playbizz 2021: outstanding victory in preliminary round
Apprentices leave competition behind
It was a landslide victory: In the preliminary round of the business simulation game playbizz, the trainee team from Deutsche Tiernahrung Cremer left all competitors behind. The eight-strong group took first place by a wide margin in the fourth and final so-called remote planning round 2020/2021, qualifying the budding industrial clerks and IT specialists to take part in the next higher state final round in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) at the beginning of May.
Start-to-finish victory in the preliminary round
The first round of the management game began on November 1, 2020, but the positive final result had already been apparent for some time. For example, the Deutsche Tiernahrung Cremer team had been in first place in the table since the first interim evaluation. In the subsequent periods of play, the team defended its lead with confidence and continued to expand it.
What is playbizz?
playbizz is a business simulation for trainees from a wide range of industries. In the business simulation, groups of prospective specialists from different companies compete against each other. The participants take over the management of fictitious, medium-sized companies. With the help of clever management decisions, the teams navigate "their" company through the turmoil of the market. Recruitment, materials purchasing, borrowing, production: Decisions have to be made in all important areas and solutions have to be worked out together. The winner is the group whose company is in the best economic position at the end of the game period.
Highly motivated against annoying entry hurdles
"At the beginning, we meticulously worked through the comprehensive participant manual. It explained complex economic relationships in a way that was easy to understand. That wasn't easy at first," explains Aise Kara, a commercial trainee. "But despite these initial hurdles, we were all highly motivated and eager to take on the new task. After all, when do you ever get the chance to manage a company with annual sales of 50 million euros?"
Teamwork bears fruit - despite Corona
"The first team meetings were still held in the meeting room. But then Corona came along - again - and we had to switch to video conferencing. However, that worked out wonderfully," Eckert Lukas, an IT specialist trainee in the application development department at Deutsche Tiernahrung Cremer. "In subsequent meetings, we looked closely at the results from the previous period. We analyzed rankings, profits and sales and made business decisions for the future. What can I say - often we were simply spot on."
playbizz sharpens core competencies and promotes team spirit
What seems playful is nothing less than practicing tangible business planning and decision-making processes. "The business game is a great way to teach business knowledge, economic know-how, judgment and decision-making skills," says Werner Drudik, Head of Human Resources, explaining the objective of playbizz. "At the same time, it strengthens the team spirit of our trainees and that's even more important for us as a company."
"Working in a group strengthens cohesion and makes us grow together even more," agrees Björn Zühlke, commercial trainee. "At every meeting, there are always new discussions about what is probably best for our company. It was sometimes heated, but always exciting, and the result speaks for itself."
On the trail of success
"With this first respect success, our trainees are following in the footsteps of the playbizz team from 2019," recalls Miriam Seibt, employee in the HR department and responsible for training at Deutsche Tiernahrung Cremer. "This had already won the group and state victory in 2019 and made it to second place at the national level. I am curious to see whether our current playbizz team will equal this. The motivation is very high among all trainees."
Here's what's next: the next playbizz rounds
At the state competition on May 7, 2021, the winners of the district rounds will be waiting for our team - probably online again due to Corona. If our team wins again here, we will participate in the national round. The overall winner will be determined in 2021. The final will be held in Bavaria between June 23 and 24, 2021.
Further links
- Website of the business planning game "playbizz" (German).
Image source: © DisobeyArt – stock.adobe.com (Top-Slider)
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Miriam Seibt
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