With over 40 FAQs asked and answered below, it is feasible that the answers you are looking for are already here.
If, however, the information you want is missing, then we shall be delighted to hear from you and use the “new answer” to grow this bank of information.
Indeed, a BIG ‘thank you’ to all who have contributed so far.
The first 25 questions below largely address points raised by people who have recently heard about Business on the Move or who have recently played their first game. The answers to Questions 1-25 apply to both the UK and Global Editions of Business on the Move.
Questions 26-33 tend to raise very specific points when playing the UK Edition, whereas Question 34 onwards similarly seek particular answers about the Global Edition
Please send any questions for which you cannot find a (satisfactory) answer to info@businessonthemove.org
We shall be delighted to respond!
Related to both versions of the game.
Q1. How many players are there in a game?
Usually there are four players and a Banker. Players can ‘double-up’ and share running a business, so nine players would be a recommended maximum per game.
Originally we designed Business on the Move with young people in mind, typically aged 9-19 at school or college in the UK. In practice, the versatility of the game has led to its use with much wider age groups all over the world. Our game is in more than 100 universities across the world including being played as part of M.Sc. programmes in Logistics! Companies also see the game as a fun way for new recruits and existing staff to learn about the 'bigger picture' of global supply chains. Business on the Move can even be used as part of an assessment centre process or customised to become a novel corporate gift.
Q3. How long does a game take?
Depending on how many are playing allow 75-90 minutes the first time you play the game at Level One to become familiar with the rules. Subsequently games can be played within an hour or even less. Higher level games last for longer as desired. We always recommend starting at Level One, adding extra challenges in subsequent games all the way up to the top Level according to your preferences.
Q4. How can you see the game before buying one?
The options are
Q5. What key feedback came out of the trials?
Business on the Move was tried & tested over two years by some 540 Key Stage 2 – Key Stage 5 learners from more than Learners from more than 30 schools across the UK were involved. Of these young people:-
Detailed feedback and testimonials can be found under the Events tab on our website.
Q6. What makes Business on the Move “more than just a fun board game”?
With a minimum of 4 games you can access, free-of-charge, a portfolio of learning activities developed in partnership with our business sponsors. These activities enable young people of all ages to connect their classroom learning with the reality of the businesses featured in the game.
The activities are matched to the English National Curriculum from KS2 -5 and cover many subjects including Maths, English, Geography and Business Studies as well as broader themes such as Enterprise and Environmental education.
Visit our “Learning Zone” to sample how activities can be searched and downloaded and to understand how the board game becomes a platform for learning.
Q7. What are the ‘Training Events’ or ‘Workshops’?
Sometimes an organisation hosts an event where invited local schools, colleges and training providers play the game and receive complimentary copies of Business on the Move.
A different example is when an interested business invites us to run a workshop for their own staff, perhaps working with their Human Resources team to explore different ways to use the game or working with their new cohort of (graduate) apprentices, playing the game as an integral part of their induction programme.
As the game’s developers, we take participants through the game so they can experience the game’s versatility at first hand. We also demonstrate how to make best use of the diverse learning activities that have been created in partnership with business sponsors.
Many workshops have already taken place all over the UK. Look for new dates and locations under the Events tab on our website.
Attendance is strictly by invitation only. If you are keen to attend a particular event, please contact us at info@businessonthemove.org in the first instance.
Q8. What topics do the ‘Workshops’ cover?
Let's be clear, attending one of our workshops is NOT essential. The basic rules are simple and the game's rules fit on to one A6 card. A comprehensive Guide also comes with the game, explaining everything a teacher/trainer might want to know.
A workshop, however, makes a lot of sense for teachers/trainers wishing to realise the full potential of Business on the Move. We will gladly tailor a workshop to fit your specific requirements ~ these five themes are the most popular:-
Q9. Is it too late to become a sponsor?
Not at all; businesses are our biggest customers, using Business on the Move as part of their own in-house training and/or donating games to local schools as part of their CSR programme.
Companies placing 4 or more games into their local school, with training for the teacher included, can have their corporate logo incorporated into to the playing of the game and featured on the box lid.
There are also options to customise cards in the game and even the whole game board to reflect your supply chain. Please note this latter opportunity is only available for a minimum run of 100 games.
Request more details about sponsorship options via info@businessonthemove.org
Q10. Compared to other board games in the shops Business on the Move is expensive. Why?
Business on the Move is not available in shops. We do not think £39-£42 is actually expensive when you consider:
Q11. How can I order Business on the Move?
Orders are normally through our on-line Shop, paying by card.
Alternatively send us an official purchase order and we'll invoice you.
More details can be found on our SHOP page.
Q12. Are any other versions planned?
We have produced bespoke versions for Peel Ports in Liverpool and Modal Training on Humberside. We have also been been commissioned to create bespoke editions for PD Ports in the North East, AF Blakemore in the Midlands and for a charity in Kenya. Such games are ideal for distributing to local schools and colleges as well as using within in-house training programmes or for use as a novel corporate gift!
With global supply chains at the heart of second Edition, we have been recently invited to create a new customised Humanitarian Edition for publication during the summer of 2020. Watch this space for more news!
Q13. Is an order, regardless of value, always represented by one container?
Yes, one order is always for one container in the lower levels of the game. The value shown on the Order card is the amount the Bank will pay on delivery of one container on behalf of the Customer. Level four of the game, however, introduces pallet orders when a container can be exchanged for three pallets at any one of the four Distribution Centres around the board. The value to be paid for delivery of a pallet is likewise shown at the top of the Pallet Order card.
Once you have purchased an asset ~ plane, ship, train or truck ~ you own it and should re-use it as often as necessary to extract the most benefit from your purchase.
On the face of it buying more than one ship and one plane will provide enough capacity to deliver four containers and meet the four orders BUT a player could:
In their first ever game, many players are naturally cautious and just buy either one plane or one ship. Much depends, however, on the example the first player sets... The key advantage of investing in two assets, of course, is being able to use two dice. That’s why most players playing for a second or third time choose to buy either one ship & one plane, two ships or, occasionally, 2 planes. We prefer players to learn by experience.
No, the sequence of deliveries is completely at the discretion of the players. Furthermore, to the extent that their dice throw allows, they can deliver multiple orders in the same turn.
At level 2 and beyond, players receive extra orders by being allowed at the start of their turn to draw the top Order card from the pile. A player may only draw a maximum of one Order card per turn ... or choose not to draw any at all, being conscious of potential penalties that can be levied by the Bank at the end of the game for non-delivery and letting customers down. Of course, players may draw an Order card that does not ‘fit with their strategy’ ~ the customer, for instance, may be located in the ‘wrong’ part of the board if the player is concentrating on short-haul deliveries purely by truck. Such an Order card, however, may still be attractive to negotiate an exchange deal or sub-contract with another player. On the other hand, beware of drawing an extra Order card in too many turns and finding yourself over-stretched and exposed to penalties!
No payment is required when asking for an Order card. Indeed, players will RECEIVE payments from the Bank according to each card's value as soon as they complete delivery of Orders. However, players may become liable for a penalty charge at the end of the game if any orders remain undelivered. This penalty can be 5%, 10%, 50% etc and is determined by either the Bank or the the person facilitating the game. Players should be advised, however, during the game that this is going to happen. The penalties are charged at the end of the game as can be seen on the balance sheet.
Q18. Can you sell any of your assets back to the Bank?
Selling your assets can make sense if you hit a 'cash flow' problem. You can sell any asset back to the Bank for half price. Alternatively you can sell to your competitors for whatever price they will pay. Think carefully, however, about selling assets because they are valued at full price in the balance sheet at the end of the game. There is no depreciation.
The player has complete flexibility and can divide any dice throw between two trucks. Indeed, during a ‘Rail & Road’ turn a dice throw can be divided between any number of trains and trucks. Similarly, the same applies for planes and ships during an ‘Air & Sea’ turn. It is also permissible for a player throwing multiple dice to use the total score to move just one asset.
Q20. Can a game be played to a specific time limit?
Yes. In fact, apart from at Level 1 where the game can be won by being the first to deliver their 4 orders, announcing a time limit is normal.
Playing your first game always takes longer while getting used to the Rules. That's why we recommend allowing 75-90 minutes for your first game.
That could even grow to 120 minutes if a class has, for instance, 4 games in play at the same time where nobody has played before and a thorough debrief is planned to finish the session.
Ideas for debriefing are available in our Learning Zone.
Q21. Can the winner be the player with the most cash in hand (i.e. not counting asset value)?
In theory this can be a way to determine the winner. In practice, we recommend using the balance sheet to calculate the value of all assets rather than merely cash balances. It is quickly done, ideally by requesting players initially to move all their assets on to their respective company base. Assets (including undelivered containers) can then be speedily valued and the cash added.
Yes. Don’t forget a plane has to land at the Terminal and will therefore require a total of ‘5’ on the dice to complete its journey through the clouds and receive one container from the Bank.
Similarly, a ship requires a cumulative score of ‘10’ on the dice to dock at the Terminal and receive its three containers.
It does not matter. Any order can be assigned to any container, even ‘magically' changing its contents at the last second to suit a particular dice throw! Keep the game simple.
Q24. How can you get playing quickly?
Our first tip for a quick start to a Level One game is to have a Banker who has played the game at least once previously. Involving 'experienced
bankers' always pays off!
Our second tip is get ready in advance by sorting each players' starting materials into a small plastic bag ~ the laminated (A6) Rules card, 4 pre-determined Order cards (page 2 of Guide), Insurance card and £/$150,000 ~ placing it on top of their Company base.
The third tip is to emphasise to the players that, each turn, they can choose to play EITHER an 'Air & Sea' turn OR a 'Rail & Road' turn, but never both in the same turn. Once they have chosen, they should simply carry out the 4 steps in the order shown. As long as, in EVERY turn, players strictly follow the sequence on one side of the Rules card or the other, they should not go wrong!
The fourth and and final tip is to guide the first player through their first turn, ensuring all the other players watch and listen as the first player goes through the 4 steps in order, the LAST one being to throw the dice.
Remember that the "Guide to Delivering Learning" which accompanies every game should answer the majority of your questions. Other questions that have been raised most often since publication are directly addressed below according to the edition:
UK EDITION: Q26 - Q33
GLOBAL EDITION: Q34 - Q42
Finally, if you do have a question about the rules that is not currently explained in the FAQs, we would be delighted to hear from you. That's how this list grows! Just email your question to info@businessonthemove.org
Relate only to the UK Edition.
Q26. How can the degree of difficulty of playing the UK game be gradually increased?
Refer to the booklet, ‘Guide to Delivering Learning’ which accompanies the UK EDITION:
Pages 23-25 provide a number of options. Introducing the ‘Productivity Gain’ cards and/or the ‘Green Dice’ (explained on page 25) are relatively gentle ways of increasing the challenge to players at Level 1.
How to progress beyond Level 1 is very much a matter of choice. It is not strictly necessary to graduate one level at a time from Level 1 through to 7.
Two possible approaches are:-
(a) IF PLAYERS FINISH THEIR LEVEL 1 GAME AND WANT TO CARRY ON:
Introduce Level 2 (for all) when first player completes their 4 deliveries Progress next to:
(b) IF PLAYERS HAVE PLAYED BEFORE AND WANT A GREATER CHALLENGE:
Start with Level 3 and progress next to:
DETAIL NOW FOLLOWS ABOUT EACH HIGHER LEVEL 2-7:-
Level 2 can grow naturally out of a current Level One game by offering players who have delivered their 4 orders the option to draw another Order card from the top of the pack. They then choose whether to exercise this option at the end of every turn. The attraction of receiving extra orders has to be balanced against the risk of failing to deliver to some customers by the end of the game and incurring penalties that might be imposed by the Bank (recommended to make players think and guard against accumulating orders they cannot possibly deliver in time).
Level 3 works best when players have played the game before and want to raise the bar from having the “equal orders” at the start as in Level 1. Players must decide whether to accept or decline an Order randomly drawn from the pack every turn right from the beginning of the game. This level gives players the opportunity to take on only the Orders that fit in with their “strategy”, perhaps specialising in shorter truck deliveries, in longer-haul deliveries by train for high value orders or (when using Level 4 too) in pallet deliveries.
Level 4 has the advantage of being able to be introduced into a Level 2 or a Level 3 game.
Level 4, best announced by a ‘Newsflash’, offers players the opportunity to deliver any container to any of the 4 Distribution Centres (DCs) around the board. Once unloaded, the player pays £5,000 to the Bank to ‘break bulk’ and obtain three white pallets in exchange for the container. These 3 pallets must be delivered according to the customers specified in the ‘Pallet Order’ cards. The cards can be drawn from their pack in the same way as standard Order cards. The player simply chooses to receive either an ‘Order’ card or a ‘Pallet Order’ card, never both in the same turn. See pages 15 and 16 of the Guide for more details.
An extra dimension can also be applied to Level 4 once the concept of breaking-bulk and palletisation is understood by players.
Q27. Should the four orders in Level one add up to the same value?
Ideally, yes, but one totalling £84,000 and the other three at £85,000 are as near as we can get! Even more important, however, is the fact that these four orders require the same total dice throw to deliver them. If you wish to be scrupulously fair, then we recommend that you give the £84,000 player either first turn or £1,000 extra in cash at the start.
Yes, every turn. Regard the ‘stage 2 costs’ on the Rules card as overheads that must be paid every single turn regardless of whether the player uses them or not. The important exception is that this requirement only applies to the relevant assets to the turn being played. In other words, if you are playing an ‘Air & Sea’ turn, the relevant costs are £2,000 per plane and ship ~ there is no charge for trains and trucks because it is an ‘Air & Sea’ turn. Similarly, during a ‘Rail & Road’ turn, £2,000 must be paid for every train and truck whether used or not ~ there is no charge, however, for planes and ships because it is a ‘Rail & Road’ turn.
Q29. When a plane lands in the UK, must its container go to a stipulated customer?
No. Containers can be delivered to any customer; it is the player’s choice in what sequence orders are delivered. Deciding on this strategy is at the heart of the game.
Q30. When a delivery is completed what happens to the transport?
Whatever the mode of transport when its journey is completed, the plastic token is picked up and placed on the Company Base. Planes and ships can then restart from the China Terminal, whereas trains and trucks restart from the UK. Only in Level 7 (Reverse Logistics) do dice have to be thrown to move back to the departure-point.
An extra reminder too for when a delivery is completed ... don't forget to get paid by the Bank for your Order!
In Levels 2-6 a player would request an Order card from the Bank at the start of the turn at the same time as the player informs the Bank (as part of Step 1) if they do or do not wish to buy any new assets.
At advanced level Seven, however, where the larger (A5) Rules card is used, the option to receive additional Order cards becomes ‘Step 5’ because of the increased complexity of each turn. The player can then consider how to respond to any new order in readiness for their next turn.
Q32. Must trains and trucks always start from their respective ‘UK Rail’ and ‘UK Road’ Starts?
Any train or truck loaded from ‘Container Handling’ must start its journey from this ‘Start’. There are exceptions, however, in the case of some trucks:
i. An unloaded (=empty) truck can be placed by a player to start from any one of the 3 Railheads. An empty truck can then receive/load one container dropped off by a train and move towards the intended Customer. If both containers have not been unloaded at that Railhead, the train then continues its journey to the next Railhead to drop off its remaining container.
ii. If a player is fortunate enough to pick up an (Air & Sea) card awarding him/her a “container of British-made goods”, an empty truck can be placed to start its journey from the UK Factory. This is a very good card to receive because a relatively short delivery can earn a relatively high income.
Yes. Good tactics! There is no need to wait until the next turn before the truck is allowed to move.
Relate only to the Global Edition.
Q34. How can the degree of difficulty of playing the Global game be gradually increased?
Refer to the booklet, ‘Guide to Delivering Learning’ which accompanies the GLOBAL EDITION:
Pages 21-22 provide a number of dimensions that are relatively gentle ways of increasing the challenge to players such as introducing 'Green logistics', the ‘Skills' cards and/or 'EDI' cards.
How to progress beyond Level 1 is very much a matter of choice. It is not strictly necessary to graduate one level at a time from Level 1 through to 3.
Two possible approaches are:-
(a) IF PLAYERS FINISH THEIR LEVEL 1 GAME AND WANT TO CARRY ON:
Introduce Level 2 (on page 20) when first player completes their 4 deliveries and add the palletisation dimension explained on page 22 with/or without the extra blue pallet pooling option.
(b) IF PLAYERS HAVE PLAYED BEFORE AND WANT A GREATER CHALLENGE:
Start at either Level 2 or 3 (on page 20) and introduce dimensions to suit chosen from pages 21-23:
DETAIL NOW FOLLOWS ABOUT EACH HIGHER LEVEL 2-3:-
Level 2 can grow naturally out of a current Level One game by offering players who have delivered their 4 orders the option to draw another Order card from the top of the pack. They then choose whether to exercise this option at the end of every turn. The attraction of receiving extra orders has to be balanced against the risk of failing to deliver to some customers by the end of the game and incurring penalties that might be imposed by the Bank (recommended to make players think and guard against accumulating orders they cannot possibly deliver in time).
Level 2 works best, however, when players have played the game before and want to raise the bar from having the “equal orders” at the start as in Level 1. Players must decide whether to accept or decline an Order randomly drawn from the pack every turn right from the beginning of the game. This level gives players the opportunity to take on only the Orders that fit in with their “strategy”, perhaps specialising in shorter truck deliveries, in longer-haul deliveries by train for high value orders or in pallet deliveries.
Level 3 is a big jump up from Level 2 and for experienced older players and provides the ultimate and more realistic challenge of factoring in ‘reverse logistics’ into their plans and strategies. Players must use the ‘advanced’ (A5) Rules card. See page 20 of the Guide.
Level 3 also offers players the opportunity to use accounts instead of paper money. This approach is explained in great detail in our Learning Zone. As long as you have a minimum of 4 games and have login codes that give you full access to the Learning Zone, you can download the necessary spreadsheets and accompanying notes. Search for the activity, “Accounting”.
Q35. Should the four orders in Level one add up to the same value?
Yes, all four sets of four Orders total $90,000 per set. Equally important, however, is the fact that these four orders require the same total dice throw to deliver them.
Yes, every turn. Regard the ‘stage 2 costs’ on the Rules card as overheads that must be paid every single turn regardless of whether the player uses them or not. The important exception is that this requirement only applies to the relevant assets to the turn being played. In other words, if you are playing an ‘Air & Sea’ turn, the relevant costs are $2,000 per plane and ship ~ there is no charge for trains and trucks because it is an ‘Air & Sea’ turn. Similarly, during a ‘Rail & Road’ turn, $2,000 must be paid for every train and truck whether used or not ~ there is no charge, however, for planes and ships because it is a ‘Rail & Road’ turn.
Q37. When a plane lands at its destination Terminal, must its container go to a stipulated customer?
No. Containers can be delivered to any customer; it is the player’s choice in what sequence orders are delivered. Deciding on this strategy is at the heart of the game.
Q38. When a delivery is completed what happens to the transport?
Whatever the mode of transport when its journey is completed, the plastic token is picked up and placed on the Company Base. Planes, ships, trains and trucks can then restart from their starting Terminal. Only in Level 3 (Reverse Logistics) do dice have to be thrown to move back to the departure-point.
An extra reminder too for when a delivery is completed.....don't forget to get paid by the Bank for your Order!
In Level 2 a player would request an Order card from the Bank at the start of the turn at the same time as the player informs the Bank (as part of Step 1) if they do or do not wish to buy any new assets.
At advanced level 3, however, where the larger (A5) Rules card is used, the option to receive additional Order cards becomes ‘Step 5’ because of the increased complexity of each turn. The player can then consider how to respond to any new order in readiness for their next turn.
Q40. Must trains and trucks always start from their respective ‘Rail’ and ‘Road’ Starts?
Any train or truck loaded from ‘Container Handling’ must start its journey from this ‘Start’. There is an exceptions, however, in the case of trucks:
An unloaded (=empty) truck can be placed by a player to start from any one of the 2 Railheads. An empty truck can then receive/load one container dropped off by a train and move towards the intended Customer. If both containers have not been unloaded at that Railhead, the train then continues its journey to the next Railhead to drop off its remaining container.
No. The loading of the truck is deemed to take up the rest of the turn and the truck must wait until the next turn to depart. See para 21 (d) on page 15 of the Guide.
Q42. Can trains and trucks travel in any direction through either tunnel?
No. Trains and trucks should only travel clockwise through either tunnel. This is in accordance with the direction of the coloured arrow that matches the colour of their Order cards. We apologise that Rules 30 ‘e’ and 31 ’f’ respectively (on page 18 of the Guide) do not make this clearer.