Saturday, November 13, 2021

Capsim Guide 2021 - Free Winning Guide and Tips

 Capsim Guide 2021 - Free Winning Guide and Tips


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Guide to Capsim 2020

This is step by step guide to help you avoid the kind of mistakes that makes you lose when you start Capsim and also tips to get you win the game. 

Good Luck and Success!

You should do before start the Capsim

1 - Log in and read Industry Condition Report (Top menu, report tab, last row)

2 - Read Courier Report of last round (to get Market overview, Pricing, Production and Competitors analysis)

3 - Prepare an Excel file to calculate R&D, Sales Forecast and Production for each round.

You can download free Excel file here - LINK TO ALL EXCEL FILES

or Download Capsim Capstone Excel file here - LINK 2

Or email to: mbahelp2002@gmail.com to get Free support for creating excel file.

Free Personal Support for Rounds 1-2

Email: mbahelp2002@gmail.com


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R&D

Change MTBF for all our products to the maximum amount we can.

  • Traditional to 19000 or 17000

  • Low End to 17000 or 14000 (need 7 years to sell best)

  • High End to 25000 or 23000

  • Performance to 27000 (Should be 27000 to sell best)

  • Size to 21000 or 20000


Post image

Modify each product according to the spreadsheet on each segment. You want to increase performance and reduce size as much as you can without the revision date reaching July. (26th of June is the best date to release products)

THE ONLY PRODUCT THAT DOES NOT MOVE, IT’S THE PRODUCT IN LOW END SEGMENT. LEAVE THIS PRODUCT AT ITS ORIGINAL SPECIFICATIONS.


Post image

MARKETING

PRICE

  • For traditional you want to start your pricing as close as your competition, undercut if possible.

  • For low end, you have to have the lowest price you can afford without going below 40% in your contribution margin. And without sacrificing demand.

  • For high end, performance and size segments, place your price the highest possible.

Recommendation for round 1

  • Traditional at $29.5

  • Low End at $21 or 20.5

  • High End at $39.50

  • Performance and Size at $34.50

(Check Courier Report for each segment, prices and customer preference)


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PROMO BUDGET & SALES BUDGET

  • Do not ever expend more than $2000 on promotion in any product in any give year. (diminish returns start at $2000)

  • For the first year you want to spend $2000 in Traditional and Low End.

  • For High End, Performance and Size; spend between $1000 and $1500

  • Do not ever expend more than $2000 on promotion in any product in any given year. (diminish returns start at $2000)

  • For the first year you want to spend $1500 in Traditional and Low End.

  • For high End, Performance and Size; Spend around $1000 - $1500

Note:

If you like to get profit from round 1, 2, and 3 you can use 2.000 for Low End, and other 1.200 and then 1.400 and 1.600

From Round 4 use 2.000 for all products.


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FORECASTING

  1. From the Market Share page in the Capstone Courier, take your last year’s market share and multiple it by the next year demand of each segment.

  2. To calculate Next Year Demand, you take current demand and multiple it by the growth rate

  3. Multiple your Market Share by Next Year’s Demand

Note:

- Most simple is to check Courier report, find Production page, find Unit sold and Inventory

- Sales forecast = last round sold units x Segment Growth- Production = Sales forecast

- Inventory

Can multiple each by 10-12 % to get some reservation to avoid stock out.


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PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

((Units Sales Forecast) * (1.2) – Inventory on Hand))We want to have cushion of inventory in case we sell more units than we forecast

AUTOMATION RATING

  • Traditional, increase its automation by 2 points each round until you reach 8 (or 10)

  • Low End, you want to reach 10 as soon as possible (first round you can move to 8 or 9, and make sure you have 10 by the 2nd round) Eg. 5.0 to 6.5 then 8.0 then 10.0

  • High End, increase by 0.5 or 1 point each round, you do not want to go over 6.

  • Performance, increase by 1 or 1.5 each round, until you reach 7

  • Size, increase by 0.5 or 1 point each round, until you reach 7

Note: 

Most simple, increase Low End to 10

Increase Traditional to 8

And increase other 3 products (HE, PE, SZ from round 4, to 4-5-6 in rounds 4-5-6)


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WORKFORCE COMPLEMENT

Always at 100%

BUY/SELL CAPACITY

  • You want to keep 2nd Shift Production % between 20% and 50%

  • If you have less than 20%; you have to sell capacity

  • If you more than 50% you have to buy capacity

Note:

Use 150% is most effective

Just sell capacity of TR and HE in round 1, will not need so high capacity

Add capacity for LE

Then from round 4, add capacity for HE, PE and SZ when having high sales

After you make you decisions on production, check how much capital investment you have;

  • If you have capital investment leftover, try to spend it in Automation or Capacity

  • If you are spending more than you should, try to sell capacity or not invest as much.

  • I highly recommend that you sell some capacity on the first round so you can finance Automation, sell on the traditional, high end, performance and size products.

NOTE:- Sell capacity of TR and HE in Round 1, to invest in LE and new capacity for new LE2

HUMAN RESOURCES

You want to spend as much as possible in human capital, therefore you want to invest the maximum on recruiting and the maximum of training hours.

  • Recruiting Spend; $5000

  • Training Hours; 80 Hours


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FINANCE

You want to have at least $10,000 in December Cash Position just to make sure you do not enter an Emergency Loan

We will source money until we reach this $10000 Cash position in the first year in the following order:

  1. Get as much “Issue Stock” as possible

  2. Get as much “Issue Long Term Debt”

  3. Get whatever you need left from “Borrow”

  • Retire stock it’s for when you have a good cash position and you have some money left over to purchase stock back from the market

  • Dividends per share it’s for when you have cash leftover in capital investment to give to your shareholder.

  • Retire Long Term Debt it’s for when you want to pay your debt early (This usually decreases your interests expense)


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**NOTE:**THIS IS LONG TERM STRATEGY GAME, WITH 8 ROUNDS

ROUNDS 1-2-3 FOR INVESTMENT, NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, R&D, PROMO AND SALES, PRODUCTION EXPANSION... THEREFORE, WILL NEED STRONG INVESTMENT, AND WILL HAVE GOOD SALES BUT LOW NET PROFIT

ROUNDS 1-2-3 USE ALL THREE SOURCES OF INVESTMENT, STOCK ISSUE, SHORT TERM, AND LONG TERM LOANS

ROUNDS 4-5-6-7-8 WILL HAVE BOTH TOP SALES AND PROFIT.

TQM

When TQM Starts, you want to spend $1500 on the first round, then $1500 on the second round, and then finally $1000 on the third round.This expenditure would be for every single aspect in TQM


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FINANCE

Finance its very tricky if you are focusing in Maximizing your scorecard score, these recommendations are just for your first round.Most simple, round 1-2-3 use max stock issue, short term and long term loans for investment

Rounds 4-5-6 use stock issue and long term loans

Rounds 7-8 can retire stocks, pay dividends and retire long term loans

Important: IF YOU DO NOT MAKE MONEY ON THE FIRST ROUND, IT IS NORMAL. COMPANIES NEVER MAKE MONEY ON THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, TAKE YOUR FIRST YEARS AS INVESTMENT AND LAYING DOWN YOUR STRATEGY.  ROUNDS 1-2-3 FOR INVESTMENT, IN LATER ROUNDS 4-8, WILL LEAD THE GAME WITH TOP SALES AND PROFIT

Strategy Last Updated on: JUNE 2021

Free Personal Support for Rounds 1-2

Email: mbahelp2002@gmail.com

Capsim Capstone - Winning Guides and Tips - Round 1

 

Capsim Capstone - Winning Guides and Tips - Round 1



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Capsim Simulation Tips

Winning at Capsim requires thorough planning and setting up and implementing excellent winning tips. The following are some of the strategies you can use to win at Capsim.

  • Tip 1: Research and Development (R&D) – From Round 8 to Round 8

Create an excel file with data from Industry Condition Report and file the data in an Excel file to get more exact numbers.  Open page 2 of the Industry Condition Report and move to Table 2. In the first line for Round 0 put those numbers in Round 0. The Excel file will automatically calculate all the decisions for 8 rounds with 4 different strategies.

Do not use default numbers in the excel file since they are a little different from your Capsim game. As such, get Round 0 numbers from Industry Condition Report and put them into an Excel file in Round 0 – only in row 1. All the Excel files to calculate all the decisions for 4 different strategies.

NOTE: If you reach this step, know that you are half-way to win your Capsim Simulation game. And if you are in round 1, you can use this Round to Round Strategy and win your Capsim game.

  • Tip for Production

Consider lowering the MTBF to an average or minimum of the range, but for the performance segment only. When doing research and development for Round 1 to Round 8, lower the MTBF to the average or minimum of the range to save on costs while increasing contribution margins. Lowering the MTBF is the key profit-driving tool since Reliability only accounts for a small percentage of the Customer Buying Criteria.

However, if you want safe strategies, consider keeping the MTBF at average, except for the performance segment, where you can keep them at a maximum of 27.000. But for all the other 4 segments, keep the MTBF at a minimum. For instance, Traditional to 14.000, Low-End to 12.000, High-End to 20.000, and Size to 16.000 or 14.000, 17.000, 20.000, and 23.000 for MTBF.

If you intend to compete in 3-4 segments and not all the five segments, the Low-End and Tradition are the two most potential and profitable sensors. These are arguably the most potentially lucrative.

  • Tip 2: Marketing

Consider applying $2.000 for promotions and sales budgets for the Low-End and Tradition since the diminishing returns are experienced above this level. You can also apply $1.500 for the High End, Performance, and Size segments. Maintain this spending from round 1 to round 3 until such a time you decide which segments you can continue. You can then increase all the segments to $2.000 to complete.

If you want to get good sales and great net profit from round 1, you can consider spending about 1.400 on all the promotions and sales. Reduce the budget for the segment to $0.

  • Pricing Tips

Lower all the prices to at least $0.50 in every round from the maximum price of the segment. This way, you can keep up with the customer expectations (lower each year). Check the Capstone Courier prices and see the maximum prices for each segment. If your competitors are reducing the prices in Traditional and Low-End segments, lower your price to close to their levels. Nonetheless, when the competitors are lowering their prices way too much, they won’t have enough capacity to sell. Besides, they will suffer stock out. So, you can keep your prices higher to get the market shares at a higher profit level. As such, you need to calculate the demands and plan the product precisely.

  • Sales Forecasting Tips

Don’t trust your computer suggestions as they are always wrong. Get the market shares from page 10 of the Courier Report and the total sales. You can get the market potential growth for each segment from pages 5 to 9.

NOTE: Sales Forecast = Potential market share% x Segment size x (1 + Segment Growth Rate)

  • Tip 3: Production

Check the workforce required and the workforce complement. If the box is editable, ensure to match the required workforce this year to save money. Otherwise, you can waste money. You can increase automating every round. Traditional to 8.0  (4.0 – 5.0 -6.0 -7.0 – 8.0), Low-End to 10.0  (5.0-6.0-8.5-10), High-End to 5.0, Performance to 6.0 and Size to 6.0.

  • Setting production

Maintain the production amount always at 112% of the Sales Forecast. This way, you will have extra inventory to take advantage of competitors suffering from stock out. When calculating production, take into account inventory from the previous round. Use the excel file to calculate for production accurately. If you happen to see a year of stock out, consider increasing production by more than 112% to 120%, or 125%. But, if you notice some inventory, you can reduce the production for that segment back to 112%.

  • Adding more Capacity

Your main aim is to maintain plant production at 150% for the full first shift and 50% for the second shift. This will allow more flexibility to handle short-term market changes. Keep in mind that added capacity is not available until the next round. If you add capacity in round 2, it will again be available in round 3.

However, if you see a factory with more than 150%, you can add more capacity by multiplying the excess over 150% with the total capacity. For instance, for 180% of 2.000 factory, you can add 30% surplus = 30% x $2.000 = 600.

NOTE: Never sell factories even when you are not operating 100% at the current round. However, you can consider reducing the segments that you want to exit to 1. This way, you will still sell the rest of the inventories in those segments at full price and not 50% of the price.

If you can’t complete all the suggestions, make sure you come as close as possible. The key to winning the Capsim simulation game is to control automation in the early rounds. The more automation, the is better.

  • Tip 4: Human Resources Decisions

It is crucial to invest in Human Resource since productivity is measured in the balanced scorecard. As such, investment in HR will reduce labor costs. Often, HR has a few options available, and they include recruiting spending and training hours.

Consider aiming for the maximum of $5.000 recruitment spending and 80 hours of training every round. But if you have limited funds, make it $2.000 and 40 hours of training. If there are labor negotiations, you can use them halfway for a win-win strategy between demanded and current contract.

NOTE: When inputting numbers, make sure to double-check the correct numbers to avoid labor strikes. Often use halfway negotiations, an average of current contract and labor demands.

  • Tip 5: Total Quality Management (TQM)

In TQM, focus on setting $1.500 to $2.000 per round for each product and pick the most useful initiatives first. Maintain this for three-round and then stop spending money on that initiative since it will no longer make substantial changes. You can see this from the graphs right at the end of the screen. Besides, you can try different initiatives to see which one brings more effects or the most effective. Then in preceding rounds, spend cash in less effective initiatives when you have excess money.

  • Tip 6: Finance

Finance should often be the last decision you make after you have made all the other section decisions. The way you make decisions in finance will depend on how the Capsim game will be graded. Most groups are graded on the Balanced Scorecard, while others are graded on Profit or Stock Price. For all grading metrics:

  • Keep at least $16.000(000) cash for the round to escape emergency loans.
  • Consider keeping excess cash. It is often better than lack of it.
  • Keep the right amount of money to get MAX days of working capital – not too much or too little.

However, when you have excess Cash and Net Profit, you should pay off dividends and retire stocks to increase Leverage. You can also attain maximum points for days of Working Capital.



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Capsim Capstone - Winning Guides and Tips - Round 2

 

Capsim Capstone - Winning Guides and Tips - Round 2



------
Guide to Capsim 2020

This is step by step guide to help you avoid the kind of mistakes that makes you lose when you start Capsim and also tips to get you win the game. 

Good Luck and Success!

You should do before start the Capsim

1 - Log in and read Industry Condition Report (Top menu, report tab, last row)

2 - Read Courier Report of last round (to get Market overview, Pricing, Production and Competitors analysis)

3 - Prepare an Excel file to calculate R&D, Sales Forecast and Production for each round.

You can download free Excel file here - LINK TO ALL EXCEL FILES

or Download Capsim Capstone Excel file here - LINK 2

Or email to: mbahelp2002@gmail.com to get Free support for creating excel file.

Free Personal Support for Rounds 1-2

Email: mbahelp2002@gmail.com


Guide to Capsim 2020

This is step by step guide to help you avoid the kind of mistakes that makes you lose when you start Capsim and also tips to get you win the game. 

Good Luck and Success!

You should do before start the Capsim

1 - Log in and read Industry Condition Report (Top menu, report tab, last row)

2 - Read Courier Report of last round (to get Market overview, Pricing, Production and Competitors analysis)

3 - Prepare an Excel file to calculate R&D, Sales Forecast and Production for each round.

You can download free Excel file here - LINK TO ALL EXCEL FILES

or Download Capsim Capstone Excel file here - LINK 2

Or email to: mbahelp2002@gmail.com to get Free support for creating excel file.

Free Personal Support for Rounds 1-2

Email: mbahelp2002@gmail.com


Post image

R&D

Change MTBF for all our products to the maximum amount we can.

  • Traditional to 19000 or 17000

  • Low End to 17000 or 14000 (need 7 years to sell best)

  • High End to 25000 or 23000

  • Performance to 27000 (Should be 27000 to sell best)

  • Size to 21000 or 20000


Post image

Modify each product according to the spreadsheet on each segment. You want to increase performance and reduce size as much as you can without the revision date reaching July. (26th of June is the best date to release products)

THE ONLY PRODUCT THAT DOES NOT MOVE, IT’S THE PRODUCT IN LOW END SEGMENT. LEAVE THIS PRODUCT AT ITS ORIGINAL SPECIFICATIONS.


Post image

MARKETING

PRICE

  • For traditional you want to start your pricing as close as your competition, undercut if possible.

  • For low end, you have to have the lowest price you can afford without going below 40% in your contribution margin. And without sacrificing demand.

  • For high end, performance and size segments, place your price the highest possible.

Recommendation for round 1

  • Traditional at $29.5

  • Low End at $21 or 20.5

  • High End at $39.50

  • Performance and Size at $34.50

(Check Courier Report for each segment, prices and customer preference)



Post image

PROMO BUDGET & SALES BUDGET

  • Do not ever expend more than $2000 on promotion in any product in any give year. (diminish returns start at $2000)

  • For the first year you want to spend $2000 in Traditional and Low End.

  • For High End, Performance and Size; spend between $1000 and $1500

  • Do not ever expend more than $2000 on promotion in any product in any given year. (diminish returns start at $2000)

  • For the first year you want to spend $1500 in Traditional and Low End.

  • For high End, Performance and Size; Spend around $1000 - $1500

Note:

If you like to get profit from round 1, 2, and 3 you can use 2.000 for Low End, and other 1.200 and then 1.400 and 1.600

From Round 4 use 2.000 for all products.


Post image

FORECASTING

  1. From the Market Share page in the Capstone Courier, take your last year’s market share and multiple it by the next year demand of each segment.

  2. To calculate Next Year Demand, you take current demand and multiple it by the growth rate

  3. Multiple your Market Share by Next Year’s Demand

Note:

- Most simple is to check Courier report, find Production page, find Unit sold and Inventory

- Sales forecast = last round sold units x Segment Growth- Production = Sales forecast

- Inventory

Can multiple each by 10-12 % to get some reservation to avoid stock out.


Post image

PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

((Units Sales Forecast) * (1.2) – Inventory on Hand))We want to have cushion of inventory in case we sell more units than we forecast

AUTOMATION RATING

  • Traditional, increase its automation by 2 points each round until you reach 8 (or 10)

  • Low End, you want to reach 10 as soon as possible (first round you can move to 8 or 9, and make sure you have 10 by the 2nd round) Eg. 5.0 to 6.5 then 8.0 then 10.0

  • High End, increase by 0.5 or 1 point each round, you do not want to go over 6.

  • Performance, increase by 1 or 1.5 each round, until you reach 7

  • Size, increase by 0.5 or 1 point each round, until you reach 7

Note: 

Most simple, increase Low End to 10

Increase Traditional to 8

And increase other 3 products (HE, PE, SZ from round 4, to 4-5-6 in rounds 4-5-6)


Post image

WORKFORCE COMPLEMENT

Always at 100%

BUY/SELL CAPACITY

  • You want to keep 2nd Shift Production % between 20% and 50%

  • If you have less than 20%; you have to sell capacity

  • If you more than 50% you have to buy capacity

Note:

Use 150% is most effective

Just sell capacity of TR and HE in round 1, will not need so high capacity

Add capacity for LE

Then from round 4, add capacity for HE, PE and SZ when having high sales

After you make you decisions on production, check how much capital investment you have;

  • If you have capital investment leftover, try to spend it in Automation or Capacity

  • If you are spending more than you should, try to sell capacity or not invest as much.

  • I highly recommend that you sell some capacity on the first round so you can finance Automation, sell on the traditional, high end, performance and size products.

NOTE:- Sell capacity of TR and HE in Round 1, to invest in LE and new capacity for new LE2

HUMAN RESOURCES

You want to spend as much as possible in human capital, therefore you want to invest the maximum on recruiting and the maximum of training hours.

  • Recruiting Spend; $5000

  • Training Hours; 80 Hours


Post image

FINANCE

You want to have at least $10,000 in December Cash Position just to make sure you do not enter an Emergency Loan

We will source money until we reach this $10000 Cash position in the first year in the following order:

  1. Get as much “Issue Stock” as possible

  2. Get as much “Issue Long Term Debt”

  3. Get whatever you need left from “Borrow”

  • Retire stock it’s for when you have a good cash position and you have some money left over to purchase stock back from the market

  • Dividends per share it’s for when you have cash leftover in capital investment to give to your shareholder.

  • Retire Long Term Debt it’s for when you want to pay your debt early (This usually decreases your interests expense)


Post image

**NOTE:**THIS IS LONG TERM STRATEGY GAME, WITH 8 ROUNDS

ROUNDS 1-2-3 FOR INVESTMENT, NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, R&D, PROMO AND SALES, PRODUCTION EXPANSION... THEREFORE, WILL NEED STRONG INVESTMENT, AND WILL HAVE GOOD SALES BUT LOW NET PROFIT

ROUNDS 1-2-3 USE ALL THREE SOURCES OF INVESTMENT, STOCK ISSUE, SHORT TERM, AND LONG TERM LOANS

ROUNDS 4-5-6-7-8 WILL HAVE BOTH TOP SALES AND PROFIT.

TQM

When TQM Starts, you want to spend $1500 on the first round, then $1500 on the second round, and then finally $1000 on the third round.This expenditure would be for every single aspect in TQM


Post image

FINANCE

Finance its very tricky if you are focusing in Maximizing your scorecard score, these recommendations are just for your first round.Most simple, round 1-2-3 use max stock issue, short term and long term loans for investment

Rounds 4-5-6 use stock issue and long term loans

Rounds 7-8 can retire stocks, pay dividends and retire long term loans

Important: IF YOU DO NOT MAKE MONEY ON THE FIRST ROUND, IT IS NORMAL. COMPANIES NEVER MAKE MONEY ON THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, TAKE YOUR FIRST YEARS AS INVESTMENT AND LAYING DOWN YOUR STRATEGY.  ROUNDS 1-2-3 FOR INVESTMENT, IN LATER ROUNDS 4-8, WILL LEAD THE GAME WITH TOP SALES AND PROFIT

Strategy Last Updated on: 25 Dec 2019

Free Personal Support for Rounds 1-2

Email: mbahelp2002@gmail.com