Course description:

This intensive two-day company operations, marketing and management strategies training program provides a “hands-on” opportunity to experience the effects of business strategy and operational decisions in a simulated company environment. Manufacturing Reality, enables participants to make their own manufacturing, sales, marketing, finance and product R&D decisions resulting in greater insight, awareness and understanding of their own, their customer’s and competitor’s company operations in today’s rapidly changing competitive environment. Manufacturing Reality models the value of manufacturing flexibility through product design and manufacturing capability. Manufacturing flexibility is a critical competitive edge in today's production environment and Manufacturing Reality provides a means for participants to experience the power of this state-of-the-art concept.

During the ten (8) years of company operation participants work in teams to plan and implement company operations on a quarterly basis. Each team, functioning as a company, competes with other teams on the basis of overall financial results and in the marketplace for orders. All companies start out on equal terms and are able at all times to observe the consequences of their decisions. At the end of each “year” they receive coaching in interpreting the course of events. Teams develop their own annual profit and loss statements and balance sheets, as well as production, new product, marketing and financial strategies, plans and tactics.

Time is provided for all teams to analyze their performance between years and at the close of the simulation. There are no predetermined “winners” as the outcome of the competition is determined by the interactive competitive decisions of the companies and their collective interaction with the marketplace. The program is easily tailored to specific company issues using debrief between years or building into the simulation elements critical to an organization. Manufacturing Reality is designed with customization in mind. The Manufacturing Reality Business Issue cards can easily be tailored to industry specific issues. Additionally, market adjustments, and key financial measures critical to a specific industry can be added with ease. The instructor serves as consultant to each team, helping them to analyze the course of events and reach conclusions. The realities of business operations are interspersed by the instructor in a series of lectures between operation years.

Course objectives:

•	Develop awareness and the ability to maintain an overall view of a business from all facets of an organization
•	Learn the relationship between a business concept, strategy and planning and control.
•	Learn the value of just-in-time inventory processes, manufacturing flexibility and continuous improvement.
•	Learn how to prepare and adjust to marketplace dynamics

Areas of emphasis:

•	Team-building
•	Key indicators
•	Understanding financial statements
•	Cash flow
•	Decision-making
•	Financial management
•	Strategic planning
•	Market value
•	Quality development
•	Operational excellence
•	Market orientation
•	Supply chain management
•	Manufacturing flexibility
•	Competitor analysis
•	Continuous improvement