Falling in love with Logistics

Professor Omera Khan, Programme Director at the University of London, recently invited Business on the Move to be used to introduce her postgraduate students to her course, MSc International Supply Chain Management.

This presented a wonderful opportunity to test the versatility of Business on the Move, not only in an advanced academic context, but also with students from all over the world from Azerbaijan to China and from Swaziland to Thailand.

Furthermore the game was debriefed in a more challenging manner requiring the students to identify strategies in the game that could provide a competitive advantage in supply chains, reinforcing concepts that had literally just arisen in the initial part of the programme.

Feedback from the 15 students after playing the game confirmed that Business on the Move provided an ideal introduction to logistics & supply chain students. They also remarked how employees not (directly involved) in supply chains could benefit by using the game to appreciate how supply chains work.

Indeed some students went even further advocating, “Everyone should play ~ in logistics and supply chains, retailers, logistics companies, service providers, students in schools and colleges as well as students on university programmes.”

 There was no shortage either of suggestions about how the game might be enhanced:

• “Play an initial trial round.”
• “Offer a loan facility from the bank (with punishment!).”
• “Every fourth round the Bank should carry out an audit threatening to call in money due.”
• “Encourage players to make deals with each other.”

 A final observation comes from Professor Omera Khan herself:

“Business on the Move is essential and ‘vital’ for any level of student or company to truly understand the importance and complexity of supply chains, but in a fun and inspirational way. It is an inspiring and stimulating way to enhance our understanding of supply chains and ‘fall in love with logistics’.