Session Abstract
The Beer Store Game is a hands-on simulation that was originally developed at MIT in the 1960s that illustrates what happens in systems when we focus on local optimization at the expense of the whole. In the game, “teams” of four players operate simplified beer supply chains (The Retailer, The Wholesaler, The Distributor, and The Brewer) each with a mission to MINIMIZE TOTAL COSTwhile keeping suds flowing to thirsty customers, and hopefully eliminating their respective competition in Retail, Wholesale, Distribution, and Brewing on other teams. Participants can expect to learn vital lessons in systems thinking and value stream management that can be related to many real-world scenarios in IT.