July 2008
The Business Capstone
Experience is designed to measure how well students can integrate and use the
knowledge and skills gained from the MBA core courses. It is a final
opportunity to demonstrate that you personally have gained the knowledge that
would be expected of those earning a respected MBA degree. The
capstone experience is based on a management simulation in which teams of
students compete against each other for business success within an industry. Students
practice using newly acquired skills and bring them to a new level. Teams must
analyze the economic conditions of the simulated environment, insure smooth
production, gain understanding of their products relative to their customers,
use accounting data to evaluate results and make decisions, finance operations,
determine research and development targets, market products, manage employees
and the team and respond to the competition. With your team, you will implement
a business strategy, make operational adjustments to that strategy to gain a
competitive advantage within the industry and then analyze the result of that
strategy after several “years” of simulated business operations. The Capstone Simulation program allows for
“real-world” decision making, strategy formulation, problem-solving and
competitive challenges.
INSTRUCTOR
Chris Schrage,
319-273-2126
(phone)
319-273-2922 (fax)
webpage: www.uni.edu/~schragec
MBA classroom
Participants in
the
CAPSTONE SIMULATION REGISTRATION
After teams have
been assigned, all students must register to use the Capstone Simulator with the
COMP-XM. The registration fee is
currently $49.99. Credit cards may be
used. This fee allows students to access
to the simulation program and download the simulation manual.
Registration can
be completed at www.capsim.com
The course number
for the July 2008 capstone course is: C25128
During
registration, students choose their own login name and password for use
throughout the simulation.
CapSim Software
Support: Jim Foster jimf@capsim.com 877-477-8787
NOTE: If students have difficulty with
written assignments, a service named writeraide is available at http://ssl.blueearth.net/richfeedback/index.php. Teams can use the service as a “single user”
for group assignments.
CAPSTONE COURSE SCHEDULE
|
Deadlines |
Decision |
Activity |
|
July 10 |
Team Decision |
Industry teams
posted by the instructor |
|
July 15 |
www.capsim.com |
Register Online
for specific team |
|
July 16 |
|
Video class session |
|
August 4 |
Practice
decision 1 |
Learn software,
team determines strategic focus |
|
August 11 |
Practice
decision 2 |
Organizational
structure for team (10 points) |
|
August 13 |
|
Video class session |
|
August 18 |
Practice decision
3 |
|
|
August 25 |
Practice
decision 4 |
|
|
September 1 |
Round 1 decision |
|
|
September 8 |
Round 2 decision |
Individual
Assignments (20 points) |
|
September 15 |
Round 3 decision |
|
|
September 17 |
|
Video class session |
|
September 22 |
Round 4 decision |
Strategy Statement
(25 points) |
|
September 29 |
Round 5 decision |
|
|
October 6 |
Round 6 decision |
Market and
competitive analysis (50 points) |
|
October 13 |
Round 7 decision |
|
|
October 15 |
|
Video class session 8 to 9 p.m. |
|
October 20 |
Round 8 decision |
|
|
October 22 |
Comp-XM |
Begin 4 simulation decisions completed
individually |
|
November 5 |
DEADLINE |
Final exam segment of Comp-XM |
SIMULATION DECISIONS
All decisions must
be made prior to
ASSIGNMENTS
Written
assignments are due at
Team Structure (10 points)
Submit a one page,
double spaced document discussing
Grading Criteria:
Complete submission of requested
information 7 points
Clarity of information 3 points
Strategy Statement (25 points)
The assignment is
to clarify the strategy that your team plans to utilize in the business
environment. The three practice rounds
should provide an understanding of the best strategy your team should pursue in
you business environment. A five hundred
word document should discuss the specific strategy the team will undertake, the
reasons for the choice, and the contingency plan should that strategy not
provide the intended results. Include
in this strategy assessment what financing strategy would be best; sale of
stock, long-term or short-term loans, etc.
Grading criteria:
Readability and Grammar 5 points
Presentation of Strategy 8 points
Financing strategy assessment
7 points
Contingency plan assessment 3 points
Individual Assignment (20 points)
Each individual will choose a real company that utilizes a strategy
similar to the one chosen by the Capsim team he(she) during the practice
rounds. A two page written assessment of
that company’s success with the strategy is to be completed by each
individual. This is not a team effort.
Market and Competitive Analysis (50 points)
Utilizing graphs
and statistics, analyze both the market
potential for the products being
offered and how your competitors are
doing in each market segment in relation to your firm. Put together a clear picture of the overall
business environment in which the firm is operating. An assessment of inventory levels and costs
is also necessary. How are production
and inventory levels affecting your firm and the competition. The written content of this document should
be approximately 4 pages in length.
Graphs and statistical tables are in addition to the written analysis.
Grading criteria:
Readability and Grammar 10 points
Market analysis 15 points
Competitive analysis 15 points
Inventory Control analysis 10 points
Program
Evaluations (required, 10 points)
Each person must also complete a program evaluation. These should be completed on the Capsim site
after the last set of simulation decisions.
Individuals will not receive the final course grade until this
evaluation is complete.
CompXM
Each individual will complete a self-paced CompXM set of decisions
beginning October 22. Once the four
rounds are completed, students take a personalized exam with questions tailored
to the unique decisions made by the student. The individual competency section
is self-paced but must be completed between October 22 and
Course Grading Criteria |
Points possible |
|
Written Assignments |
85 points |
|
Simulation
Ranking |
100 points |
|
Individual
Assignment |
20 points |
|
Peer &
Program Evaluations |
10 points |
|
CompXM results |
100 points |
|
TOTAL |
315 points |
Please keep in
mind that this is your MBA Capstone course.
Through your performance, personal and within the team, you must
demonstrate that you can perform at a level indicative of a person who has
earned a respected MBA. Penalties for
late decisions or assignments will be applied.
No students will be given special or “make up” work to help them improve
their grades. Grades will be assigned on
a percentage basis as follows:
90
% and above A range
80%
to 89%- B range
77%
to 79% C+
<77%
W – must repeat (and pay for) the course in the next round unless individual
CompXM score is 80% or above.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Success with
simulations comes from getting to know the program well. The more familiar you become with the
software prior to the practice sessions, the higher your probability of
success. The practice decisions are for
just that. The teams that were most
successful with the simulation had the most “hits” on the training segment of
the simulation period. The playing field
will be readjusted once the final sets of decisions begin. Each team can draw from the practice
experience to improve decision-making during the actual simulation. It is important to utilize research functions
of the program in order to make the most knowledgeable decisions.