Every semester students from Concord University participate in a competitive on-line business simulation called Capstone, provided by Capsim. Capstone simulates the management decision processes in a true-to-life, competitive environment. Concord requires participation in the simulation as part of the business program capstone experience for students nearing graduation.
The Capstone business simulation is utilized by leading business schools in the US and around the world. Capsim tracks the performance of participants using a balanced scorecard, and reports on participants with balanced scorecard results that are in the top ten percent of all simulated companies that have participated in the simulation in the last six months.
The Strategic Management class at Concord University placed students in the top ten percent of all competitors worldwide for at least one round of the competition during the fall 2018 semester. Those students are: Laura Shrewsbury, Colton Moore, Chelsea Goins, and Savannah Horney. In addition, Concord also had two students who achieved top ten percent overall for the entire competition. Those students were Laura Shrewsbury and Colton Moore.
“This class was fantastic,” stated Angela Addair, Assistant Professor of Management. “They completely pushed one another and were so competitive. They truly analyzed the reports they were given and spent time trying to figure out their peers’ strategies.”
During participation in Capstone, each Concord student assumes the role of CEO of a simulated company. They are expected to assess the situation of a simulated business vis-à-vis other competitor firms managed by other students and then develop a sophisticated competitive strategy to position up to 8 distinct products in 5 market segments and deliver desired results to shareholders as reflected by a balanced scorecard.
Strategies must address decisions related to product specifications, pricing, marketing spend, sales forecasts, R&D budgeting and scheduling, production scheduling, management of direct costs and contribution margins, purchase or sale of production capacity and automation, inventory management, Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable management, Human Resource investments in staffing, recruiting and training, 10 distinct Total Quality Management investments, and funding of business cash flow needs through equity and debt issuance.
Students execute their strategies in competition with the strategies of other students in a simulated market over a simulated 8-year period.
