The Supply Chain Game
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The story behind the supply chain game

The supply chain game is SoftDrinkGame’s version of a classic simulation, known as the beer game. This game lets you experience problems of supply chains.

This game was originally created in the 1960’s by Jay Forrester at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His game can be used to show the benefits of sharing information, supply chain management and working together in a supply chain.

In our supply chain game, we’ve taken the original game and developed it further to include some additional challenges that are common in supply chains.

The goal is to keep the supply chain costs as low as possible and your customers happy!

See the ‘How to play’ section, so you’re reading to start managing your supply chain.

How to play the supply chain game

Test your skills of running a supply chain with our online game. Can you complete the ordering process, without ending up with too much stock? Your profits and reputation are at stake!

You’ll manage the supply chain for one of Britain’s most popular items - tins of soft drink.

What does a supply chain look like?

Below is an image showing the different stages of a supply chain.

A series of boxes linked left to right by arrows, the text in the boxes reads: material extraction, material processing, component production, manufacture/assembly, warehousing, distribution, and retailer. Above each box is a corresponding graphic, including different types of buildings and a distribution truck.
Figure 1.1: High-level representation of a typical manufacturing supply chain

Playing the game

You make the important decisions, such as how much stock you order. Can you keep your customer happy?

You don’t need to worry about the deliveries to your customers - this is done automatically, but you’ll need to make sure you’re not hit with any fines. Every order must be completed. Backorder penalties will cost you £1.00 per unit.

Your main task is to minimise costs and maximise the customer service level. It sounds simple, but if you start to struggle, imagine what it’s like working for one of the leading supermarkets and looking after 90,000 different items!

The supply chain game dashboard

In the game dashboard you’ll see the key information to manage the supply chain.

screen shot of the performance bar

This bar includes:

  • The length of time you’re playing for.
  • Your individual performance(with the total cost for the role you’re playing), plus an indicator of how well you’re doing.
    • The red section means you’re below average.
    • The yellow section means you’re average.
    • The green section means you’re above average.
  • The supply chain performance(the total costs and stock in the supply chain), plus an indicator showing how well your supply chain is performing compared to that in a typical game.

How the game works

On the main part of the screen you will find a graphic representation of the supply chain that you are managing.

The information flow, which refers to issuing the ordersemail icon
screen shot of the graphic view
lorry iconThe material flow, which covers the shipment of the product.

In this supply chain you will observe two flows:

  1. the goods or material flow (soft drink) - flowing from left to right
  2. the information flows (orders) – flowing from right to left.

You furthermore observe:

100
The order that you have received from your customer
100
The order that you have placed at your supplier
0
Your backorders (orders that you have received but could not deliver due to stockouts)
120
Available inventory
100
Goods on their way (delay 1 and delay 2, representing the shipping time) – goods will arrive at the next node two periods after the order has been received (one period when reduced lead time is selected) unless the supplier has insufficient stock, in which case the amount available in stock will be delivered and the remainder will be sent as soon as more inventory comes available.

Starting the game

To launch the supply chain game click ‘Finish’ on this screen and then ‘Play game’.

Good luck!

1 Select the role to play
2 Select the length of the game

Supply chain performance

Total costs:£3,880
Total stock:1,227
Service level:90%
Factory
Wholesaler
Distributor
Retailer
Created with Highcharts 4.2.3 Period Units 0 5 10 0200400
Created with Highcharts 4.2.3 Period Units 0 5 10 0200400
Created with Highcharts 4.2.3 Period Units 0 5 10 0200400
Created with Highcharts 4.2.3 Period Units 0 5 10 0200400
Storage cost
£20
£55
£73.50
£91.50
Shortage cost
£1,536
£920
£729
£455
Order variability
203.45
112.37
45.07
3.65
Total cost
£1,556
£975
£802.50
£546.50
The soft drink game (basic level)

Factory

You have received an order...

Your incoming order is:
163
Your current inventory is:
100
Your current backlog is:
108
Introduce your order:

Help

On the main part of the screen you will find a graphic representation of the supply chain that you are managing.

The information flow, which refers to issuing the ordersemail icon
screen shot of the graphic view
lorry iconThe material flow, which covers the shipment of the product.

In this supply chain you will observe two flows:

  1. the goods or material flow (soft drink) - flowing from left to right
  2. the information flows (orders) – flowing from right to left.

You furthermore observe:

100
The order that you have received from your customer
100
The order that you have placed at your supplier
0
Your backorders (orders that you have received but could not deliver due to stockouts)
120
Available inventory
100
Goods on their way (delay 1 and delay 2, representing the shipping time) – goods will arrive at the next node two periods after the order has been received (one period when reduced lead time is selected) unless the supplier has insufficient stock, in which case the amount available in stock will be delivered and the remainder will be sent as soon as more inventory comes available.
Period
Order received
Available inventory
Order placed
Order variability
Storage costs
Shortage costs
Product discarded
Period 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Order received 100 100 100 99 97 113 135 159 147 172 173 163 154
Available inventory 120 120 40 20 20 160 80 200 200 230 200 100 72
Order placed 20 20 20 160 80 200 200 230 200 100 72 145 165
Order variability 0 0 0 0.01 0.09 1.68 12.95 44.32 63.19 107.55 151.56 182.43 203.45
Storage costs 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shortage costs 0 0 60 139 216 169 224 183 130 72 45 108 190
Product discarded 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
The soft drink game (basic level)