Description
Lawn Trimmers is a realistic, business simulation which enables you to evaluate your teams’ decision-making processes. It will demystify key business issues, test players’ strengths under pressure and develop their commercial acumen. Can they rigorously analyse information, debate the relative merits of a strategy, and make robust decisions in the face of stiff competition while providing what the customer needs at a cost the business can afford?
The game offers powerful insights into core business concepts such as business planning, market segmentation, costing, pricing and return on assets. Success will depend on the participants’ ability to survey the market, establish the characteristics of the product to be offered, devise a suitable marketing strategy and create a production facility appropriate to the probable level of sales. Lawn Trimmers has been designed to deal with a relatively small number of variables, so the tutor can also look at the debate within the teams and use the exercise to study the decision-making process, inter-personal skills and group co-operation.
Objectives
Participation in Lawn Trimmers will enable individuals to:
- Evaluate the many factors which affect business success and identify the key drivers.
- Assess what the customer needs versus what the customer wants.
- Calculate the costs associated with their chosen offer.
- Recognise different market segments might require different strategies.
- Practice using a decision-making process in a group environment.
How it works
Lawn Trimmers is played over a series of rounds, potentially between one and twelve. We recommend a minimum of four rounds. The rounds can be run concurrently, as part of a course or conference, or split over a longer time period.
Each round will need between 40 and 90 minutes.
Teams are pitched against each other as they start up and run their businesses, which manufacture and sell lawn trimmers. Preliminary research using the materials provided helps them to formulate a business strategy. They need to decide which markets are most profitable, the size of factory required and the type of product to offer by weighing up the possible incentives for customers and the retailer and deciding how much to provide when balanced against the expected sales return.
The facilitator enters each teams’ decisions into the Lawn Trimmers program at the end of each round, and over successive ‘months’ players will consider their sales and advertising policies and match these with their production decisions. Teams receive a basic Profit & Loss statement after each round, and review their market position to decide whether any changes in strategy are required. Players work hard and fast in a pressured environment to try and win by achieving the highest return on capital.
What participants will be doing
Participants will be analysing data about an imaginary company and its situation; debating alternative strategies; making decisions and entering these on a form; analysing financial and operational reports; observing the strategies of competitors and applying their commercial skills to outwit them.
Audience
The game is suitable for all levels of staff, up to and including management. It is also appropriate for students of business management.
The cost
As a guideline, here are two different pricing options:
Face to face in-house event with facilitation from Elgood
We provide the simulation, all documentation and facilitation. A one-day event costs in the region of £1,200 plus VAT and expenses.
Please inquire about prices if you would like to split the rounds over several days or weeks.
In-house event using web-based software and remote facilitation by Elgood
This simulation can be run remotely with the players conducting their meetings and entering their decisions online. We provide access to an online portal for entry of the decisions and receipt of updated documents.
A remotely facilitated event with 4 rounds of play, with up to 10 teams participating, costs £350.00 plus VAT.
Please contact us for a detailed quote, or to discuss any options not listed above, or download the Lawn Trimmers information sheet.
