Merkis
Strategic Business Management/ Finance Simulation Game
24.04.2023. – 28.04.2023.
Riga International Business Week 2023
BA School of Business and Finance

•Introduction
•Background
•Gameplay
•Results
•Application
•Additional Information

•ABOUT BUSINESS WEEK 2023
•
AUDIENCE
30-60 Business Week participants from business
schools from different EU countries
TIMING
24.04.2023 – 28.04.2023

•ABOUT BA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE
A building with trees in front of it Description automatically generated with low confidence
Graphical user interface, logo Description automatically generated
BA School of Business and Finance (BASBF) is one of the leading business schools in Riga and
Latvia, and offers quality studies and research in business and finance. Our international
cooperation, professional and creative staff, working closely with the business world, and
achievements of our students and graduates earn our excellent reputation.

•What is MERKIS?
•Manufacturing business simulation game
•Evaluation and assessment tool
•Development tool
•Change management tool
•Game participants, in teams, manage their companies that are modeled in physical business
environment, while competing with each other.

•In teams of 5-8 people
•Each participant have a unique role, which changes during the game
•

IRS
Customer
Bank
Game Companies
•Several participants play the outside world.
•They have strategic goals.
•And compete with team-run companies for profit.

•Physical production and logistics
•


•Enterprise is modeled in the training room physically
•We use custom built little production equipment
•Wooden railroad system with electric trains
•
•
•
•The game takes place in real time. 1 game year is equal to 60 minutes
•During one real-time hour players must buy materials, deliver them to factory by train, produce
(physically move ball bearing from one production machine to another), deliver ready-made
production to the customer, receive payments, produce financial reports, install new production
equipment etc.
•The game covers 6-7 years of a real company’s life.
•Results of strategic decisions made in one year are seen in the next.
•
Enterprise
Time

•One game round (year) (4 hours)
oDecision making round (30 min)
oThe game itself (70 min)
oRetreat in teams (20 min)
oSelf analysis (15 min)
oTrainer’s feedback (30min)
oNew theory and exercises(30-60 min)
•
319527884
MERKIS training structure

•Sales
•How to increase sales?
•How to act while bidding for contracts?
•To compete or cooperate?
•Finance
•How to decrease variable costs?
•How to decrease fixed costs?
•To invest in equipment or not?
•Production and Logistics
•What equipment to buy?
•What equipment can be invented?
•How to optimize production?
•How to optimize logistics?
•Team
•How to assign responsibilities among team members?
•How to allocate time?
•How to cooperate  with the Government?
•
Critical decisions in the game

•Proactivity
•Change of collective mind towards Outcome Frame thinking
•Positive thinking
•“Out of the box” thinking
•Helicopter view on the whole enterprise
•Understanding the importance of other functions
•Development of specific competences
•Development of specific skills
•Feedback
Main Results

•Leadership
•Setting and achieving business goals
•Tactical management and planning
•Company’s finances, management accounting and budgeting
•Introducing work procedures
•Problem-solving in production and logistics
•Negotiation skills with external parties
•Cross-departmental communication
•Effective cooperation in a team
•Decision making in uncertainty
•Creative thinking
Skills that are trained

•Who can apply?
•Students will be enrolled in Blended Intensive Program (BIP). To join BIP your higher education
has to be in Erasmus+ BIP program
•Any bachelor and master study program students
BIP Participation fee: 260,- Eur (accommodation student hostel, +HB,)
Participation fee for others: 260,- Eur

Additional information
Good afternoon! ↔ Labdien!
Good morning! ↔ Labrīt!
Sorry! ↔ Atvainojos!
Thank you! ↔ Paldies!
Yes ↔ Jā
No ↔ Nē