BOSS is divided into two independent stages – Red Ocean and Blue Ocean - that
help participants alter their strategic mindset.
The Red Ocean stage familiarizes the participants with the
simulation environment. It demonstrates how difficult it is for the fictitious
company to achieve great results in a Red Ocean filled with sharks.
In the Red Ocean stage, data is available on the market, the industry, the
organization, its history (which, if insightfully read, give strong clues as to
its capabilities) and on customers, competitors and products. There are no new
customers and market research shows that existing customers want “more for
less.”
Each team manages a fictitious company for up to three simulated years and makes
numerous decisions on areas such as R&D, Production, Marketing, Sales,
Pricing, and so on. Teams can upgrade their products by reducing and/or raising
competitive factors.
In the Red Ocean stage, market growth is low, competitors are tough, higher
costs are required to satisfy increasing customer needs, and price pressure
increases.
The Blue Ocean stage helps teach and practice the Blue Ocean
Strategy theory, methodologies and tools. Each team manages the same fictitious
company from the Red stage over the following 6-year period.
The Blue Ocean stage includes three rounds, each of which has specific
pedagogical objectives and key learning points.
Additional data is given at the beginning of each round. Round 1 focuses on the
creation of Blue Oceans. Round 2 builds on Round 1 with an additional focus on
strategic pricing and cost reduction. Finally, Round 3 shows how to
break away once again from competition using distribution and service
opportunities.
The team’s objective is to draw the current strategy canvas of the industry
(based on the case insights) and then to develop a Blue Ocean Strategy using
BOS tools such as the strategy canvas, the value curve, the four actions
framework, the ERRC grid, and so on.
Easy to administer and easy to integrate with any existing course, BOSS
represents the leading edge of simulation design. BOSS comes with a full
package of pedagogical materials for
both professors and students. Fully
discover it.