Business Management Learning System

Abstract

To provide a business management learning system causing executive candidate talents and young and new employees to efficiently learn company-wide thinking, strategic thinking, and financial thinking.SOLUTION: A business management learning system is implemented by a business management learning game composed of a server terminal and a plurality of client terminals connected to the server terminal via an information communication network. A business management screen and a decision-making screen are displayed on a display of the client terminal on the basis of information transmitted from the server terminal. A user using the client terminal inputs the results of decision-making conducted on the basis of information displayed on the business management screen through the decision-making screen. The plurality of users can use the same business management screen and decision-making screen, so teams can participate in the business management learning game.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a business management learning system and a business management learning method. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, companies are conducting training programs to develop the skills of executive candidates, as well as training programs for young and new employees, in which participants discuss and experience company management and business management. There are efforts to improve the efficiency of such business management experience training by using board games and other tools.

[0003] However, such business management learning programs need to teach participants corporate, strategic, and financial thinking.

[0004] In other words, managers need to have a company-wide mindset and be required to set the purpose and goals of the company. It is important to take a bird's-eye view of the entire company, grasp the facts, have a future management perspective, make decisions on resource allocation policies, and work with the organization to move toward goals.

[0005] In addition, managers are required to have the strategic thinking skills to formulate hypotheses for winning the competition and improve them through verification in order to maximize corporate performance. In many cases, strategies are based on incomplete information, so they are required to change their behavior in response to changes in the company's situation, industry structure, competitive trends, and the economic and market environment.

[0006] Furthermore, corporate management is a series of activities that involve raising funds from debt providers and capitalists, generating cash through business activities, and returning it to the capital market. It is essential for managers to understand accounting, which looks back at the past, finance, which looks into the future, and business results in numbers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-331091 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, there is currently no business management learning system (business management game) or business management learning method that can efficiently teach this type of company-wide thinking, strategic thinking, and financial thinking to executive candidates, young employees, and new employees.

[0009] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a business management learning system (business management game) and a business management learning method that will enable executive candidates, young employees, and new recruits to efficiently learn the above-mentioned company-wide thinking, strategic thinking, and financial thinking. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] This problem is solved by a business management learning system for implementing a business management learning game, which comprises a server terminal and a plurality of client terminals connected to the server terminal via an information and communications network, and which is configured to display a business management screen and a decision-making screen on the display of the client terminal based on information sent from the server terminal, and in which users of the client terminals make decisions based on the information displayed on the business management screen and input the results of their decisions through the decision-making screen, and which is configured so that multiple users can use the same business management screen and decision-making screen, thereby enabling team participation in the business management learning game.

[0011] In the advanced version, multiple teams can participate, and these multiple teams can input their own decisions through their own decision-making screens based on the information displayed on the management screen for each team.The decision-making results input by these multiple teams are sent to a server terminal, where they are aggregated and processed, and the processed results can then be displayed on each team's management screen.

[0012] In another advanced version, the input of decision-making results through the decision-making screen and the reflection of the decision-making results on the business management screen are carried out for each of four periods in a year, and a specified lead time is assigned to the implementation of the business management activities input through the decision-making screen, and the lead time can be determined by the quantity for the period.

[0013] Furthermore, it is advantageous that the information displayed on the business management screen is financial statements and business indicators used in actual business management. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] Overall view of the business management learning system according to the present invention [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of each terminal constituting the business management learning system according to the present invention. [Figure 3] Diagram of software configuration on server terminal [Figure 4] Software configuration diagram for client terminal [Figure 5] Examples of management activities in the business management learning game of the present invention [Figure 6] An example of the progress of each period in the business management learning game according to the present invention. [Figure 7] Example of screen display on a user's client device [Figure 7a] Example of screen display on a user's client device [Figure 7b]Example of screen display on a user's client device [Figure 8] An example of the progress of the business management learning game according to the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a decision-making area provided in a business management learning game according to the present invention. [Figure 10] An example of the progress of factory construction [Figure 11] An example of a decision-making screen for inputting decision-making and instruction information for factory construction [Figure 12] Examples of markets provided in the business management game according to the present invention [Figure 13] An example of a screen for inputting decision-making information in the marketing and sales fields [Figure 14] Relationship diagram of decision-making results for this and next period [Figure 15] An example of a business management screen on a user's client terminal [Figure 15a] An example of a business management screen on a user's client terminal [Figure 16] An example of a screen showing the fundraising status as reproduced in the game [Figure 17] An example of a decision-making input screen in the finance field [Figure 17a] Another example of a decision input screen [Figure 18] Examples of management indicators that can be checked on the management screen [Figure 19] Examples of management indicators that can be checked on the management screen [Figure 20] Examples of management indicators that can be checked on the management screen [Figure 20a] Examples of management indicators that can be checked on the management screen [Figure 20b] Examples of management indicators that can be checked on the management screen [Figure 20c] Examples of management indicators that can be checked on the management screen [Figure 21] A list of each decision made during the game and the decision items for each period, along with an example of their start and implementation status [Figure 21a] A list of each decision made during the game and the decision items for each period, along with an example of their start and implementation status [Figure 22] Example of a management screen for R&D investment [Figure 23] Examples of management screens for demand research, consumer research, and competitive research related to sales strategies / product strategies [Figure 24] Example of a management screen for sales staff salaries, etc. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] [Overall configuration] FIG. 1 shows an overview of the business management learning system according to the present invention. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the business management learning system according to the present invention comprises a server terminal and multiple client terminals connected to the server terminal via an information and communication network. In this case, the server terminal may be implemented as one or more server terminals provided as external services, such as a cloud computing service. As shown in FIG. 1, the client terminals include a user client terminal (also referred to as a learner client terminal) and a game master client terminal. Typically, there are multiple user client terminals and only a few or one game master client terminals. These client terminals are represented in FIG. 1 as laptop PCs, but are not limited thereto and may also be implemented as desktop PCs, tablet terminals, or smartphones.

[0016] [Functions and roles of each device] The server terminal has the hardware and software configuration described below, and is configured to have the function of providing the business management learning game or progressing the business management learning game as appropriate.

[0017] The user client terminal (student client terminal) has the hardware and software configurations described below. It is configured to enable users to learn company-wide thinking, strategic thinking, and financial thinking through a business management learning game. More specifically, it is configured to enable users to analyze their company's financial situation, the results of previous decision-making, and competitor trends through the "business management screen" described below, and to input their company's action plan through the "decision-making screen." Users of the user client terminal (student client terminal) are typically learners, students, trainees, etc. studying business management.

[0018] The "business management screen" and "decision-making screen" are configured so that the same screens are displayed for each team, that is, team members can simultaneously access the same screens.

[0019] As can be seen from Figure 1, the user client terminals in the business management learning game according to the present invention are configured to be grouped into multiple groups (teams). In this embodiment, it can be seen that three groups (teams), Team A, Team B, and Team C, are participating in the business management learning game.

[0020] The game master client terminal has the hardware and software configurations described below. This allows it to perform initial setup and management of the game according to the learners, students, and trainees who are learning through the business management learning game, monitor the progress of the game, and provide prescribed advice and announcements to the team made up of user client terminals or to the entire team. The game master who uses the game master client terminal is usually a mentor, professor, trainer, etc. who provides guidance on business management.

[0021] [Hardware configuration of each device] An example of the hardware configuration of the server terminal and each client terminal shown in Fig. 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The server terminal and client terminal used in the business management learning system according to the present invention can be configured, for example, as shown in Fig. 2.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the server device and client terminal consist of a CPU for information processing, an SSD / HDD as a storage device, RAM as temporary storage memory, ROM as non-volatile storage memory, an input device, an output device (display device), an external interface, and a communication interface.

[0023] The CPU is responsible for reading programs and data from storage devices such as ROM, SSD, and HDD, and executing the processes. It is a computing device that controls the entire terminal (computer) shown in Figure 2 and realizes the functions of the computer. The business management learning game program according to the present invention is executed by the CPU.

[0024] An SSD / HDD is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs and data. The stored programs include an operating system (OS), which is the basic software, and application software that performs various functions on the OS. The business management learning game program of the present invention is stored on the SSD / HDD. Note that the SSD / HDD is merely one example of a storage device, and does not preclude the adoption of alternative technologies. Such an SSD / HDD can also be implemented as storage space provided by an external service, such as a cloud computing service.

[0025] RAM is a volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that temporarily stores programs and data. The business management learning game program of the present invention is read from an SSD / HDD or the like and temporarily written to RAM, which is then executed by the CPU and used to temporarily store data required for executing the game program of the present invention.

[0026] ROM is a non-volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that can retain programs and data even when the power is turned off for computers that implement server terminals, client terminals, etc. ROM can store the BIOS, OS settings, various programs and data that are executed when the computer shown in Figure 2 starts up.

[0027] The input device is a device that allows instructions to be input from a user (student, trainee) or a game master (instructor, trainer) to the computer in FIG. 2. Possible input devices include a keyboard, mouse, controller, and touch panel. When implementing the game program of the present invention, the input device has a function that allows instructions to be input from a user (student, trainee) or a game master (instructor, trainer). Specifically, it allows various inputs when inputting initial settings, giving instructions based on decision-making, etc.

[0028] The display device is a so-called display or monitor. If the computer in Fig. 2 is realized as a notebook PC or desktop PC, it can be formed as a display for display output, and if it is realized as a tablet terminal, smartphone, etc., the display device can be formed as a liquid crystal display, organic EL display, etc., integrated with the input device.

[0029] An external interface is a connection interface with an external device. Examples of external devices include storage media, such as the common SSD / HDD, memory cards, and USB memory. These storage media are used when the computer's internal storage capacity is insufficient, or when exchanging programs or data with external devices.

[0030] The communication interface is an interface for connecting to an information and communication network in the business management learning game system according to the present invention. The computer in Fig. 2 is configured to be able to communicate data and information via this communication interface.

[0031] [Server terminal software configuration] The software configuration within the server terminal will be described below with reference to Figure 3. General parts such as basic software are not relevant to the essence of the present invention and will not be described here. As illustrated in Figure 3, the server terminal according to the present invention is provided with an information transmitting / receiving unit, an acquired information processing unit, and a storage unit.

[0032] The information transmitting / receiving unit is a component that enables the sending and receiving of information to and from the client terminals. It has the function of receiving information sent from the user client terminal and the game master client terminal via an information communication network (Internet communication network, internal company network communication network, telephone line network, etc.) and passing it on to the memory unit and / or acquired information processing unit.

[0033] The storage unit is a component for storing various information (data). It is configured to be able to directly store information received by the information transmitting / receiving unit and / or store information processed by the acquired information processing unit.

[0034] The acquired information processing unit acquires various information required for the progress of the business management learning game according to the present invention from the information transmitting / receiving unit or the storage unit, processes and modifies the information, and is configured so that the processed information can be stored in the storage unit.

[0035] [Client terminal software configuration] Next, the software configuration on the client terminal will be explained based on Figure 4. The client terminal is mainly provided with an information transmission / reception unit, an information processing unit, an information input unit, and an information output unit. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other components necessary for realizing the business management learning game according to the present invention are also provided as appropriate, so a detailed explanation will not be given here. The user client terminal and the game master client terminal basically have the same software configuration, so they will be simply described as client terminals here.

[0036] The information input unit is a component that has the role and function of accepting information input from the user or game master, that is, accepting input by the user or game master of information necessary for the progress of the business management learning game of the present invention, and passing the input information to the information processing unit.

[0037] The information processing unit is a component that performs basic information processing in the client terminal. For example, it receives information from the information input unit and transfers it to the information transmitting and receiving unit. As shown in FIG. 4 as an example, it is also possible to transfer the information received from the information transmitting and receiving unit to the information output unit. It is also possible to transfer the information input by the information input unit directly to the information output unit.

[0038] The information transmitting / receiving unit is a component for transmitting and receiving information to and from the server terminal. It has the function and role of receiving information input by the user through the information input unit from the information processing unit and transmitting it to the server terminal (the information transmitting / receiving unit of the server terminal) for processing in the business management learning game of the present invention. It is also configured to receive information processed within the server terminal and transmitted via the information communication network and pass it on to the information processing unit.

[0039] [Overview of Business Management Learning Games] An overview of the business management learning game according to the present invention will be explained with reference to Figure 5. Players (learners) of the business management learning game according to the present invention form teams to manage a company, for example, a "manufacturing and retailing" business. Managing a company can include, for example, the management activities shown in Figure 5, namely, 1. fundraising, 2. factory construction, 3. research and development, 4. product manufacturing, 5. marketing, and 6. sales activities.

[0040] That is, players manufacture products in their own factories for a predetermined period (for example, up to five years). The business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that multiple teams can participate, as shown in Figure 1. That is, players compete with other teams in the same market, aiming to generate sales through sales activities and improve business performance.

[0041] The management period in the business management learning game of the present invention can be set to, for example, a maximum of five years (Fig. 6). As shown in Fig. 6, the business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that one year is divided into four periods, and each period is one turn as the game progresses.

[0042] 7 shows an example of the display of the operation screen on the user's client terminal while playing the business management learning game of the present invention. In the business management learning game of the present invention, the player (learner) makes decisions by operating two main screens, namely, the business management screen and the decision-making screen.

[0043] The left side of Figure 7 shows an example of a business management screen. The business management screen is configured to allow users to analyze their company's financial situation, the results of previous decisions, and competitor trends. To analyze competitor trends, the business management screen can also have an additional leaderboard. The leaderboard might display, for example, rankings (top three companies by company name and representative name) in terms of market sales share (%), total asset turnover (%), average factory utilization rate (%), cumulative number of orders (units), return on invested capital (ROIC) (%), and decision-making time. The leaderboard might also display six items, such as sales, operating profit margin, equity ratio, return on equity (ROE), return on invested capital (ROIC), and decision-making time. The right side of Figure 7 shows an example of a decision-making screen. This screen allows users to enter their company's action plan. Both screens can be accessed simultaneously by members of the same team. This can be done, for example, through a standard web browser. In other words, team members can share the same information by simultaneously accessing the same URL, and can participate in decision-making and the management of their company by simultaneously accessing the decision-making screen at the same URL. Note that the game is configured so that it is possible to input information about each company at the start of the game, and this input information can be displayed in a company information tab or the like.

[0044] Next, we will explain the flow of one turn (one period) based on Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, the user works with team members to perform the actions described in the figure, namely, "analyzing the company, the market, and competitors." As mentioned above, this analysis can be performed through the business analysis screen. In other words, the business analysis screen contains all the information necessary for such an analysis (see also Figure 9).

[0045] Next, the user selects "Enter action plan for this period." The action plan is entered through the decision-making screen described above. The information entered through the decision-making screen is sent to the acquired information processing unit in the server terminal via the information transmission / reception unit of the client terminal, the information communication network, and the information transmission / reception unit of the server terminal.

[0046] At this time, as shown in Figure 8, the other teams also perform similar "analysis of their own company, the market, and competitors" and "input of this period's action plan" through their respective management screens and decision-making screens, and the information entered by other teams through their own decision-making screens is similarly sent to the server terminal. In other words, the same decision-making information (action plan information) is sent to the server terminal from all participating teams.

[0047] Once decision-making information (action plan information) is collected from all teams, the acquired information processing unit in the server terminal updates each company's financial figures and action results, as shown in Figure 8. In other words, a simulation is carried out. The simulation is carried out based on the decision-making information (action plan information) from all teams. In the reverse order of the previous process, the simulation results are sent to the information processing unit in the client terminal via the information transmission / reception unit in the server terminal, the information communication network, and the information transmission / reception unit in the client terminal, and are then fed back to the user via the information output unit (software configuration, hardware configuration) in the client terminal; in other words, they are reflected in the next business management screen.

[0048] As shown in Figure 9, the business management learning game of the present invention is configured to allow decision-making in three areas. In other words, users (players, learners) on each team make decisions in 1. the product area, 2. the marketing and sales area, and 3. the accounting and finance area. An overview of the decisions made in each area is shown in Figure 9.

[0049] First, we will explain 1. Decision-making in the product area. The business management learning game of this invention is designed to teach management in the manufacturing and retail industry. Therefore, each team must build the factory necessary to manufacture the product, purchase the materials, and create and execute a production plan. Since the factory construction, material ordering, and production activities are internally set to require a certain amount of time, it is necessary to create an appropriate manufacturing plan.

[0050] In other words, the business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that factory construction can be reproduced within the game. For example, as shown in Figure 10, factory construction can be configured so that it takes four turns from planning to operation, two turns from ordering parts to completing delivery, and two turns from production planning to the next planning period until production is completed. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, it is possible to configure the game so that parts ordering is only possible from the second period of the first year onwards, production planning is only possible from the third period of the first year onwards, parts are required for the next planning period, and the factory must be operational for production to begin.

[0051] In the business management learning game of the present invention, for example, the construction cost of one factory can be set to a predetermined amount (e.g., 8 million yen) at the time of construction planning. Up to 10 factories can be constructed, and they are set to start operation three years after the plan is made.

[0052] In the business management learning game of the present invention, the amortization period is set to 20 periods, and the amortization expense per factory is 400,000 yen per period. Amortization is configured to be carried out after the factory starts operation.

[0053] The production capacity of a factory can be configured, for example, so that the maximum number of products that can be produced per factory is 50. Also, the factory is configured so that it must maintain a minimum utilization rate of 20%.

[0054] The table on the right side of Figure 10 shows an example of fixed production costs for a factory. Fixed production costs (factory labor costs, etc.) are incurred for each factory from the moment the factory begins operating.

[0055] Furthermore, the business management learning game according to the present invention is configured so that the management of parts and inventory can be reproduced within the game. For example, one part is required to produce one product, and the price of the part (material cost) can be set at 40,000 yen per part. Parts are available in the following order: current period - ordered, next period - delivered, and next-next period - available for delivery to the production line. Payment for parts is also configured so that it becomes an account payable at the time of delivery and is paid in the following period.

[0056] The business management learning game of the present invention is designed to allow inventory management to be replicated within the game. Therefore, for example, excess product inventory is designed to incur a warehousing fee. For example, if each operating factory has an end-of-year inventory of more than 20 units, a warehousing fee of 15,000 yen per unit will be incurred for each product in excess of 20 units.

[0057] In other words, if three factories are in operation and there are 70 product units in stock at the end of the fiscal year, the system is structured so that 10 excess products exceeding the 60 units from the three factories will incur warehouse fees of 15,000 yen per unit, for a total of 150,000 yen.

[0058] The business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that research and development (R&D) can be replicated within the game. For this reason, it is configured so that investments in R&D can be made in units of 1 million yen starting from the first year of the first term. The amount of investment in R&D is configured so that the greater the cumulative investment amount, the higher the probability of success. If R&D is successful, the order rate for the product increases. It is configured so that successful R&D can occur not just once but multiple times, and each time successful R&D occurs, the order rate increases.

[0059] An example of an operation screen for inputting decisions in the product area is shown in Figure 11. From the top, there are fields for inputting the number of factories to be built, the number of parts to be ordered, the number of production plans, and R&D costs, and it can be seen that the values ​​entered here are "2," "100," "0," and "0," respectively.

[0060] In the business management learning game according to the present invention, a product can be configured to have four types of performance. The four types of performance are, for example, performance related to durability, light weight, high quality, and energy saving. Therefore, the business management learning game according to the present invention can be configured so that a user (player, learner) can select which product performance to improve when conducting research and development. In the business management learning game according to the present invention, when a user (player, learner) invests in research and development, the product performance selected by the user can be improved with a certain probability. Product performance can be configured to be classified into, for example, three ranks. In this case, the business management learning game according to the present invention can be configured so that a product starts at rank 1 at the start (initial stage) and can improve up to rank 3 through investment in research and development.

[0061] The business management learning game according to the present invention may be configured so that research and development personnel must be hired before investment in research and development is made. Hiring and hiring of researchers and engineers may be possible, for example, from the first year or second term. Hiring and hiring may require a hiring fee of 1 million yen per person, and a salary of 600,000 yen per person after hiring.

[0062] The investment in research and development may be configured to accumulate. The business management learning game according to the present invention may be configured to change the probability of success of the investment in research and development by referring to the accumulated amount. For example, the game may be configured so that the greater the accumulated investment in research and development, the higher the probability that the research and development will be successful and each performance will evolve. The accumulated investment in research and development may also be configured to be reset when the research and development is successful.

[0063] Successful research and development and improvements in product performance can be configured to affect the possibility, probability, and quantity of orders for the product. Improvements in product performance can be configured to have a positive impact on the quantity of orders for the product in some markets, but a negative impact in others.

[0064] Next, we will explain decision-making in the marketing and sales area in the business management learning game of the present invention. The business management learning game of the present invention can be configured to allow selection of the market in which a product is sold. Therefore, for example, four markets can be provided. Figure 12 shows an example of four markets. In each market, the total quantity of products available for sale is set, and this total quantity can be configured to fluctuate from period to period and market to market. Therefore, each team (each company) participating in the business management learning game of the present invention can learn about business management by selling products in, for example, four markets and competing for market share. While analyzing market demand, players develop marketing strategies such as pricing strategies and advertising, taking into account market characteristics, with the aim of maximizing their company's sales and profits. The number of markets is not limited to four; other quantities of markets can also be provided.

[0065] The business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that market research can be replicated within the game. In other words, each team is configured to be able to conduct market research when making decisions in the marketing and sales fields. Conducting market research makes it possible to investigate the demand in that market for the next period. For this reason, market research can also be called demand research. The budget required for market research (demand research) can be set in advance, for example, at 400,000 yen per market. It is also possible to set the cost of researching the entire market (total demand) at 600,000 yen (lower diagram in Figure 12).

[0066] The business management learning game according to the present invention can be configured to enable consumer surveys in addition to market surveys (demand surveys). The consumer surveys can be configured to survey what product features customers in the four markets mentioned above prefer. The consumer surveys can be configured to allow a maximum number of times (for example, up to two times) to be conducted for each market.

[0067] It is also possible to use consumer surveys to investigate the likelihood of advertising effectiveness in each market (more on advertising later).

[0068] The business management learning game according to the present invention can be configured to enable competitive research on sales strategies. When competitive research on sales strategies is conducted, it is possible to investigate how many salespeople a competing company (competitor team) has allocated to each market (the allocation of salespeople to each market will be described later). The competitive research function on sales strategies can also be configured to enable research on the average salary of salespeople at competing companies (competitor teams).

[0069] The business management learning game according to the present invention can be configured to enable competitive research on product strategies to be conducted, and can be configured to enable information on the performance of products owned by competing companies (competitor teams) to be obtained by conducting competitive research on product strategies.

[0070] The decision-making process in the marketing and sales area of ​​the business management learning game of this invention is designed to allow for the reproduction of actions such as "recruiting salespeople and deploying them in the market," "advertising activities," and "product pricing" in order to maximize product sales. This allows each team to analyze market demand and, while taking market characteristics into consideration, develop marketing strategies such as pricing strategies and advertising strategies, aiming to maximize their company's sales and profits.

[0071] Figure 13 is an example of a decision-making screen for the marketing and sales area that enables such decision-making in the marketing and sales area. From the top, it can be seen that it is configured to allow input of whether to conduct market research (demand research), in which markets, the number of salespeople to hire, how many salespeople to allocate to which markets, how many advertising pages to place in which markets, and how to sell the product.

[0072] As described above, the business management learning game of the present invention recreates the recruitment and placement of salespeople (employees). In other words, to sell products, salespeople must be recruited and placed in each market. For example, it is possible to configure the game so that it takes three turns to deploy a salesperson, i.e., "current period - recruitment, next period - training, and next period - actual work (order-taking activities)." Furthermore, it is possible to configure the game so that the recruitment cost per salesperson is 1 million yen and the training and actual work cost per salesperson is 500,000 yen. The salary of such salespeople can be set from three levels, for example, 400,000 yen, 600,000 yen, and 800,000 yen. The salary setting can be configured to affect the number of orders in the market. Furthermore, it is possible to configure the game so that salespeople decline or resign with a certain probability during the process from recruitment to actual work. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure the aforementioned salesperson salary to affect the salesperson turnover rate. Salesperson salaries can be compared with the levels of competing companies (competitor teams) and the order rate and turnover rate can be affected based on this.

[0073] In the business management learning game of the present invention, advertising is replicated in the game. Advertising is implemented by inputting information through the decision-making screen in the marketing and sales area described above. Advertising in each market is configured to have an impact on the order rate. Advertising can be configured to be implemented in increments of 200,000 yen per market, for example. The impact on the order rate can be preset differently depending on the market. For example, it is possible to set a maximum number of advertising campaigns that can be implemented per market (e.g., 5 pages (1 million yen)).

[0074] The business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that product prices can be set for each team. The unit price of the product to be sold can be set, for example, between 160,000 yen and 200,000 yen in 10,000 yen increments. The price is the same in all markets, and is configured so that factors such as the characteristics of each market and competitor pricing influence the order rate. The price can be changed in 10,000 yen increments. For example, if the price in the previous period was 170,000 yen, the price for this period can be selected from 160,000 yen, 170,000 yen, or 180,000 yen.

[0075] The above describes the details of product activities (product manufacturing, R&D) and marketing and sales activities (pricing, advertising, and sales) in the business management learning game of the present invention. Figure 14 shows the flow of these product activities and marketing and sales activities. As shown in Figure 14, each team participating in the business management learning game of the present invention inputs decisions in the product activity area and the marketing and sales activity area through a decision-making screen. The input information is sent to the server terminal, and the server terminal's acquired information processing unit determines each company's order quantity (their own order quantity). If there is product inventory corresponding to the ordered quantity, sales are made. If there is a shortage of inventory, the backlog is carried over to the next period. Based on this information, the server terminal's acquired information processing unit updates each company's financial statements and stores them in the memory unit as appropriate. The updated financial statement information is then transmitted to the client terminal via an information and communication network, where it can be viewed by each user through the business management screen and used for decision-making in the next period.

[0076] Figure 15 shows an example of a business management screen. In addition to various information about the game in progress (such as the number of factories being built, the number of parts ordered, the number of production plans, research and development expenses, and the status of market research (demand surveys)), the business management screen can also be configured with buttons for displaying financial statements such as a balance sheet (B / S), profit and loss statement (P / L), manufacturing cost statement, and cash flow statement (CF). This financial statement information is transmitted from the server terminal via an information and communications network.

[0077] Next, we will explain decision-making in the accounting and finance domain. In the business management learning game of the present invention, each team is required to raise funds necessary for its business activities through borrowing and capital increases. Therefore, each team must calculate the funds required for manufacturing and sales activities and manage cash flow appropriately.

[0078] The game is structured so that the first year and first period starts with capital of 50 million yen (1,000 shares). The stock price starts at 50,000 yen and fluctuates between 50,000 yen and 250,000 yen depending on business performance. More specifically, once cumulative profits turn positive, the stock price is structured so that 1 share equals 10 times the previous period's operating profit (PER=10).

[0079] Furthermore, the business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that the establishment of a headquarters is reproduced in the game. The headquarters is established at the start of the game, and 20 million yen is paid for headquarters facilities in the first period of the first year.

[0080] Furthermore, the business management learning game according to the present invention is configured to allow capital increases during the game. Capital increases can be made through a decision-making screen when certain conditions are met. The certain conditions could be, for example, three conditions: 1. profit before tax for the previous period is in the black, 2. accumulated profits are in the black, and 3. one year has passed since the previous capital increase.

[0081] The business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that funds can be raised through short-term loans, long-term loans, and special loans during the game.

[0082] Short-term loans can be borrowed from financial institutions to cover the funds needed for business activities. The limit can be set at, for example, 30 million yen, with repayment being mandatory in the following period. The interest rate can be set at, for example, 2% per period, with interest paid at the repayment period. Short-term loans can be structured so that the limit is 20 million yen (per period) in the first year, and 30 million yen (per period) from the second year onwards as credit increases, with the upper limit varying accordingly.

[0083] Long-term loans could be limited to use only for "capital investments in the head office and factories," for example. In this case, the interest rate per period could be set at 3%, and the maximum loan amount could be set at 30 million yen. The loan conditions could be such that borrowing is only possible when expenditures such as factory construction costs are made, and the principal could be repaid in equal installments over 10 periods starting from the next period (Figure 16).

[0084] In the business management learning game of the present invention, special loans are configured to be available only in times of business emergency. The maximum amount is 50 million yen, and the loan can be configured to be forcibly repaid in the following period. The interest rate can be set at, for example, 15% per period, and interest can be paid at the repayment period.

[0085] The business management learning game of the present invention is configured to allow players to raise funds and sell securities for capital gains, and to accrue corporate taxes and dividend payments based on the business performance during the game.

[0086] In the business management learning game of the present invention, each team is configured to purchase securities as a company and earn profits on their sales. In this case, the purchased securities may be automatically sold in the following period. The securities are configured to rise or fall in value depending on market conditions.

[0087] The business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that corporate tax is levied. For example, the conditions for corporate tax levy can be configured so that it is levied when cumulative profits are in the black and current operating profits are in the black. The corporate tax rate can be set at, for example, 40% of profits per fiscal year. In this case, the corporate tax can be configured so that it is paid in cash in the following fiscal year.

[0088] Furthermore, the business management learning game of the present invention can be configured to pay dividends on owned stocks. Conditions for dividend payment can be set, for example, such as cumulative profits being in the black, current period ordinary profit being in the black, and there being dividend funds. In this case, it is conceivable to configure the game so that dividends are paid at 2.5% of the stock price per period. Dividends can be configured to be paid in cash in the following period.

[0089] Furthermore, the business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that a cash shortage can occur during the game. In this case, for example, if a cash shortage occurs during the game (during management), a penalty can be imposed by halving the number of orders received in the next period. In other words, to avoid a cash shortage, each team is required to calculate and understand the cash inflow and cash outflow for the next period and manage their finances when making decisions each period.

[0090] Furthermore, the business management learning game of the present invention is configured so that bankruptcy can occur during the game. If a company runs out of funds (exceeds all borrowing limits) during the game (during management) and becomes insolvent (capital < 0), the company being managed during the game will be treated as bankrupt. It is possible to configure the management (game progress) of a company that goes bankrupt to end at that point.

[0091] Furthermore, the business management learning game of the present invention may be configured to reproduce the occurrence of events accompanying changes in the macro environment. Examples of such changes in the macro environment include the occurrence of a recession and the entry of a major foreign company. These events may be configured to progress in the aforementioned periods. The periods in which events occur may be set in advance, or may be configured to occur randomly. Of course, it is also possible to set in advance so that these events do not occur.

[0092] The "Recession Occurrence" event is described below. This event occurs when a predetermined process is performed on the server terminal or when a predetermined parameter is set or changed. When this process or parameter change is performed, the server terminal is configured to send instruction information to the user's client terminal via the information and communications network. The event is configured to begin with a notice of a recession. The recession signs are displayed on each user's business management screen, for example, by displaying a message such as "A change in the economic environment (accelerating yen depreciation) has been observed" and / or "The spread of a new coronavirus infection has been observed in some cities." To this end, the server terminal is configured to send predetermined instruction information (e.g., text information) to the user's client terminal. The user's client terminal is configured to receive the instruction information and display the message on the business management screen. Conditions for the occurrence of this event may include a game period set to two or more periods over four years.

[0093] The event "Recession Occurs" is configured to progress in stages. As described above, the event will move to the next stage in the next stage. This transition is achieved by changing parameter values ​​on the server terminal, for example. In the next stage of the event, an actual recession is reproduced in the game. In other words, a predetermined logic is used to stop production at factories according to sales rankings, and the unit price of parts orders rises.

[0094] For example, if the sales ranking is 1-20%, it is possible to configure it so that 70% of factories are shut down for one period. At the same time, it is also possible to configure it so that the unit price of parts ordered rises to 60,000 yen. If the sales ranking is 21-70%, it is possible to configure it so that 50% of factories are shut down for one period. In this case, it is also possible to configure it so that the unit price of parts ordered rises to 60,000 yen. Furthermore, if the sales ranking is 71-100%, it is possible to configure it so that 30% of factories are shut down for one period. In this case, it is also possible to configure it so that the unit price of parts ordered rises to 60,000 yen.

[0095] In this case, the management screen of the user's client terminal is configured to display a message such as, "Due to the accelerating depreciation of the yen, the ordering price of parts will rise to 60,000 yen for a certain period of time. In addition, a new virus pandemic has occurred, causing operations at some factories to halt. The number of factories that will be operational this fiscal year is ○."

[0096] As the game progresses and the next period begins, the factory shutdown can be ended. The business management screen of the user's client terminal is configured to display a message such as, for example, "The pandemic of the new coronavirus infection has subsided, and factory operations have resumed as normal."

[0097] As the game progresses further and the next period begins, the rise in component prices can be configured to end. The business management screen of the user's client terminal is configured to display a message such as, "Due to the stabilization of the economic environment, the component order price has returned to 40,000 yen." These progressions may be achieved by appropriate processing and / or by switching predetermined parameters on the server terminal; these processes are obvious to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0098] In the business management learning game of the present invention, an additional event accompanying a change in the macro environment, "entry of a major foreign company," can be provided. This event also occurs when a predetermined process is performed on the server terminal or when a predetermined parameter is set or changed. When this process or parameter change is performed, the server terminal is configured to send instruction information to the user's client terminal via an information and communications network. The event is configured to begin with an announcement of the entry of a major foreign company and signs of changes in work styles. A possible condition for this event to occur is that the game period be set to at least one period of five years.

[0099] The announcement of the entry of a major foreign company and signs of changes in working styles can be configured to be made by displaying on the user's client terminal, for example, "A major European competitor has announced its entry into the Japanese market. Combined with changes in working styles due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, changes in the working environment are expected." For this reason, the server terminal and the user's client terminal can be configured to be able to send and receive instructions and information related to the said message.

[0100] As the game progresses and the next period begins, the game advances to the next stage of the event. In this stage, the game recreates the new entry of major foreign companies, the rise in industry wages due to rising prices, and lifestyle changes due to the expansion of remote work. Specifically, a predetermined process is executed according to a predefined logic stored on the server terminal. This process could be, for example, the resignation of sales staff (employees). For example, if the sales ranking is 1-30%, forced resignation (at least one employee, 20% of the total, based on the previous period's decision-making results) occurs, even if there was a resignation in the previous period. Furthermore, the resignation rate can be configured to increase by 1.5 times from the current period to the next period. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure the system so that sales staff training and actual work costs increase to 1 million yen from that period until the end of the game. Furthermore, if the system is configured so that the salary of a salesperson can be selected from three levels, for example, 400,000 yen, 600,000 yen, and 800,000 yen, it is possible to configure the system so that the training and actual working costs for the salesperson increase by 1.5 times until the end of the game, resulting in an increase to 600,000 yen, 900,000 yen, 1.2 million yen, etc.

[0101] Furthermore, if the sales ranking is between 31 and 100%, forced turnover (at least one person, 15% of the total, based on the decision-making results of the previous period) will occur, and it is possible to configure the game so that turnover will occur even if there was a resignation in the previous period. Furthermore, it is possible to configure the turnover rate to increase by 1.5 times from the current period to the next period. It is also possible to configure the salesperson training and actual work costs to increase to 1 million yen from that period until the end of the game.

[0102] During that period, the business management screen of the user client terminal can be configured to display, for example, a statement such as, "Due to the new entry of major foreign companies, an increase in the industry average salary, the expansion of remote work, and changes in working styles, for a certain period of time, (1) an increase in employee turnover, and (2) a rise in sales staff training costs and actual operating costs (to 1 million yen) will occur." For this reason, the server terminal and the user client terminal are configured to be able to exchange appropriate instruction information via information and communication lines.

[0103] As the game progresses and the next period begins, the increase in turnover and employee turnover rates may be configured to end. For this reason, the server terminal is configured to change certain parameters, and certain instruction information is sent to the user's client terminal via the information and communication line. The user's client terminal may be configured to display a message such as "Changes in working styles are settling down, and there is a tendency for the turnover rate to return to its original level" on the management screen.

[0104] Figure 17 shows an example of a decision-making screen in the accounting and finance area. Starting from the top, it can be seen that there are input fields for loans (short-term loans, long-term loans, special loans), an input field for purchasing securities, and an input field for capital increases. Decisions in the accounting and finance area described above are made by inputting numerical values ​​and the like through this decision-making screen in the accounting and finance area. The input numerical values ​​are sent from the user's client terminal to the server as appropriate, processed by the acquired information processing unit in the server terminal (used for simulations), and stored as appropriate. The processing results are then sent back to the user's client terminal, where they can be viewed on the business management screen.

[0105] 18 to 20 show examples of management indicators that can be confirmed on the business management screen in the business management learning game of the present invention. These management indicators are configured to be output at the mid-term and final periods of the game. Users on each team refer to their respective companies' financial statements and management indicators, analyze their own company's business situation and the trends of other companies, make the above-mentioned decisions, and determine management policies.

[0106] Figure 21 shows an example of a list of decisions and decision items in each period during the actual game, along with their start and implementation status.

[0107] The business management learning game according to the present invention has been described above based on one embodiment. The above description is merely an illustrative example, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment as long as it does not depart from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A business management learning system for implementing a business management learning game, comprising a server terminal and a plurality of client terminals connected to the server terminal through an information and communications network, wherein the system is configured so that a business management screen and a decision-making screen are displayed on the display of the client terminal based on information transmitted from the server terminal, and wherein a user of the client terminal makes decisions based on information displayed on the business management screen and inputs the results of the decisions made through the decision-making screen, and wherein multiple users belonging to the same team are configured to be able to use the same business management screen and decision-making screen, thereby enabling the team to participate in decision-making in the business management learning game. The input of decision-making results through the decision-making screen and the reflection of the decision-making results on the business management screen are carried out for each of the four periods in a year, and a specified lead time is given to the implementation of the business management activities input through the decision-making screen, and the lead time is determined by the quantity of the period, i.e., the period. The system is configured so that multiple teams can participate, and each of these multiple teams inputs its own decisions through its own decision-making screen based on the information displayed on the business management screen for that team, and the decision-making results input by these multiple teams are sent to a server terminal, where they are aggregated and processed, and the processed results are then displayed on each team's business management screen, so that the results of the business management activities selected and implemented by users of each team have an impact on the progress of the company's own business activities and / or the business activities of competing companies in the next period and thereafter. A business management learning system featuring:

2. 2. The business management learning system according to claim 1, wherein the information displayed on the business management screen is financial statements and management indicators used in actual business management.

3. The business management learning system described in claim 1, characterized in that corporate management activities are configured to be reproducible, including fundraising activities, factory construction activities, research and development activities, product manufacturing activities, marketing activities, and sales activities, and each team is configured to be able to select any of these through their own decision-making screen.

Images