The Distribution Game

Peter L. Jackson, John A. Muckstadt

School of Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

Cornell University

Sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation Synthesis Coalition for Engineering Education.

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Table of Contents

• Title
• Sample Screens
• Abstract
• Related Topics
• Background Assumed
• Duration of Exercise
• Supplementary Lecture
• Software Requirements
• Copyright
• Assessment
• Files
• Other Documents

Sample Screens

Distribution Game Screen

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Abstract

The Distribution Game is a simulation game of a two level distribution system. The player controls shipments from a supplier and from a central warehouse. The goal is to cost effectively manage the flow of goods to satisfy random customer demands at multiple locations.

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Related Topics

Inventory models

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Background Assumed

None. Game has been played by freshmen, industrial engineers, and M.B.A. students. This version has been played by several hundred students.

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Duration of Exercise

The exercise is designed to be run in a 2 hour microcomputer laboratory period.

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Supplementary Lecture

A brief description of the game setup is required. The help file is extensive.

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Software Requirements

Microsoft Windows 3.1

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Copyright

Public domain. Modify exercise as you wish. Source code is proprietary.

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Assessment

Student reviews have been enthusiastic. We have used variations of this game for 12 years. Students love competing for high score. The animation of the trucks is a crowd-pleaser. It is an excellent lead-in to the mathematical models of inventory control.

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Files

To download the zip file, click here: distgame.zip (297212 bytes). Contents:

distgame.exe

The game program.

distgame.hlp

Windows Help file explaining the game.

default.prm

Default game parameters

llenroc.prm

Game parameters for use with Llenroc Plastics Cases

vbrun300.dll

Dynamic link library required by distgame.exe

cmdialog.vbx

Dynamic link library required by distgame.exe

readme.txt

Installation instructions

After unzipping this file (using PKUNZIP), copy the dynamic link libraries to your Windows system directory. Eg.:

copy *.dll c:\windows\system

copy *.vbx c:\windows\system

Note: the game parameter files (*.prm) are tab-separated text files. They can be edited using Microsoft Excel.

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Other Documents

• Biographical Sketches
• Peter L. Jackson Home Page

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