Learners' Hierarchical Value Structures in Educational Simulation Games of Supply Chain Management

Abstract

In the instruction of supply-chain management, the “Beer Game” has been proposed as a valid tool for the demonstration of bullwhip effect for learners. This study has been designed to investigate the cognitive structure of beer game learners' psychological “game attribute – personal consequence – target value” chains. With means-end chains theory as the theoretical basis, through game attributes including roles of supply chain, team work, customizable model variables, operation statement, providing information, and so forth, learners were able to benefit from the consequences including training organizational thinking, improve management performance, experience bullwhip effect, promote cooperation and interaction, inspire competitive mentality, and ultimately, pursue target values such as a sense of accomplishment, self-fulfillment, warm relationships with others, and excitement. The study also found all the subjects emphasized identical game attributes regardless of their prior knowledge of the bullwhip effect or the lack thereof, and the subjects also had identical salient chains.

Supply Chain Management Serious Game Using Blockchain Smart Contract

“…This Game can be used to design scenarios due to deviations in the information obtained, which needs to be more transparent between the actors involved. [39] Thus, we need a Blockchain-based Smart Contract on supply chain management that simulates Serious Game [33] as Automatic Scenario Control. Serious games in the supply chain are used to explore and simulate integrated games in decision-making to improve supply chain performance.…”