CAPSIM: Team Member Guide Notes, Capstone: Capsim Team
Member Guide | UPDATED Questions with 100% Verified
Answers
Q1: Product: Sensors
A: Sensors are devices that observe physical conditions. For example, the average cell
phone contains dozens of sensors that allow it to interpret touch, spatial orientation and
signal strength.
New sensor businesses are created every day in areas as diverse as security, aeronautics
and biomedical engineering.
You are in a businesstobusiness market, not a directtoconsumer market; the sensors
your company manufactures are incorporated into the products your customers sell.
Q2: Foundation FastTrack
A: Every round, you and your competitors will have access to an industry newsletter called
the Foundation FastTrack. It is an extensive yearend report of the sensor
industry.
It includes customer buying patterns, product positioning, public financial records and
other information that will help you get ahead.
Every product's Customer Survey Score can be found in the FastTrack's Segment Analysis
pages. These scores determine sales distribution. In general, the higher the score, the
better the sales.
Q3: Situation Analysis
A: Will enable you to understand current market conditions and how the industry will evolve
in the next few years. It will assist you with your operational planning.
Q4: Proformas & Annual Reports
A: Proformas are projections for the upcoming year. The proformas will help you envision
the impacts of your pending decisions and sales forecasts.
Annual reports are the results from the previous year. The annual reports will help you
analyze last year's results.
Q5: Foundation Spreadsheet
A: The nerve center of your company
where you formulate and finalize management decisions for every
department.
, Q6: Research & Development (R&D)
A: Your R&D Department designs your product line. The department needs to invent and
revise products that appeal to your customers' changing needs.
R&D works with Marketing to make sure products meet customer expectations.
R&D works with Production to ensure assembly lines are purchased for new products. If
Production discontinues a product, it should notify R&D.
Q7: Marketing
A: Your Marketing Department prices and promotes your products. It interacts with your
customers via its sales force and distribution system. Marketing is also responsible for
sales forecasts.
Marketing works with Production to make sure manufacturing quantities are in line with
forecasts. Marketing's market growth
projections also help Production determine appropriate levels of capacity. If Marketing
wants to discontinue a product, it tells Production to sell the product's production line.
Marketing works with Finance to project revenues for each product and to set the
Accounts Receivable policy, which is the amount of time customers can take to pay for
their purchases.
Q8: Production
A: Your Production Department determines how many units will be manufactured during the
year. It is also responsible for buying and selling production lines.
Production tells Finance if it needs money for additional equipment. If Finance cannot
raise enough money, it can tell Production to scale back its requests or perhaps sell idle
capacity.
Q9: Finance
A: Your Finance Department makes sure your company has the financial resources it needs
to run through the year. The department can raise money via oneyear bank notes, 10
year bonds or stock issues.
The department can also issue stock dividends, buy back stock or retire bonds before
their due dates.
The Finance Department acts as a watchdog over company expenditures. Finance should
review Marketing and Production decisions. Finance should crosscheck Marketing's
forecasts and
pricing.
Are forecasts too high or too low? Will customers be willing to pay the prices Marketing
has set? Is Production manufacturing too many or too few units? Does Production need
additional capacity? Has Production considered lowering labor costs by purchasing
automation?
Q10: Decision Audit
A: The Decision Audit is a complete trail of all team decisions. It will help you identify your
decisionmaking strengths and weaknesses.
Member Guide | UPDATED Questions with 100% Verified
Answers
Q1: Product: Sensors
A: Sensors are devices that observe physical conditions. For example, the average cell
phone contains dozens of sensors that allow it to interpret touch, spatial orientation and
signal strength.
New sensor businesses are created every day in areas as diverse as security, aeronautics
and biomedical engineering.
You are in a businesstobusiness market, not a directtoconsumer market; the sensors
your company manufactures are incorporated into the products your customers sell.
Q2: Foundation FastTrack
A: Every round, you and your competitors will have access to an industry newsletter called
the Foundation FastTrack. It is an extensive yearend report of the sensor
industry.
It includes customer buying patterns, product positioning, public financial records and
other information that will help you get ahead.
Every product's Customer Survey Score can be found in the FastTrack's Segment Analysis
pages. These scores determine sales distribution. In general, the higher the score, the
better the sales.
Q3: Situation Analysis
A: Will enable you to understand current market conditions and how the industry will evolve
in the next few years. It will assist you with your operational planning.
Q4: Proformas & Annual Reports
A: Proformas are projections for the upcoming year. The proformas will help you envision
the impacts of your pending decisions and sales forecasts.
Annual reports are the results from the previous year. The annual reports will help you
analyze last year's results.
Q5: Foundation Spreadsheet
A: The nerve center of your company
where you formulate and finalize management decisions for every
department.
, Q6: Research & Development (R&D)
A: Your R&D Department designs your product line. The department needs to invent and
revise products that appeal to your customers' changing needs.
R&D works with Marketing to make sure products meet customer expectations.
R&D works with Production to ensure assembly lines are purchased for new products. If
Production discontinues a product, it should notify R&D.
Q7: Marketing
A: Your Marketing Department prices and promotes your products. It interacts with your
customers via its sales force and distribution system. Marketing is also responsible for
sales forecasts.
Marketing works with Production to make sure manufacturing quantities are in line with
forecasts. Marketing's market growth
projections also help Production determine appropriate levels of capacity. If Marketing
wants to discontinue a product, it tells Production to sell the product's production line.
Marketing works with Finance to project revenues for each product and to set the
Accounts Receivable policy, which is the amount of time customers can take to pay for
their purchases.
Q8: Production
A: Your Production Department determines how many units will be manufactured during the
year. It is also responsible for buying and selling production lines.
Production tells Finance if it needs money for additional equipment. If Finance cannot
raise enough money, it can tell Production to scale back its requests or perhaps sell idle
capacity.
Q9: Finance
A: Your Finance Department makes sure your company has the financial resources it needs
to run through the year. The department can raise money via oneyear bank notes, 10
year bonds or stock issues.
The department can also issue stock dividends, buy back stock or retire bonds before
their due dates.
The Finance Department acts as a watchdog over company expenditures. Finance should
review Marketing and Production decisions. Finance should crosscheck Marketing's
forecasts and
pricing.
Are forecasts too high or too low? Will customers be willing to pay the prices Marketing
has set? Is Production manufacturing too many or too few units? Does Production need
additional capacity? Has Production considered lowering labor costs by purchasing
automation?
Q10: Decision Audit
A: The Decision Audit is a complete trail of all team decisions. It will help you identify your
decisionmaking strengths and weaknesses.
