BSG Game Related Grading – Spring 2024
1. BSG Quizzes
2. Company Performance
3. Individual End-Of-Game Analysis
4. Overall BSG Report
5. Team Presentation
6. Peer Evaluation
BSG Quizzes, 2.5% of class grade (each) Individual Assignment.
Accessed through the www.bsg-online.com website. Two detailed, online, open-book, multiple choice quizzes on the entire BSG Manual and help screens. Each account for 2.5 points. The whole manual is fair game. The sooner you are up to speed on the manual, the better. They are very detailed quizzes.
Hint: Since the quizzes are open book, it may help you to print the Player’s Guide as a searchable PDF document to be able to quickly find key words while taking the quizzes.
BSG Company performance, 10% of class grade.
Each team’s overall company performance score is calculated with the BSG game “Game to date” overall score. See player’s manual for details on how this score is calculated.
In the past, overall scores in class have ranged from a low of 16 to a high of over 100.
At the end of the game, each team may choose between either
the team’s BSG “Game to date” overall score
or
the team’s “ranking-based” score using the formula below
Ranking Based Performance Score =100 – ((Overall Ranking-1)*(50/(N-1)))
Where N= the total number of teams competing in the game.
Using this “ranking-based” method, the team with the lowest overall performance score will earn 50 points, while the highest team will earn 100 points.
Below is an example using 8 teams:
Team
G-T-D BSG Overall performance Score
Overall Rank
Ranking Based Performance Score
Final BSG Performance Grade (higher of the 2 scores)
A
107
1
100
107
B
72
2
92.86
92.86
C
71
3
85.71
85.71
D
69
4
78.57
78.57
E
67
5
71.43
71.43
F
40
6
64.29
64.29
G
36
7
57.14
57.14
H
14
8
50.00
50.00
Using this formula, team C, which ranked 3rd out of 8 teams, will earn 85.71 points:
Points earned for overall rank of 3 = 100 – ((3-1)*(50/(8-1)))
= 100 – ((2)*(50/7)
= 100 – (2)*(7.143)
= 85.71
Individual BSG End-of-Game Analysis. 10% of class grade (see syllabus for due date).
Use 12 point Times New Roman font, double spaced lines, and 1” page margins.
Include a coversheet with your name. Submit a soft copy in D2L.
Each of the 4 sections is worth 25 points and will be assessed on accuracy and thoroughness.
For questions 1.1, 1.2, and 1.4, please log into the simulation to help you answer the questions.
Remember, this is an individual assignment, TurnIt in will be used to verify originality.
1.1 Using information in BSG reports to make decisions.
Log into the BSG game and identify a year in which your team’s performance (overall score) DECLINED from the previous year. State the year you have selected: _________.
Looking over the three BSG generated reports (a) Footwear Industry Report, (b) Competitive Intelligence Report, and (c) Company Operating Report, describe what types of information can be found in each of those three reports which could help identify the causes of that year’s decline. (Three paragraphs total –one for each type of report). 21+ lines total (minimum).
1.2 Describing your thought process in analyzing a company performance problem.
Performance declines may be caused by INTERNAL factors (a company’s decisions relating to production, distribution, pricing decisions, etc.) or EXTERNAL factors (competitors’ actions, changes in exchange rates, higher costs of supplies, etc.). For the year you identified in 1.1, please use information in the BSG generated reports to identify two factors (internal or external) you can attribute to your company’s performance decline for that specific year. For each factor, write a paragraph describing the particular information and thought process you used in reaching your conclusion. Clearly categorize each of the two factors as either internal or external. When discussing an internal factor, focus on a specific team decision (cause) that resulted in a negative outcome (effect). Two paragraphs, 15+ lines total (minimum).
1.3 Role of different business functions in competing successfully.
Consider the following four business functions represented in the game: a) marketing, b) production/ distribution, c) finance, and d) accounting (both managerial and financial). For each of the four business functions, explain how the decisions your team made relating to the function could help or hurt your company’s efforts to compete successfully in the industry. (Four paragraphs total, 5+ lines per paragraph (minimum); one paragraph for each functional area). 20+ lines total (minimum).
1.4 Strategic Analysis of winning team.
Which team performed best in the game (Highest overall G-T-D score)? Did the winning team pursue a low-cost or a differentiation strategy? Did that team’s strategy change over time? Looking at the winning team’s decisions over the course of the game, explain the specific actions that team took that enabled it to achieve superior performance? One paragraph, 15+ lines total (minimum).
Overall BSG Report, 14% of class grade. (see syllabus for due date) Team Assignment.
Use 12 point Times New Roman font, double spaced lines, and 1” page margins.
All graphs should be 4” x 6” in size.
The BSG paper is a strategic analysis of your industry, your competitors, and your firm, in order to direct your strategic choices in the future. Your report should begin by discussing your firm’s goals, strategy to meet those goals, and expected outcomes. Next, you should provide a Market Analysis, looking at both the whole industry (e.g., Porter’s 5 Forces), and competitors. After performing a thorough Industry and Competitor Analysis, you will use the conclusions and insights you gained to identify key opportunities and threats that you must respond to strategically. Use the rubric (grading sheet) below for reference when writing your paper.
BSG Report Grading Rubric – 100 points possible
Goals, Strategy, and Industry Analysis
Mission Statement and Goals Statement. (4pts) State your company’s mission statement. Describe your firm’s goals for the performance measurements of EPS growth, ROE growth, credit rating, image rating and stock price gains). The goals should be quantitative, specific, aggressive, and outcome-oriented. Also, note specific Board of Director quantitative expectations of each performance goal (stated in the BSG Player’s Guide p. 37).
Strategy Formulation. (4pts) Explain which generic business level strategy (e.g., low cost) your team used to pursue its goals. Detail your team’s specific decisions for each of the Competitive Factors (see BSG Player’s Guide starting on page 10) in efforts to create an integrated, distinctive, strategy. You should discuss the all thirteen Competitive Factors, and the quantitative target rating expectations for these weapons. Be specific. Absolute or relative target numbers will clarify your strategy.
Strategy Implementation. (4pts) Detail your team’s manufacturing, human resources, marketing, and financing plans that supported your strategy. Again, specific quantitative targets demonstrate thoughtful planning. For instance, if you have outlined a strategy that required a low product price, you should emphasize how you achieved a low cost advantage, relative to the rest of the industry. Cite statistics from BSG reports supporting your claims of competitive advantage in these areas where appropriate. Include a paragraph on the firm’s corporate citizenship and social responsibility efforts.
Industry analysis (4pts) Use Porter’s 5-force model (Rothaermel 6th ed. textbook pages 98-106) to perform a thorough analysis of the industry forces of 1) buyer power and 2) industry rivalry. Refer back to our in-class Porter’s activities for guidance. When analyzing buyer power, recognize differences in the three different types of buyers (wholesale, internet, and private label). Describe how these two industry forces affected your goals and strategy.
_____ Global Analysis (4 pts). Discuss global issues that impacted your company’s opportunities and performance. How have 1) tariffs, 2) freight costs 3) labor costs differences and 4) exchange rates impacted your company’s production and distribution decisions? Discuss differences and similarities in product demand among regional markets in which you chose to compete.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
The competitor analysis report is a detailed investigation into the competitor with the product offering most similar to yours. It includes at least 21 graphs and 11 paragraphs.
I. WHOLESALE SEGMENT DEMAND ANALYSIS
1a. Competitor Identification using Strategic Group Maps (X-axis is S/Q rating; Y-axis is price). Create each of the strategic group maps indicated below. Remember that all firms in the industry are plotted on each map. For each map, label each firm with its letter and its market share (from Competitive Intelligence Report). Circle each strategic group, in your opinion, with a yellow oval. Use graph examples posted in D2L for reference.
Create the graphs below for North America.
Wholesale Segment:
Year 14 (Graph 1) (2pts)
Year 15 (Graph 2) (2pts)
Year 16 (Graph 3) (2pts)
1b. Based on this series of graphs, by year 16, which firm offers the product most similar to yours in terms of S/Q and price)? Why? Please write one paragraph about this (Paragraph 1) (3pts).
2a. Remaining competitive variables. Create 4 graphs, one for each of the variables listed below. Present data about the strategic variable over all three years, comparing your firm to two other firms: 1) the firm offering the product most similar to yours in part 1b, and 2) the firm that is closest to your firm on that particular variable in Year 16. Choose the graphical format that best illustrates the trend data in a clear and simple way.
Wholesale Segment: Create the graphs below for North America.
Number of Models, Years 14-16 (Graph 4) (2pts)
Advertising, Years 14-16 (Graph 5) (2pts)
Retail outlets, Years 14-16 (Graph 6) (2pts)
Rebates, Years 14-16 (Graph 7) (2pts)
2b. Considering graphs 4-7 in combination with your conclusion to question 1b, would your team change its estimation of which competitor offers the product most similar to yours in the North America Wholesale segment? Explain in one paragraph (Paragraph 2). (3pts)
3. Considering your competitor with the product offering most similar to yours in the North America wholesale segment, write one paragraph (Paragraph 3) (3pts) explaining why the market awarded your competitor its given market share based on your analyses of graphs 1-7.
4. Write one paragraph (Paragraph 4) (3pts) explaining how your firm is most likely to threaten the market share your competitor with the most similar product offering in the future, and why.
II. INTERNET SEGMENT DEMAND ANALYSIS
5. Is the competitor with the product offering most similar to yours (S/Q and price) in the North American Internet segment the same competitor you identified Wholesale segment (paragraph 2b)? If not, which competitor offers the product offering most similar to yours in the North America Internet segment? Explain in one paragraph (Paragraph 5) (3pts). If helpful, include an (optional) strategic group map(s) in the same style as graphs 1, 2, and 3 to help explain your answer.
III. PRIVATE LABEL SEGMENT ANALYSIS
6. Prepare a graph or table (Graph 8) (2pts) focusing on the North America Private Label segment across the last 3 years comparing your prices (and volume sold) with your competitors.
Write one paragraph (Paragraph 6) (3pts) to explain your Private Label strategy for the future and your biggest concerns in this segment. Discuss the competitor you are most concerned about and why. If you chose not to participate in Private Label segment the last three years, explain why.
IV. IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS
7. Using the metrics listed below, create bar graphs (Graphs 9-16) to compare your firm with the implementation efforts the competitor you previously identified in paragraph 2b) as offering the product offering most similar to yours in the North America Wholesale segment. The graphs should cover the metrics of the last three years (14-16).
Write a summary paragraph about the implications of the implementation efforts of your competitor, relative to yourself. Opportunities? Threats? (Paragraph 7) (3pts)
Production Equipment (compare your company, the competitor you identified in paragraph 2b, and the industry average for Y14-16)
Global Production Equipment (Graph 9) (2pts)
Cost and profit analysis (compare your company, the competitor you identified in paragraph 2b, and the industry average for Y14-16)
Net Sales Revenue per unit (one unit = one pair of shoes) (Graph 10) (2pts)
Cost of Pairs sold unit cost (Graph 11) (2pts)
Warehousing unit cost (Graph 12) (2pts)
Marketing unit cost (Graph 13) (2pts)
Administrative unit cost (Graph 14) (2pts)
Interest unit cost (Graph 15) (2pts)
Net Profit per unit (Graph 16) (2pts)
V. PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
8. Create bar graphs (Graphs 17-21) to compare your company, the competitor you identified in paragraph 2b, and the industry average for Y14-16.
Write a summary paragraph about the implications of the performance outcomes of your competitor relative to yourself. Opportunities? Threats? (Paragraph 8) (3pts)
Performance
Net Sales Revenue & Net Profit (Graphs 17a and 17b) (1 pt each, 2pts total)
EPS & Stock Price (Graphs 18a and 18b) (1 pt each, 2pts total)
ROE (Graphs 19) (2pts total)
Debt to Asset Ratio (Graph 20) (2pts total)
Credit Rating (with key) (Graphs 21) (2pts total)
VI. COMPETITOR DISCUSSION
9. Write one paragraph to address each of the following, based on your conclusions from all the
analyses you conducted:
a. How is the competitor you identified in paragraph 2b vulnerable? (Paragraph 9) (3pts)
b. How is the competitor you identified in paragraph 2b building competitive advantage within the whole industry? (Paragraph 10) (3pts)
c. What is your best guess of what the competitor you identified in paragraph 2b may do in the near future with respect to strategy and implementation? (Paragraph 11) (3pts)
Conclusions and Strategic Responses based on the above analysis.
Based on the industry and competitor analyses…
Describe the key challenges your firm is facing in the industry.
Describe your future plans for addressing the challenges so that your team can successfully attain your firm’s goals. In essence, now that your team has completed a thorough analysis, what actions will your team take based on the information you gathered?
Include 3-year Income Statement projections for years 17-19 (created via the Strategic Planning option in the Analysis section of the Menu Bar). Do not just attach the table. Instead, you need to discuss the specific actions your team is planning in order to forecast your performance over the next three years. This statement should mirror your intended strategy and highlight how you plan to reach your goals. Account for any loan interest of additional stock issued to support production expansion initiatives. This final section is where you tie together the strategic conclusions of your analyses. (5pts total)
____ 100 total points possible
BSG Team Presentation Grade Sheet (6.0% of final class grade)
Upload PPTs to D2L folder 15 minutes before class. Time length: 10-12 minutes (strict enforcement). A Q&A session of 3-5 minutes follows.
Rate the following aspects of the presentation:
PPT FILE: One team member should upload the team’s PPT file to D2L folder at least 15 minutes before the start of class.
10 points possible
ORGANIZATION: Presentation should include the following:
1st slide includes the presentation title and the first and last names of all presenters.
Presenters introduce themselves at the beginning of the presentation by name
2nd slide includes the presentation purpose, agenda, or outline
3rd slide includes company mission statement & the five performance metric goals.
Third-to-last slide titled “Learning Points and A-ha Moments” explaining key insights gained over the course of the simulation.
Second-to-last slide consists of “Conclusion” summarizing the presentation, uniting the main points
Last slide titled “Questions?”
10 points possible
CONTENT:
Company mission statement and overview of the 5 performance metric goals.
Past performance review with respect to industry and/or close competitors.
Current standing review, include one slide for each of the following topics: Current Strategy; Distinctive Competencies Achieved; Value Created for Shareholders; Current Problems/Concerns; and Key Challenges and Opportunities.
Future plans review. Explain how you will position yourself with respect to close competitors, industry demand forecasts, etc. Explain actions you will take to accomplish this. Include 3-year Income Statement projections (years 17-19).
30 points possible
ORAL DELIVERY: (Graded individually). The presenters speak clearly, loudly, and at an effective pace; and they speak with the naturalness that enables them to vary tone, pitch, and emphasis and to use their voices to emphasize important language and ideas. Verbal distractions – mispronunciation, filler sounds and words (“ums,” “uhs,” “okays,” and “you knows”) – are minimal or non-existent.
10 points possible
BODY LANGUAGE: (Graded individually). Good eye contact enables presenters to connect with the audience. Gestures are natural, appropriate, and confident and underscore the presenters’ message.
10 points possible
PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE: (Graded individually). Business Formal (think job interview). Men: dress pants, jacket and tie.Ladies: interview suit or similar. See link for details of business formal for men and women: https://gardner-webb.edu/student-life/career-development/interviews/business-attire-guide/ . See also dress examples in D2L.
10 points possible
VISUAL AIDS: The presenters use presentation software to effectively to clarify points. Slides are simple and large enough to be seen. Only one graph or table per slide. PPT font size: No smaller than 24 points.
10 points possible
TIMING: Time limit kept and appropriate amounts of time spent on individual topics.
10 points possible
Comments:
Sample Peer Evaluation (5% of class grade) – Accessed via BSG Website
Co-Manager Meetings
1. Attendance at co-managers’ meetings (6 points)
Habitually absent
Missed close to 50% of our meetings
Missed about 20-30% of our meetings
Missed about 10-20% of our meetings
Very dependable; missed only one or two meetings
Always present
2. Promptness (6 points)
Habitually late
Late to about 50% of our meetings
Late to about 20-30% of our meeting
Late to about 10-20% of our meeting
Late to only one or two meetings
Never kept co-managers waiting
3. Caliber of preparation for meetings (was familiar with where things stood and latest results) (6 points)
Always behind rest of the team
Marginal; usually had to catch up during meeting
Adequate; about as well prepared as others
Good; somewhat better prepared than others
Excellent; usually well prepared
Exceptional; generally best prepared of all co-managers
Effectiveness in Helping Run the Company
4. Understanding of company operations; skills in interpreting and analyzing the numbers on the screens and in the company reports (12 points)
Quite weak
Marginal; sub-par
Adequate
Good
Excellent; very impressive
Exceptional; strongest of all co-managers
5. Skills in diagnosing our company’s problems, competitiveness, and standing vis-a-vis rivals (12 points)
Quite weak
Marginal; sub-par
Adequate
Good
Excellent; very impressive
Exceptional; strongest of all co-managers
6. Skills in proposing “what to do” and strategic approaches to take (12 points)
Quite weak
Marginal; sub-par
Adequate
Good
Excellent; very impressive
Exceptional; strongest of all co-managers
7. Caliber of contribution to decisions and to the company’s overall performance (12 points)
Quite weak; had almost no impact (or took actions which hurt performance)
Had little positive impact (or even a negative impact) in shaping company performance
Adequate; played a supporting role in shaping company performance
Good; played an important positive role in shaping company performance
Excellent; played a major and positive role in shaping company performance
Exceptional; highest positive impact of all co-managers
Effectiveness as a Member of the Company’s Management Team
8. Enthusiasm and commitment (6 points)
Almost none
Inadequate
Adequate; acceptable
Good enthusiasm and commitment
Very enthusiastic and committed
Exceptional; strongest of all co-managers
9. Teamwork and cooperativeness – worked well with co-managers (6 points)
Quite weak; gave team many problems
Marginal; prone to make decisions without telling anyone
Adequate
Good
Excellent; very impressive
Exceptional; strongest of all co-managers
10. Exercise of leadership within the group (6 points)
Had little to say and little to offer
Ineffective; had a hard time winning support for ideas
Adequate ability to present views and make a case for proposed actions
Good ability to present views and make a case for proposed actions
Effective and persuasive in convincing others to go along with proposed actions
Exceptional; the clear leader on our management team
11. Carried a fair share of the overall workload (6 points)
Far less than a fair share
Slightly below a fair share
Roughly a fair share
Slightly above a fair share
Well above a fair share
Far beyond what any other co-manager did
12. Overall Evaluation (10 points)
Below 50
I would like to have fired this person as a co-manager
50-59
Very weak (I would definitely not want to be teamed with this person again)
60-64
Marginal; sub-par
65-69
Slightly below-average
70-74
Average
75-79
Slightly above-average
80-84
Good
85-89
Very good
90-95
Excellent; very impressive
96-100
Exceptional; strongest of all co-managers
10
Page 10 of 10
J. Yu 1/9/2004
The post BSG Game Related Grading – Spring 2024 1. BSG Quizzes 2. Company appeared first on essayfab.