The skills primarily developed in this course are:
teamwork
managerial decision-making
critical thinking
diagnostic skills
written and oral communication
creativity
The course has several objectives:
to enable students to produce an initial synthesis of the management courses taken during their university studies
to enable them to apply the theoretical concepts covered in class
to introduce them to managerial decision-making and accountability for the choices they make
to raise their awareness of the management of interpersonal relationships within a group
The business game, as designed in this course, is a group decision-making exercise. Using a computer-based management simulation (business game), students are placed in charge of a virtual company and are required to perform all the main management functions of a business, including production, finance, marketing, human resource management, and others, under realistic conditions involving competition between companies and changing economic circumstances. Based on an analysis of the initial situation, participants define objectives and medium-term plans. They make decisions concerning all areas of the company. The interaction between their own decisions, those of their competitors, and the broader economic and social environment influences each company’s performance. Based on these results, successive rounds of decisions are made. At the end of the simulation, both the course of the exercise and the results achieved are analysed and critically assessed.
In general, the course is organised as follows:
Week 0 (end of Q1): general introduction to the business game and team formation
Week 1 (first week of Q2): decisions for Quarter 1
Week 2 (second week of Q2): decisions for Quarter 2
Week 3 (third week of Q2): decisions for Quarters 3 and 4
Week 4 (fourth week of Q2): decisions for Quarters 5 and 6
Week 5 (fifth week of Q2): decisions for Quarters 7 and 8
Week 6 (sixth week of Q2): preparation and submission of the management report
Week 7 (seventh week of Q2): preparation of the presentation and oral defence of the management report
Week 8 (as soon as possible): assessment and final feedback
Throughout the business game, the virtual companies communicate in writing, through memos, notes and reports, as well as orally, through discussions and formal presentations, with the company’s various stakeholders, such as the General Meeting, Board of Directors, banks, trade unions, advertising agencies, consulting firms, and others.
The overall assessment of each group is based on four areas:
Student participation, including engagement in the business game, communication with stakeholders, and the quality of notes, interim reports, and other contributions
The quality of the company’s management performance, including economic, human, and financial results
Various management reports
The final presentation (oral defence)
Given the competitive nature of the business game, in which the companies (groups) compete against one another within the simulation, as well as the specific features of this course, including continuous assessment and interactions with various stakeholders, it is not possible to organise a second examination session. However, at the midpoint of the simulation, students will receive informal feedback to help them assess their progress and, where necessary, adjust the direction taken by the group.
Finally, depending on each student’s level of involvement and contribution, an individual group member may receive a grade that differs from that of the rest of the group if the teaching team considers this appropriate.
See prerequisite courses (it is particularly important to review the key accounting concepts).
| Training | Study programme | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master in Management (Evenings and Weekends Schedule) | Standard | 1 | 5 | Yes |
| Master in Management (Evenings and Weekends Schedule) | Finalité spécialisée | 1 | 5 | Yes |
| Bachelor in Economics and Management | Standard | 3 | 5 | No |