The Reality of the Beer Game
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2000 3:40 pm
Another beer game story:
Two weeks ago I played the beer game with employees of a production company
in The Netherlands. People from different departments participated in the
game. The logistics manager had asked to play the game, as the company had
just experienced a situation where the supplier had not been able to deliver
parts as quickly as the clients had expected, and consequently the
production companys clients had ordered more, without the production
company realising this. This meant that they now have a warehouse full of
stock. A situation that may last until October. The logistics manager wanted
the game to be played in order for other departments of the company to
understand what was going on, and to understand why he e.g. wants to
decrease time delays and would like more client information/communication.
The companys employees thought that the beer game situation was very
recognisable, and the production company is also going to play the beer game
with one of their largest clients this afternoon.
Regards,
Els van Daalen
Delft University of Technology
The Netherlands
elsd@sepa.tudelft.nl
Two weeks ago I played the beer game with employees of a production company
in The Netherlands. People from different departments participated in the
game. The logistics manager had asked to play the game, as the company had
just experienced a situation where the supplier had not been able to deliver
parts as quickly as the clients had expected, and consequently the
production companys clients had ordered more, without the production
company realising this. This meant that they now have a warehouse full of
stock. A situation that may last until October. The logistics manager wanted
the game to be played in order for other departments of the company to
understand what was going on, and to understand why he e.g. wants to
decrease time delays and would like more client information/communication.
The companys employees thought that the beer game situation was very
recognisable, and the production company is also going to play the beer game
with one of their largest clients this afternoon.
Regards,
Els van Daalen
Delft University of Technology
The Netherlands
elsd@sepa.tudelft.nl