Introduction (20min)

The introduction consists of several activities: forming teams, coming up with and choosing business ideas, introducing the market, entering the platform, creating a strategy, and explaining the agreements.

1. Forming teams

First, the players are told that they will be establishing start-ups to enter market with a new business idea. The players are divided into teams and the winner will be revealed at the end of the game.

The game host forms the teams. The teams have 2–5 members and there should be at least 4 teams in total. The players can form their own teams or the teams can be formed randomly. Both methods have their advantages. By letting the players form the teams, they will not spend as much time making contact with each other. If the teams are formed randomly, the players can put themselves to the test in a new environment with new people.

Name the teams by the names of the companies in the game application, such as Alpha, Beta, and so on.

2. Finding a business ideas

The first task is to come up with a business idea. To do this, the players need to generate as many product or service ideas as they can. Use paper and pens.

Here, the basic principles of brainstorming are useful:

• Write down all ideas. the players should write down all ideas individually or as a team.
• The ideas are not judged. the players do not criticise, comment, or praise their team members’ ideas.
• Quantity is important, not quality. The more ideas they write down the more likely they are to have something to choose from or develop further.

If the players cannot come up with ideas immediately, give them idea cards for inspiration.

3. Picking an idea

The team must choose one product or service from the ideas they have come up with. They will sell the chosen idea during the game. The idea does not have to be chosen in accordance with a certain method.

• Check out the ideas the team came up with.
• Choose one product or service.
  

4. The market

The game has a market with individuals and companies. All players are in the role of an individual or a company representative.

• The individuals get a personal bank account with 200 units
• The companies also get a bank account, but the company has 0 units at the beginning of the game.

5. Opening the platform

Allow the players to access the Bizplay gaming platform from a team or personal device.

1. Open game.bizplay.ee
2. Enter the game code
3. Pick a team
4. Add players

6. Sales strategy and price

The next task is to come up with a sales strategy. The players should think about the following questions:

• How much does the product or service cost?
• How do we sell our product or service?
• What are our sales arguments?
• Who do we sell to?

The players should keep in mind that they will make up the market and that their product and service will have to be sold in that market.

7. Agreements

There are some agreements in place in the Business Battle.

• The starting capital of all companies is 0!
• Buying your team’s product is not allowed!
• The individual and team budget must be kept separately!
• Product-for-product exchanges do not count!
• Write down all sales – what, how much ,and at what price you sold (sales accounting sheet)!

Sales stage 1 (10min)

Now the real sales work begins. The players start moving around the room, interacting, and making deals.

The game host observes:

• How the different players act?
• Are they active or passive?
• Which players take on the role of a salesperson and which players take on the role of a customer?
• Which players change their tactics as they go?

Analysis 1 (12min)

The analysis consists of several activities: analysis, market changes, and new strategy.

1. Analysis 

The analysis stages are one of the most important during the game, because they explain to the players what they did and how.
First, give players time to make a quick summary within the team:

• Were all sales recorded?
• Has all the money been received?

Second, show the players a report, share your observations, and have the players discuss:

• How much did the companies earn?
• What and how much did the companies sell and at what price?
• Can something be done to make the situation better?
• Share your observations.

2. The market is changing

Tell the players that all individuals will get more money and the market will change. You can add money to players on the gaming platform.

1. Select ‘Participants’ from the menu on the left
2. Select ‘Make transaction to all’
3. Select ‘Recipient’
4. Select ‘Select all players’ and click ‘Proceed’
5. Enter the amount and click ‘Proceed’
6. Enter the explanation and click ‘Confirm’.

3. Strategy

Now, the players have to change their strategy based on previous experience and analysis. The teams can change everything about their idea – both the price and the product or service itself. 

Sales stage 2 (10min)

Once they have settled on a new strategy, the teams will start selling their ideas again.
The game guide observes:

• How do the players act?
• Are they active or passive?
• Which players take on the role of a salesperson and which players take on the role of a customer?
• Which players change their tactics as they go?

Analysis 2 (8min)

First, give players time to make a quick summary within the team:

• Were all sales recorded?
• Has all the money been received?

Second, show the players a report, share your observations, and have the players discuss:

• How much did the companies earn?
• What and how much did the companies sell and at what price?
• Can something be done to make the situation better?
• What and how much did the teams change with their business idea?
• Share your observations.
• Compare the companies over the two stages.