Strengthening of strategic thinking

COURSE OVERVIEW
The goal of the training is to enhance the strategy-orientation and to improve the entrepreneurial attitude.
In this business simulation four companies compete in the world market. 3 to 5 participants take on the role of top management in each company. The management team has the task to lead their company to success and generate profits.
Wich team will be the best?

LEARNING OUTCOMES
As a result of the training, participants:

• learn how to make strategic decisions in a complex environment;
• will be able to analyze financial impacts of decisons, financial and nonfinancial key performance indicators;
• learn how to analyze and evaluate strategic options;
• learn the most common methodology / tools of strategy making and deployment;
• understand the importance of cooperation between functional areas of the company leading to synergy;
• learn what effect business decisions take on financial matters;
• acquire solid communication skills and learn how to delegate tasks.

METHODS
Global Factory® business game – to understand complex issues in a simple manner.
Using interactive learning materials we encourage participants to remain actively engaged throughout the entire course.
Learning by doing in teams guarantees a high and sustainable transfer of knowledge:

• work in small groups;
• short lectures on theoretic background;
• discussions;
• case analyses.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The workshop will be useful for:

• functional managers
• business area managers
• future managers
• sales experts
• colleagues from different functional areas (HR, IT, logistics etc.) who don’t have financial degrees.

PROGRAM OF THE SEMINAR

Day 1

Registration
Introduction of the Business Game methodology (how to?)

• Stakeholders, market informations, financial statements
• 1. Quartal of the Game - Simulation  (plenum and in small groups)

2-4. How to keep the management informed?

• Goal setting & planning processes, support from Controlling
• Role of Reporting, steps, responsibilities

Elaboration of tenders, focus on sales actvities

• Impacts on P&L Statement, CF and Balance Sheet
• Financial analysis methodologies, Key performance indicators

Strategy for the 2nd year: markets, products, investments

• Factors influencing growth, sales, product  development, production and finance
• Action planning, financial impacts of decisions
• Simulation of the 2nd year in small groups

 
Day 2

Evaluation of financial performance of the 2nd year

• Discussing of production and logistic problems
• Most common methodology / tools of strategy making and deployment
• Analyzis and evaluation of strategic options

Business Game 3rd year

• Planning methodology, forecasting
• Business planning challenges
• Cooperation with suppliers

Objectives

• Managers influence on KPI’s, responsibility, incentive system
• Planning of profit needed
• Improvement of the company’s performance

Shareholder Value

• EVA ®
• Investment calculation methods with examples (NPV, IIR)
• How to enhance the value of the company?
   

Day 3
 

Business Game 4th year

• Analysis of financial opportunities
• Connection between long term and short term plans

2-4. Crisis on the market

• Making new strategies in case of declining demand
• Effects on finances
• Business game 5th year

Evaluation of performance of 5th year

• Cooperation between functional areas – how to use the synergy?
• Strategic decisions in complex environment

Discussion and evaluation of strategies of small groups (plenum)

• Lessons learnt
• Conclusions of the training
   

LANGUAGE:
This workshop will be conducted in English.