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Game—An Experiential Approach to Teaching Structural Decision Areas in Operations Strategy—The TANGOS Exercise

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  • Shellyanne Wilson

    (Department of Management Studies, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago)

Abstract

The Tangibles in Operations Strategy (TANGOS) exercise provides students with the direct experience of designing a firm’s operations function. Specifically, students must engage in decision making with respect to the structural decision areas in a firm’s operations strategy, by considering the firm’s product strategy and span of control, process choice, capacity, and layout. The exercise, divided into three parts, spans a period of 6–8 weeks, to coincide with the teaching of these operations management topics. Part 1 involves deciding on the product models to be made, the span of control, and the process choice. Part 2 examines capacity issues. Part 3 deals with the plant layout. The exercise is not resource intensive, and it offers flexibility, where instructors could choose to focus on any single part of the exercise, as well as alter constraints to limit or expand the scope of each decision. Student feedback reflects a high rating of the exercise.

Suggested Citation

  • Shellyanne Wilson, 2020. "Game—An Experiential Approach to Teaching Structural Decision Areas in Operations Strategy—The TANGOS Exercise," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 20(2), pages 113-123, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orited:v:20:y:2020:i:2:p:113-123
    DOI: 10.1287/ited.2019.0219
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James F. Cox & Edward D. Walker, 2006. "The Poker Chip Game: A Multi-product, Multi-customer, Multi-echelon, Stochastic Supply Chain Network Useful for Teaching the Impacts of Pull versus Push Inventory Policies on Link and Chain Performanc," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 6(3), pages 3-19, May.
    2. Steven C. Wheel Wright, 1984. "Manufacturing strategy: Defining the missing link," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(1), pages 77-91, January.
    3. Wheelwright, Steven C., 1978. "Reflecting corporate strategy in manufacturing decisions," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 57-66, February.
    4. Christopher P. Wright, 2015. "Game—The Zu Zitter Game: A Course-Long Tool for Teaching Operations Management," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 15(3), pages 240-253, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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