision making which helps to focus on the most relevant decision criteria.
  • Based on experience made throughout the game, the participants learn to evaluate the importance of relevant management methods and instruments.
  • In order to solve entrepreneurial problems, the game requires analytical thinking, conceptual abilities and imagination.
  • Inside the group assignment the participants should demonstrate the ability to productively work in groups and to improve their ability to coordinate with peers.
  • In the final presentation the participants should demonstrate the ability to develop a coherent argument within a limited period of time and to apply and integrate the specific concepts of the team colleagues. The participants shall prove, that they are able to apply the concepts to solve business problems.

 

3. Application and Registration

 

  • The number of participants is limited to 1x20, for didactic reasons.
  • All 20 seats will be randomly allocated. The application period closed on September 19, 2018 (08:00 a.m.). An application is no longer possible.
  • Accepted participants still need to register at the examination office.

 

4. Literature

Participants will receive all necessary information during the lectures or per email.