1You are managing inventory at one level of a beer supply chain (Retailer)
2Each week, customers place orders — fulfil them from your stock
3Place orders upstream to maintain your inventory and avoid shortages
4Watch out: there are delays between ordering and receiving stock
5Your goal is to minimise total costs (holding cost + backlog cost)
What this measures
The Beer Game simulates a four-stage supply chain. It demonstrates how local rational decisions produce system-wide oscillations — the 'bullwhip effect.' Performance reflects understanding of feedback delays and systems thinking.