Market conditions vary. Accurate forecasting by team members is critical because the software randomly will short a company up to 25 percent of needed raw materials in any fiscal quarter. Smart teams learn to overload their inventory by about 10 percent to manufacture enough product to keep their virtual customers satisfied. Lead and lag situations are built into production schedules. At some point, teams face a recession.
Layoffs are necessary.
At other times, team members learn the cost of human resource development. Money must be spent to make the company attractive enough to retain workers. Students learn the cost of borrowing, too. Other business costs confronting the teams include advertising and market research. Then come the dilemmas, such as how to handle a wildcat strike, dealing with an alcoholic employee and what to do with a worker caught stealing from the garbage.