Production:

In the TOPSIM – Startup! management simulation you and your team members take on the role of an entrepreneurial team. You plan a start-up in the form of a small business which produces bikes. As part of the Startup! simulation you go through the entire process of starting up a firm, from coming up with your business idea, to creating a business plan, to market entry and subsequent business operation.
Therefore, you should first collect the necessary information to formulate your business plan. In this phase you have access to a business plan assistant, which takes you through the creation of a business plan step-by-step. The particular aim of this phase is for you to become aware of the crucial elements of a business plan and to learn, where the problems lie when drawing up and calculating figures. The business plan you create also influences how the simulation continues. It forms the basis for the Instructor’s decision about how much investment capital your firm will receive, whether you will receive a support loan, and if so, how high this loan may be.

The approval of your business plan by the Instructor is followed by the formation and subsequent the market entry of your company. During the eight periods of business activity you will make all important entrepreneurial decisions, taking into account the national economic situation. You will be competing against four other firms on the virtual market. A complex computer simulation programme processes the decisions you make and thereby simulates the competition. Your decisions are evaluated after each round, and you find out how far the measures you have taken have been successful. In this way you can find out how to deal with business tools and learn what effect they have. The virtual market on which your firm is active will seem like a complex system, involving inevitable goal conflicts which you have to solve.



Embodiment of the seminar:

Duration: 3 – 5 days, max. 10 simulated periods
Number of participants:
9-25 participants, 3-5 groups each 3-5 person
Every group is responsible for the formation and the business activity of one company.

Language versions:
German / English

For further information concerning TOPSIM Startup! Production please have a look at our Download area.