Focus on fundamentals
Participants run a business in a competitive team environment — setting prices, monitoring cash flow, making operational improvements, and planning for growth and profit. hey also learn to use financial statements as a tool for measuring results and receive exposure to formal cash flow forecasting and budgeting. They also learn to use financial statements as a tool for measuring results. This 6-hour workshop enhances everyone’s ability to communicate, implement and exercise initiative.
Understanding Position and Performance
The workshop learning begins with the Income/Outcome simulation board and the modeling of simple financial statements for use in tracking the position and performance of a company. The simulation board separates these concepts into two distinct but related flows of activity.
Owning the results
Learners come away with an enhanced readiness to take initiatives in everyday activities, leading to reductions in costs, inventories, and working capital; and enhanced understanding of how and why their everyday decisions and actions impact other areas of the company.
Learning Outcomes
In the 6-Hour Income|Outcome business simulation, the goal is for each participant to grasp essential financial concepts and tools such as:
- Income statements and balance sheets
- The difference between cash and profit
- Fixed versus variable costs
- Using operating income to compare results to competitors
- The need to control working capital
- Standard metrics (operating income, net income, ROA)
- Your company’s specific financial metrics
- Basics of Budgeting and Cash Flow Forecasting
- Investing, generating profits, and posting losses
- Maintaining financial statements
- Implementing change and measuring results
Course Outline
Introduction and Fundamentals
1 hour
Team competition
4.5 hours
Analysis of your company’s financial position
30 minutes
FACILITATOR-LED SIMULATION
This group experience provides the rules for the simulation, a general introduction to the process of business (financial statements, business terminology, fundamental business dynamics), and sets the framework of needing to manage separately for cash and profit.
TEAM COMPETITION SIMULATION
The competition consists of four business cycles in which teams have full decision-making power and are accountable for the business results.
In each cycle, team-based companies develop and implement a business strategy which incorporates real-world dynamics: production capacity, customers, prices, financing, and more. Each cycle includes the following activities:
- Competitor and market analysis
- Setting prices in a competitive market
- Monitoring cash flow and using cash flow forecasts
- Fundamentals of budgeting
- Preparing an Income Statement and Balance Sheet
- Posting, comparing, and discussion of results
Teams have opportunities to improve their companies with real world business solutions – expansion, quality initiatives, niche marketing, and more. Finance learning is integrated within the simulation, activity include cash flow forecasting, budgets, and unit cost analysis.
Focus on your company’s actual financial position
We turn to The Company Board®, a 3D visual representation of your corporate financial position or industry analysis. This module connects the learning from the classroom to the real world. The tie-back and discussion relate the simulation experience to your company’s concerns, measures, and goals.