Archive for August, 2009

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AOM and AMA Wrap-Up

August 17, 2009

AOMandAMA2009

The Academy of Management (AOM) and American Marketing Association (AMA) conferences were both held in downtown Chicago this year. ILS was an exhibitor at both and had five ILS employees managing the booths and sharing information about our growing family of simulations.

Through conversations with professors who visited our booths, we noticed a peaked interest in adding simulations to their current curriculums. It was also great to meet and interact with several of our current users. These clients offered their encouragement as well provided welcomed feedback.

The conferences are scheduled to be held in Montreal and Boston next year, so be sure to mark your calendars. We hope to see you there!

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The Global Business Game Adds a New Edition

August 15, 2009

The Global Business Game has added a third edition to its family of simulations.  This edition is available in beta version until December 31, 2009.

The Business Basics Edition revolves around the motor scooter industry. Student teams manufacture a single product and sell it in two target markets: North America and South America, or Europe and Africa, or Asia and Oceania. The game is set for 6 decision rounds. This edition offers beginning business students an excellent overview to the challenges and rewards of managing and expanding an international company. Financial transactions, financial instruments, human resource management, production, distribution and logistics are all simplified, but illustrative of important business decisions.

GBGBasics-screenshot

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Marketplace Live – Levels Release Dates Announced

August 3, 2009

Below are the anticipated release dates of each level and version of Marketplace Live:

Level Version Beta version Full release for universities Full release for corporations
Intro to Business & Strategy Against Peers Spring/Summer 2009 Available Now Spring 2010
Intro to Business & Strategy Against Computer Fall 2009 Spring 2010 Fall 2010
Business Fundamentals Against Peers Spring/Summer 2009 Fall 2009 Spring 2010
Business Fundamentals Against Computer Fall 2009 Spring 2010 Fall 2010
Intro to Marketing Against Peers Spring/Summer 2009 Fall 2009 Spring 2010
Intro to Marketing Against Computer Fall 2009 Spring 2010 Fall 2010
Venture Strategy Against Peers Fall 2009 Spring 2010 Fall 2010
Venture Strategy Against Computer Spring 2010 Fall 2010 Spring 2011
Level Version Beta version Full release for universities Full release for corporations
Strategic Management Against Peers (only) Fall 2009 Spring 2010 Fall 2010
Strategic E-Commerce Against Peers (only) Fall 2009 Spring 2010 Fall 2010
Integrated Business Management Against Peers (only) Spring 2010 Fall 2010 Spring 2011
Strategic Corporate Management Against Peers (only) Spring 2010 Fall 2010 Spring 2011
International Corporate Management Against Peers (only) Spring 2010 Fall 2010 Spring 2011
Strategic Marketing Against Peers Fall 2010 Spring 2011 Fall 2011
Strategic Marketing Against Computer Spring 2011 Fall 2011 Spring 2012
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Come See Us at the American Marketing Association and the Academy of Management Conferences!

August 3, 2009

You will be delighted with what we have to offer. Stop by our booth to view the new generation of Marketplace simulations.

Meet the Staff of Innovative Learning Solutions
We have spoken over the phone and exchanged lots of emails. Now meet us in person. Jeanine Schmierbach, Martin Klima, Richard Mann, Ken Lonseth, and Byron Sambat will be at either the AMA or AOM meetings. In addition, you can meet the author of Marketplace, Ernie Cadotte at the booth.

ILS Staff (from left to right): Martin Klima, Ken Lonseth, Richard Mann

ILS Staff at AOM (from left to right): Martin Klima, Ken Lonseth, Richard Mann

ILS Staff at AMA (left to right): Byron Sambat, Jeanine Schmierbach

ILS Staff at AMA (left to right): Byron Sambat, Jeanine Schmierbach

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Special Session at AMA on Supply Chain Simulations

August 3, 2009

Ernie Cadotte will be chairing a special session at the Summer AMA Educators Conference, entitled Effective Teaching with Supply Chain and Channel Management Simulations. The session will be held from 10:30a-12:00p on Saturday, August 8th.

The objectives of this session are:

  • To introduce educators to the simulation pedagogy and to how simulations can enhance learning, stimulate student involvement and interest, and contribute to AACSB Assurance of Learning goals;
  • To acquaint educators with a broad assortment of commercially available supply chain and channel management simulations, including the pedagogical focus, mechanics of play, and use within a course;
  • To review three strikingly different simulations by their authors in order to more fully illustrate the variety of simulation options, pedagogies, and ways to include a simulation in a course; and
  • To have the authors sit as a panel to discuss, illustrate and debate with each other and the audience how to effectively employ simulations in a supply chain and/or channel management course.

Presenters and Panel Discussants

Ernie Cadotte (Marketplace Supply Chain and Channel Management),

Samuel C. Wood (Littlefield Technologies) and

Randall Chapman (LINKS Supply Chain Management Simulation).

Each speaker is an author of a simulation from three distinct points across the spectrum of supply chain and channel management simulations. Specifically, the Littlefield Technologies simulation is primarily concerned with production and capacity planning in a supply chain. In contrast, the LINKS Supply Chain Management Simulation focuses on the management of a supply chain across business entities. Finally, the Marketplace Supply Chain and Channel Management simulation is concerned with the behavioral challenges and opportunities of developing supply chain relationships.

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More People are Playing Marketplace than Ever!

August 3, 2009

We continue to experience phenomenal growth. Satisfied students and faculty are driving our demand continually upward.

As you can see in the chart below, our growth has been strong and steady since our founding and there is no end in sight. In just the first six months of 2009, ILS had 24,000 Marketplace players. With the most recent numbers, we are on target to reach our 200,000th licensed user by the end of 2009.

Growth Bar Graph