In the Business Essentials Simulation: Coffee Shop Inc., students manage and grow their own coffee shop business in the face of a changing external environment and competitive landscape. The simulation takes students through three levels of play, with increasing levels of complexity and the introduction of new business concepts as learners develop their skills.
In Coffee Shop Inc learners manage a coffee shop business for 5 years. Each year, they review developments in the business environment, see what competitors are up to and make key business decisions in the areas of Marketing, HR and Operations.
In Coffee Shop Inc learners manage a coffee shop business for 5 years. In Levels 1 and 2, they begin by choosing a location for the store (city center, suburbs, university campus).
Each year, they review developments in the business environment, see what competitors are up to and make key business decisions in the areas of Marketing (Product, Price, Promotion), Human Resources (Salaries, Training, Recruitment) and Operations.
Level 2 includes decisions on vertical integration and ethical marketing.
In Level 3, learners expand their business internationally into mature and emerging markets, by opening their own stores and through franchising.
Developing a successful company is enjoyable but requires a clear strategy and sound decision-making.
You can succeed with different strategies, as long as operational decisions are consistent with the chosen strategy and are appropriate for the company's target customer group.
Employee satisfaction is required to achieve customer satisfaction, which in turn is needed to generate sales and profits.
Changing environmental and competitive conditions can have a major impact on a company's operations.
Understanding and applying key business concepts and tools (e.g. PESTLE analysis, competitive analysis, product differentiation, vertical integration) can improve performance.
Senior Lecturer in Management, CUHK Business School
"I used Coffee Shop Inc in my year 1 management undergraduate class, in both face-to-face and online teaching environments. The students enjoyed this exercise very much and were strongly engaged to play all three levels.”
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