Business educators are exploring new approaches to teaching supply chain management, with one instructor replacing the traditional “Beer Game” simulation with a browser-based alternative known as the “Couscous Game.”
The Beer Game has long been used in business and operations courses to demonstrate how decisions made at different stages of a supply chain can affect inventory levels, costs, and overall system performance. However, educators have noted that students often become focused on managing the mechanics of the exercise rather than understanding the underlying supply chain concepts.
To address these challenges, a browser-based simulation called the Couscous Game was developed. The platform automates tasks such as inventory tracking, order processing, cost calculations, and delivery delays, allowing students to focus more directly on decision-making and system behavior.
Unlike traditional versions of the Beer Game, the new simulation introduces variable demand patterns, requiring participants to respond to changing conditions in real time. The goal is to create a learning environment that more closely reflects the complexity and uncertainty of real-world supply chains.
The project later expanded into a multiplayer format through collaboration with an undergraduate student, increasing the tool’s flexibility and functionality. According to its developers, the updated approach encourages students to analyze the broader impact of their decisions, compare strategies, and better understand how information gaps, delays, and localized actions can influence an entire supply chain.
Educators using the simulation reported that students became more engaged in discussions about system-wide outcomes and were more likely to evaluate why specific results occurred rather than simply focusing on whether answers were correct.
The game also incorporates a locally relevant product—couscous—to make the concepts more relatable for students in Morocco. While the example is region-specific, the principles demonstrated in the simulation are applicable across industries, including food, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.
Developers say the online, open-source nature of the project makes it accessible for adaptation by other institutions. Interest from educators at additional universities suggests that simulation-based learning tools may continue to play a growing role in supply chain and business education.
The project highlights how targeted educational innovations can help students better understand complex supply chain systems by combining interactive learning with real-world decision-making scenarios.
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