simulation paper

Marketing Simulation Paper

In addition to the 100 points of your grade that is your performance on the simulation, there is a

corresponding 100 point written paper due on Sunday, December 6th. The paper grade will be based on your ability to describe and analyze your strategic decisions from our marketing simulation. These

points are completely independent of your actual simulation results; in other words, one could

dominate in the simulation but write an awful paper and vice versa.

Your paper will be submitted AFTER you’ve completed all six quarters and due Sunday, December 6th at 11:59 pm. Papers will automatically lose 10 points per hour past the deadline (1-

60 minutes late = 10 point penalty).

In one sentence, the paper is all about explaining *why you did what you did* - it's as straightforward as

that. I'm grading you on the quality of your explanations. The more thoughtful/insightful/analytical your

explanations are, the more points you will receive.

Paper Guidelines

For each of the six quarters you need to extensively address/explain the following:

1. Major decisions made for this quarter (what did you do?) and most importantly a thorough

explanation as to why each decision was made (why did you do it?)

2. After you receive the simulation results for each quarter (there are none for Quarter 1), describe your company’s results in depth (how did it turn out?) – I want you to analyze to find opportunities in

your performance with respect to:

 Brand/ad/price judgments for each product

 Number of sales force per market per product

 Number of ads per product per market

 Major Competitors’ results for the above

 Balanced scorecard results

So, reflecting upon your strategy, detail the changes you would make to your strategic decisions

and explain why this would improve your strategy and results (what did you learn from these results and how can you improve your decision making strategies for next quarter?).

We will combine Q1 and Q2 since there are no results to discuss for Q1. Therefore your paper should

have five sections to it (Q1+Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, Q6). Each of these sections will constitute 20 of the 100

points.

I strongly suggest you write the paper as you go. While this is obvious, it will truly show as your explanations will be significantly stronger than if you wait until the end to put the

paper together.

Formatting Instructions

NONE - This paper is meant to capture your thoughts as to how you are proceeding with the simulation as well as reflecting back upon your actions so that we may learn from any mistakes. I do not care

about the format, just the content (FYI, headings throughout the paper make it much easier to

read). Type size, type font, margins single-/double-spaced are all irrelevant to me, as I am grading solely on the quality of your explanations of your decisions.

I don't have any set page-length in mind but I would argue that for this assignment if you spent a paragraph or two on every quarter, you wouldn't be supplying me with an *extensive* analysis of your

simulation decisions/results. For comparison, decent papers average 12 pages, double-spaced.

There is no page limit.

Helpful Hints

1. Picture yourself in front of a board of directors to explain how you’re spending their

money. They want in-depth explanations of *why* you’re doing what you’re doing. SO

DO I. You need to sell me on your strategic thought process.

2. Failure to thoroughly discuss how your competitors’ actions affect your actions will kill

your score.

3. Oh yeah, did I mention that you should write your paper as you go? I did? Well, it's important enough to mention again!

Turnitin

All paper submissions will analyzed for plagiarism by the Turnitin software through

Blackboard. FYI, my Turnitin database has thousands of papers. If yours is determined to be plagiarized in any way, this will not result in a 0/100 for the paper, but rather a harsher penalty up to and

including a grade of XE for the entire course, regardless of your exam performance. Plus you will get

to meet with the Dean of Academic Affairs; he will be handling all academic improprieties as this will be out of my hands. In short, you are far better off not turning in a paper and taking a zero than

turning in a paper that in any way has borrowed from a different source. I cannot be clearer about this.