Web-based Oil Supply Chain Game

One of the major uses of management games is as a learning tool to improve decisions made under dynamic uncertainty. This paper presents a web-based gaming mode simulation model of a supply chain concerning the procurement and supply of oil. The game mirrors the traditional oil supply chain consisting of Refineries, Storage Points, Depots and Retail Outlets. The computer controls the decisions at refineries and retail outlets, whereas, those for Storage Points and Depots are regulated by the players. The group with minimum total cost after 15-20 simulated days of play wins the game. The game is highly interactive. Extensive use of web-technology facilitates the game being played by players physically separated from each other but connected through a high-speed Wide Area Network (WAN) or Internet. The game also provides ways of simulating different decision strategy (order-supply strategy) combinations. Debriefing sessions are facilitated by the use of graphs and charts.