Using a Simulation Game Approach to Teach Pull and Push Production System Concepts

The main objective when teaching the Production and Operations Management (POM) course is to provide students with the understanding and ability to apply theories and principles to real-world production. However, the teaching of this course is clearly different from some other courses in which students can apply theories to laboratory simulations; for example, the Plant Design course. This paper proposes game simulation for the POM course on production using Pull system and Push system, assuming situations of television production applied from Hongyi Sun’s method. The main materials are white paper, color pens, and production order cards. The main purpose was to provide students with a clear and factual visualization of overall production planning systems. The game simulation was tested with students of the POM course in the Industrial Management and Operations Program, Thammasart University. This game simulation study was compared with normal lecturing. It was found that students were mostly satisfied with the simulation and found it to be an interesting approach, providing the opportunity for problem-solving, creating a better understanding of both production-planning principles.