Our Guest Post today comes from Chuck Nemer, who has taught operations management for 16 years at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis. He is also a SCM trainer and can be reached at http://www.theguruofbiz.com
Here is what I often hear about supply chain management simulations from colleagues teaching OM:
• I want to provide a hands-on approach rather than get lost in theory
• I need to get more engagement from my students
• I need to present real-world challenges and the associated complexities
Using simulations, such as the ones that come free with the Heizer/Render/Munson text, in your classroom gives you all the above, as well as the opportunity to see for yourself that students “get it.” Students get to see not only how vital supply chain is to organizations today, but they can build a career where they touch all aspects of the organization and develop the ability to lead organizations successfully.
My experience has been simulation in the classroom aligns with and supports both the textbook and the body of knowledge for supply chain quite easily and successfully. Exciting to me, is that students walk away from the experience with confidence, and the ability to demonstrate to prospective employers they understand not just what supply chain is. But they also see what needs to be done to make a supply chain improve, grow, and compete successfully at a level greater than just from a textbook and lecture alone. Together, your knowledge, your class content, and the use of a simulation make a very powerful combination that you just have to consider these days where learners live and exist in a technology rich world and thirst for “an experience.” I really hope you will investigate the use of supply chain simulations and consider making them part of your classroom.