Module Handbook 2023-24

Module Code: EBUS635

Module Title: BUSINESS SIMULATION AND
ANALYSIS

University of Liverpool Management School:

Learning to make a difference from an enterprising and vibrant world city of culture.
Contents

Module Information..............................................................................................................................3
Module Leader and Contact Details......................................................................................................3
Module Aims and Learning Outcomes...................................................................................................3
How will this module develop my ULMS Graduate skills?.....................................................................5
Teaching and Learning Strategies – how will this module be delivered?..............................................5
Assessment Strategy – How will this module be assessed?...................................................................5
The Final Report................................................................................................................................6
Feedback to students - How will I receive feedback on this module?...................................................7
How can I feedback my views on this module?.....................................................................................7
Teaching Programme.............................................................................................................................8
Reading for this module........................................................................................................................9
Other important library information:................................................................................................9
APPENDIX A: THE ULMS GRADUATE – LEARNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE........................................11

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Module Information

Title of module: Business Simulation and Analysis

Module code: EBUS635

Credit value: 60

Semester in which the module is taught: Semester 3 (Summer)

Module Leader and Contact Details

Name of module leader: Dr Ali Taghizadegan

Email address of module leader: [email protected]
Office hours of module leader: Thursdays 11am-1pm (can be in person or online)
Names and contact details of any additional teaching staff involved with the module:

Dr A Antonopoulou [email protected]
Dr Omar Elsayed [email protected]
Dr Eric KH Leung [email protected]
Dr Yuanjun Feng [email protected]
Dr Laura Menzies [email protected]

Module Aims and Learning Outcomes

This module aims to enable students to:

 Understand and have a practical appreciation of contemporary management challenges

within a view of: supply chain management, project management, enterprise management
and big data.

 Understand the means by which benchmarking and comparative performance assessment

can be undertaken.

 Have a practical understanding of the importance of teamwork and communication.

 Appreciate the need for competence in operations management and be aware of its impact
on business performance.

 Be more accomplished autonomous learners and be able to better manage their own
learning experiences.

Learning Outcomes:

(LO1) Students will be able to demonstrate research skills and an appreciation of both strategic and
functional management practices, as well as appropriate models and frameworks or tools to provide
critical analysis of a business case, and present convincing and reasoned arguments to formulate
solutions for strategic action and operational decisions.

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(LO2) Students will be able to demonstrate critical awareness of contemporary research in
appropriate areas, i.e. operations and supply chain management; e-Business and technology
management; project management, through extraction of knowledge from the literature in an
analytic manner, and use them to develop ideas for research.

(LO3) Students will be able to collect secondary data from various sources including financial
statements, analyse the data in qualitative and/or quantitative forms, and use the outcome to
interpret and compare business health and performance using a range of financial and non-financial
measures.

(LO4) Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to work within teams, and make an active
contribution to work teams.

(LO5) Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to plan and undertake work at postgraduate
level within a management discipline.

(LO6) Students will be able to critically evaluate and reflect on management theory and practice.

(LO7) Students will be able to use relevant theory, concepts and tools (qualitative or quantitative;
soft systems; manual or IT) to analyse situations and support decisions.

(LO8) Students will be able to manage data effectively; use appropriate methods to acquire and
process data; analyse data competently; evaluate and interpret data soundly; synthesise data to
enhance conclusions.

(S1) Core academic skills of understanding and mastery of research techniques, ability to assemble
and analyse data, capability to plan improvements and assess outcomes.
Developed via introduction to research in semester 1, lectures, playing business game, undertaking
independent research for benchmarking, tutorial for development of the works and tasks,
supervision, encouraging and guiding for preparing group presentations.

(S2) Problem solving skills

Developed by engaging in a live and active business game, with an induced competitive context to
design, develop and manage a business in which problem solving plays a key role.

(S3) Commercial awareness

Developed by playing the business game.

(S4) Organisation skills

Students need to plan and organise a business, manage people and assets, and measure
performance. Organise teamwork and group presentations.

(S5) Communication skills

Developed through class exercises and discussions, teamwork and group communication,
preparation of reports and presentations.

(S6) Lifelong learning skills

Students will develop research skills through benchmarking exercise, theoretical and conceptual
thinking about business strategic issues, teamwork and coping under pressure.

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How will this module develop my ULMS Graduate skills?

This module helps students to develop the skills set out in the module specification. Details of how
the stated skills will be tested are shown in the module specification.

In addition, the Management School has identified a set of key skills which it expects its students to
develop throughout their studies. These are skills which are actively sought by employers and which
together form the “ULMS Graduate” (see appendix A at the end of this module guide).

Teaching and Learning Strategies – how will this module be delivered?

Your module will be delivered as follows:

 Lectures: 10 sessions, 2 hours each (total: 20 hours)

 Seminars: 5 sessions, 1 hour each (total: 5 hours)
 Self-directed learning x 575 hours

You will be given tasks/activities, so you need to come to the lectures and seminar prepared to
discuss your ideas and review those of others. Students are expected to participate actively in
sessions and student seminar presentations form an integral part of the input on this module.
Discussion questions might be posted on CANVAS, according to current affairs and issues that arise
during the module.

Students will be expected to undertake background and follow-up reading, and to access materials
via the web and University’s CANVAS network. Your private study hours should total around 575
hours for this module. Most communication and support for learning will be posted on CANVAS. You
should, therefore, access CANVAS on a regular basis.

Your attention is drawn to the support the University provides for your learning via the Study Skills
web page. Your Student Handbook (and Study Skills Booklet) also provides advice on the skills
required for your assessments (e.g. ULMS Academic Masterclasses and/or KnowHow sessions).

Assessment Strategy – How will this module be assessed?

Type(s) of assessment: Individual coursework (1 piece, 80% of module mark)

Group video presentation (20%)
Submission deadlines and date of return of work to students: 16/09/2023 at 12PM
How to submit your work: Canvas/Turnitin.
Maximum length of coursework: 10000 words

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The Final Report
This document is the main source of your assessment. Every year, most students greatly
underestimate the time it will take to complete and publish their final report. It is strongly advised
that you begin planning and writing your project at the start of the summer semester.

The dissertation project structure should be as follows:

Contents:

 Cover sheet
 Summary
 Acknowledgements
 Table of Contents
 (Glossary) (Notation)
 List of Tables and Figures
 Introduction
 Review of Literature
 Business game (data collection, analysis, benchmarking, result)
 Business game discussion
 Conclusions and Recommendations
 References, Bibliography
 Tables, Figures, etc. (embedded within the content as appropriate)
 Appendices

ASSESSMENT METHODS
Step by step guidance on how to submit an assignment in Canvas can be found here.

Here are some additional tips for submitting assignments in Canvas:

 Make sure you have completed all of the requirements for the assignment.
 Read the instructions carefully before you start working on the assignment.
 Save your work frequently as you are working on the assignment.
 Double-check your work before you submit it.
 If you have any questions about how to submit an assignment, ask your Module Leader for
help.

Students are asked to note that the word count is the absolute upper limit. There is no leeway over
this, i.e. you will be penalised if you submit work that exceeds the word limit (any suggestion that
you may exceed the word count by 10% is a myth!)
The following are not included in word counts:

 Reference lists/bibliographies and question titles

 Appendices/footnotes - provided these have been used only when necessary. If appendices
or footnotes are used excessively, or contain material which should clearly be included in
the main body of the essay/report, it is at the markers’ discretion to include these in the
word count.

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  Tables/graphs - provided these have been imported from elsewhere (correctly referenced)
and not produced by the student.
 Contents pages and front pages of reports

As well as the essay/report itself, the following are included in word counts:
 Citations/quotations - this includes the material paraphrased/quoted itself as well as the
name, date and page information.
 Tables and graphs - if they have been produced by the student.
 Executive summaries in reports - unless otherwise stated.

Sample assessment questions/details of where they can be found: N/A

Important information:
Important information on items such as:
 Referencing work
 Marking criteria
 Penalties and Exemption from Late Penalties (ELP)
 ULMS group work policy
 Re-sits
can be found on the Management School’s student intranet and the University’s student intranet.

Feedback to students - How will I receive feedback on this module?

Generic feedback on the learning experience will take place periodically informally throughout the
module to ensure students receive high standards of teaching from all elements of the module.
Optional 1:1 sessions between the module leader and students can be offered to help students
reflect on their study, their progress and how to develop particular study skills. Feedback on
dissertation will be provided within three weeks of the submission date unless otherwise informed.
Generic written feedback will be posted on Canvas, individual feedback will be provided online using
the Speedgrader system on Canvas. Students can, and are encouraged to, request a 1:1 meeting to
discuss their performance.

How can I feedback my views on this module?

We are always looking to provide the best learning experience that we can. Your feedback on the
module, both what you would like to see more of and what can be improved, is welcome at any
time, by contacting the module leader directly.

You will be given an opportunity to provide informal module feedback in one of the early weeks on
the semester. Formal module feedback will be taken at the end of the module via the formal module
evaluation process.

The sooner you alert us to any issues you might have, the quicker we can resolve them. Please don’t
leave it to the end of the module to tell us if you are struggling!

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Please be reminded of the ULMS Guidance on Providing Feedback (see your programme handbook).
Giving constructive feedback is a skill that you will need to develop in the workplace. We welcome
feedback that is constructive and specific (it helps us improve), but please remain polite and be
aware of the right of every staff member to Dignity at Work. There is lots of evidence of unconscious
bias in module evaluation – based on gender, age, race, etc. – so please be aware of this and try to
be fair to all staff.

After you have contacted your module leader, if you would like to offer further feedback to the
Management School, or feel that any issues raised have not been resolved, please use the
Management School’s Instant Feedback Facility (IFF), by accessing the following link: Management
School's IFF Form or using the QR code:

Teaching Programme
Students will be divided into groups of six (6), and the simulation will run every week for 10
consecutive weeks. Each week, students will analyse the data and make decisions for the following
week.

Introduction to research and literature review.

As part of this exercise the students produce a piece of research from the literature on the principles
of strategic approach to business analysis and benchmarking.

The module will cover the following topics:

The Business Game:

Executive is a business simulation that is based on a simplified model of the European passenger car
industry. The simulation is as realistic and current as possible, however, some of the complexity of
the industry has been removed to allow you to focus your time and energy on key strategic and
important business issues. You will work as part of a management team that has the opportunity to
establish and manage a design, engineering, and manufacturing automobile company that competes
in the European marketplace. The decisions you will make cover a wide range of business skill areas
from finance to marketing, business strategy, risk management, human resources, effective
interpretation of information and business data, presentation/communication skills. Within this
context, and from a multi-disciplinary point of view, teams will be responsible for:

 Management decision-making
 Key operations management decisions: operations and process design.

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  Measurement of operational efficiency and values of key performance indicators.
 Managerial competencies and functional management strategies and roles.
 Contemporary management challenges and responses.
 Teamwork and communication.
 Fundamental accounting concepts: profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, accounting
ratios.
 Operations and marketing functions key roles and decisions.
 Establish the efficient project management directions.
 Enhance supply chain management within a sustainable view.
 Strategic Benchmarking Exercise:
o The Business developed in the Business Simulation will be examined in a
Benchmarking study using standard generic models or frameworks such as BSC.
Lectures and seminars will be delivered to cover the theoretical and practice aspects
of Benchmarking and how the analysis shall be developed and reported. The
Groups/students will be then required to analyse their business both on an internal
level and in relation to other businesses developed within the module by other
groups (guided by the module delivery team for pairing and allocations) and other
similar/comparable external businesses in the same business sector. Key aspects
covered in the exercise include:
o Competitive strategy and the nature of competitive advantage.
o Annual reports.
o Analysis of key operations and supply chain management initiatives.
o Financial and non-financial analysis.
o Generic and strategic performance measurements (investment, growth, employees).
The exercise shall support the team to translate strategy into action for the business.

Reading for this module

The simulation handbook will be available on Canvas under the ‘Learning Materials’ section. The
additional reading materials for this module will be distributed during each lecture and will also be
made available on Canvas.

Other important library information:

The library aims to provide one book per twenty students (with an initial limit of five copies) for
essential texts; eBooks will always be purchased where available. However, if more copies/eBook
licences are needed and funds permit, they can purchase extra copies. The Library needs to find out
which books are in greatest demand and you can help by taking these steps:

1) If there are no copies available then you can reserve an item which is out on
loan through Library Search. To do this, once you have found the item you wish to reserve, click
the 'Sign in' button and then click to sign in as a university student. Once you have done this you
will see the option to reserve the item via Click and Collect. This means as soon as a copy is
returned, you will be notified and can collect it. It also means that library staff are notified of the
demand on the book and more copies may be purchased.

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2) Place a request through the Get It For Me service. Get It For Me can be used to request books,
eBooks, articles and chapters you are unable to get hold of through the library.

3) Contact the Library Help Desk by email or live chat, talk to staff at the library's information
support desks or contact your Liaison Librarian to let us know more copies are needed. The
current Liaison Librarians for the Management School are: Heather Johnston (email:
[email protected]) and Liam Kaye (email: [email protected]).

Module Handbook Reviewed on: 18th April 2024, by Dr Ali Taghizadegan

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APPENDIX A: THE ULMS GRADUATE – LEARNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The ULMS Graduate is:

Flexible and adaptable

Our graduates understand that the business world develops and changes quickly, and ULMS will
provide them with opportunities to develop the skills needed to be open to the challenges this
brings.

A problem solver

Our graduates are provided with opportunities to develop their critical and analytical skills from the
day they join the School. By learning to think creatively, to persevere with an issue and to draw on
the resources available to them, our graduates approach difficult situations confident that they can
reach a successful outcome and make a difference.

Numerate

Maths is an essential element of all of our programmes and our graduates are confident and
competent when using numbers to analyse situations, solve problems and make decisions.

Commercially aware

The teaching at ULMS is drawn from the latest business and management research, ensuring that
our graduates understand the environment in which they begin their careers.

A team player

Our graduates understand the importance of contributing to a team. By contributing to group work
our students understand the dynamics of a team and the importance of individual roles and how
each can make a difference to achieving a result.

Organised and able to work under pressure

ULMS graduates learn to manage their time carefully during their studies. Our graduates are
motivated to learn outside the classroom and are adept at managing deadlines and dealing with
conflicting demands upon their time.

An excellent communicator

The ULMS syllabus requires students to demonstrate their aptitude for communicating throughout
their studies. Their skills include writing essays, business reports and case studies, giving
presentations, listening to and questioning guest speakers and using negotiating and persuasion
skills to argue a point during a class debate. Our graduates understand the difference that effective
communication can make to a situation.

IT literate

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Our graduates understand the importance of IT in the modern business environment and ensure
that their digital literacy skills are up-to-date in order to use it successfully. They understand how to
prepare and analyse spreadsheets, can write reports and use IT to enhance presentations. They are
confident users of electronic databases and are skilled at finding and evaluating appropriate and
relevant information from electronic sources.

Internationally aware

The ULMS teaching and research community is drawn from around the world and our students are
exposed to business ideas and cultures from beyond the UK. Many graduates make the most of
international opportunities available to them, from participating in overseas exchanges to
participating in international inter-university business games.

A lifelong learner

ULMS graduates understand that the end of their degree programme does not mean the end of their
learning journey. Our students understand the importance of continually building skills and
knowledge in order to maintain commercial awareness, to be able to follow a flexible career path
and to continue to make a difference throughout their working lives.

Ethically aware

The ULMS teaching, learning and assessment strategy ensures that all graduates are exposed to
ideas of business ethics whilst studying and that they have an understanding of the difference
business can make in the wider community and across the world.

A leader

We instil our graduates with the confidence to lead others by providing opportunities within the
curriculum to debate ideas, present research, solve problems and make difficult decisions.

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