BizCafe

Business Essentials Simulation

BizCafe is a business essentials simulation that introduces students to running a business. It is designed to help your students learn about the challenges and rewards of making good decisions in a small, service-based business. Students will learn about management, operations, marketing, and accounting by running their own coffee shop.

CLASSES

Introduction to Business
Small Business Management

DIFFICULTY LEVEL

Introductory

AUTHORS

Stu James
Mike Deighan

OBJECTIVES

As a business essentials simulation, BizCafe provides students an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of business by running a simple start-up enterprise. Student teams will function as a “real-life” company competing in a dynamic and evolving industry.

BizCafe is designed with the following learning goals for your students:

  • Planning & Analysis

    • Write a business plan
    • Monitor implementation of plan
    • Analyze results and make adjustments
    • Calculate break-even point

  • Staffing

    • Project staffing requirements
    • Decide on employee pay rates
    • Calculate total cost of compensation
    • Manage employee turnover

  • Marketing

    • Identify the 4Ps of marketing
    • Set pricing for multiple products
    • Calculate gross margin
    • Project impact of promotion

  • Operations

    • Project purchasing needs
    • Manage inventory
    • Set shop hours
    • Maximize customer satisfaction

  • Accounting

    • Distinguish cash and accrual accounting
    • Create and analyze income statement
    • Create and analyze balance sheet
    • Calculate return on an investment

  • Teamwork

    • Allocate responsibilities fairly
    • Complete assigned tasks on time
    • Communicate problems and plans
    • Collaborate with other team members

Device Frame

BUSINESS CASE

In a college-town, a local successful business professional wants to help college students learn about business by operating their own company. Each team in BizCafe represents a group selected to receive a $25,000 start-up loan at 10% interest to manage their own coffee shop for a year as an independent study for credit.

 

Request Instructor Access to read the BizCafe business case and watch our case video!

16

Decision Periods (weekly)

4

Scenarios

17

Assignments

16

Incidents (mini-cases)

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Combining our simulation BizCafe with our quizzes and assignments gives you the tools to assess your students’ understanding of the basic concepts of business. The following grading rubric works best to assess your students’ knowledge and understanding, providing a thorough assessment.

Assignments0%
Simulation Results0%
Quizzes0%

ASSIGNMENTS MODULE

Our simulation assignments are now completely online! With our new Assignments Module, there are no more PDFs or downloads, all assignments are easily accessed online through an intuitive interface. And for busy instructors, some assignments can be automatically graded! Getting started is easy—use our guide and video tutorial to learn the interface, or just login and check them out on your own. Contact us for more information!

WHAT DO OUR CUSTOMERS SAY

  • We decided to use BizCafe as a project that we believed would provide the students the opportunity to work in cross-cultural teams and also give them some practical business experience. BizCafe didn't disappoint….The BizCafe game was great because it was very easy to administer and provided a great way to deliver the key concepts of Introduction to Business in a very practical manner.

    Lisa Cherivtch - Oakton Community College

  • This is my second semester using this simulation and I have only had positive responses from the students. As a teacher I use it as an emphasis when teaching. Anytime I need help I get a very quick response.

    Mollie Andrae - Pensacola State College

  • The simulation is excellent and is one way I’ve found to pull the importance of cross-functionality in business into every decision. It definitely helps students have a better understanding.

    Deborah Finch

  • This experience, my first, with BizCafe was fantastic and I appreciate all of the support and the quality of your product.

    Randall Ugolini - Georgian College

  • I have found the Interpretive Simulation experience to be a catalyst for team members to interact with one another in and out of class. I also believe it has contributed to their social development, which is critical for freshmen, most of whom are on their own for the first time.

    Martin Cohen - Pace University

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