HISTORY Source of the "Beer Game"

[jforestr@MIT.EDU (Jay W. Forrest]

>>>>>Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 10:42:45 +0200
>>>>>To: nlux@MIT.EDU
>>>>>From: jmachuca@cica.es (Jose Antonio Dominguez Machuca)
>>>>>Subject: About the Beer Game
>>>>>
>>>>>Dear Nan:
>>>>>
>>>>> I hope everything is going well with you. Do you know who was the
>>>>>creator of the Beer Game? was it Jay? in which year?.
>>>>>
>>>>>Dr. Jose A. Dom=EDnguez Machuca


>>At 8:35 AM 5/6/97, Nan Lux wrote:
>>>Can anyone answer Joses question? Im not clear on exactly who. Nan
>>>>----------------------------------


>At 1:12 PM 5/6/97, Jay W. Forrester wrote:
>>I believe that the first use of the "beer game," then known as the
>>"refrigerator game," was devised by me based on the production distribution
>>system originally published in:
>>
>>Forrester, Jay W. (1958). Industrial Dynamics--A Major Breakthrough for
>>Decision Makers. Harvard Business Review, 36(4), pp. 37-66.
>>
>>That article became Chapter 2 in "Industrial Dynamics."
>>
>>As I recall, the first use of the game was probably in our first summer
>>session, then called "Industrial dynamics," most likely in the summer
>>session in 1958. Those summer sessions for many years were a full two
>>meeks in length.
>>
>>

>Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 21:53:59 -0500
>To: jforestr@MIT.EDU (Jay W. Forrester), nlux@MIT.EDU (Nan Lux)
>From: psenge@MIT.EDU (Peter Senge)
>Subject: Re: Question from Machuca
>
>Jay,
>
>Well, after all these years we finally learn. I guess no one ever asked...
>
>Now, we just need to calculate the return on your initial investment of
>time. I would guess that, very conservatively, the game has been conducted
>at least a few thousand times (average 5-10 times per year at MIT in
>courses for about 30 years , summers sesions, IAP (when I came in 1970 it
>was used sporadically but then got used much more often when a few of us
>streamlined the older version and made it possible to play in 1 1/2 hours
>in the late 70s); about 200 Leadership and Mastery Courses; at least as
>many similar system dynamics intro courses by consultants and training
>companies of former MIT people; and probably many many times this number by
>folks we dont know). If you assume 25-50 people every time the game is
>played, it would be very conservative to assume 50,000-100,000 people have
>played the game. The number is probably closer to 1/4 to 1/2 million.
>
>Not bad for the "pre-computer age"...
>
>
>Peter


When we introduce the game into the kindergarten to 12th grade setting, I
assume we will need to revert to the original name, "Refrigerator Game."


Jay W. Forrester
Professor of Management, Emeritus
and Senior Lecturer, Sloan School
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room E60-389
Cambridge, MA 02139
tel: 617-253-1571
fax: 617-252-1998

email: jforestr@mit.edu