SBC

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SBC The Next Level
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SBC Background

• Started in 1985 as a mainframe-based game for
  Ottawa only (formally HSBC)
• Redesigned for the web in 2002
• First year in Ottawa area only
• 500 students
• In 2003/2004
• Province-wide
• 3,500 students
• 10,000 students in 2006
• Including Manitoba, Malaysia and Trinidad

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SBC Game

• The competition allows students to run their own
  virtual business online while competing against
  other student-run businesses
• Students are assigned to teams of up to four
  members
• Each team is a firm
• The sum of all firms in each class is an industry

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SBC Game

• All firms produce and sell MP3 players
• In the first round, firms compete within their
  own industry (class)
• Industry winners move on to the playoff rounds
  and compete province wide

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SBC Game

• Firms enter inputs twice a week (Tuesday
  Friday)
• Each inputs corresponds to a quarter in the
  business cycle (3 months)
• Rich feedback is provided by the system after
  each quarter
• More later

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Top 10 Benefits of the SBC

• 10. It shows students what its like to run a
  business.
• 9. It helps students understand the basic
  financial statements
• The Balance Sheet
• The Income Statement
• The Statement of Cash Flows, and more.
• 8. It helps students understand the concept of
  supply and demand.

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Top 10 Benefits of the SBC

• 7. It highlights the importance of various
  investments in the business.
• 6. Students can see the effects of too much or
  too little investment in one area.
• 5. Students learn how competition can influence
  the price of a product.

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Top 10 Benefits of the SBC

• 4. Students learn team skills and how to work
  together towards a common goal.
• 3. Students learn how businesses can succeed
  without relying solely on pricing strategy.
• 2. Students learn hands on how business makes a
  profit.

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Top 10 Benefits of the SBC

• 1. SBC is FREE for all high school teachers and
  students!!!

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SBC Features

• System Features
• Teacher Class Registration
• Team Management
• Game Features
• Multi-level Classic Xtreme versions
• Random events additional game play parameters
  for added realism
• In-depth and configurable Firm Industry Analysis

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Teacher Class Registration

• Teacher Account
• Easy to set up
• Provides teacher continuity
• No need to re-register every year
• Can change personal information
• Class Setup
• Completed every term / semester
• Add or delete teams up to the registration
  deadline
• Manage team analysis output
• Manage your teams on one screen

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Team Management

• Teams can
• Submit team name logo
• Change team colour, mission, and vision
• Retain competition results
• Results persist even when team moves on to
  playoffs
• Teachers can
• Approve or reject team name logo
• Access team participation report
• Register (approve) playoff teams
• Manage team passwords

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Multi-level

• You choose level of difficulty for each class
• Easier (Classic) Target grades 9 10
• Harder (Xtreme) Target grades 11 12
• Up to you to choose as appropriate
• Teams in Classic teams in Xtreme DO NOT compete
  against each other
• However Should a grade 9 team be placed in
  Xtreme, for example, they will compete against
  grade 12 teams and vice versa

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Random Events

• Make the game more realistic
• Events occur randomly
• Prime rate (loan interest expense)
• Raw material cost (production cost)
• Demand change ( of units sold)
• Others -)
• Same events occur at same time for all firms in
  all industries in any competition

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Additional Parameters

• Starting capital ( 100,000)
• High probability of requiring a loan
• Profit margins ( 5 - 10)
• Tight coupling between inputs and outputs
• Rich administrative control ( 125 competition
  settings)

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Inputs

• 7 Inputs
• Selling Price (both)
• Advertising (both)
• Research Development (both)
• Plant Equipment (both)
• Number of Units Produced (both)
• Sales Support (Xtreme only)
• Human Resources (Number of FTE employees)
  (Xtreme only)
• Fulltime Equivalent

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Inputs

• Teams are able to
• View previous inputs
• Submit current inputs
• Submit for the next 2 sets of inputs
• Sets regular inputs subsequent blind inputs
• March break, field trips, school activities
• Can make changes up to the closing date
• Purchase EXTENDED Market Intelligence Reports in
  any quarter

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Inputs
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Input / Output Coupling
Category Price Advertising RD PE Sales Support Human Resources
Demand X X X X
Sales X X X X
Supply X X X
Product Cost X X
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Firm Analysis

• Analysis Areas (teacher controlled)
• Input Change
• Income Statement
• Balance Sheet
• Cause Effect
• Production
• Market Indicators
• Financial Ratios

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Firm Analysis

• Information Area
• Competition News
• Fun Facts

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Firm Analysis
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Industry Analysis

• Industry Competition Ranking
• More later
• If market research is purchased
• Analysis Areas (teacher controlled)
• Average Input
• SHE Net Income
• Plant Loan
• HR Overtime
• Sales Supply

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Industry Analysis
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Financial Statements

• Detailed and comprehensive financial statements
  are provided at the close of each quarter
• Includes
• Income Statement
• Statement of Retained Earnings
• Balance Sheet
• Statement of Cash Flows
• Notes to Financial Statements

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Financial Statements
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Firm Ranking

• A long-standing request
• We know were good in our industry, but can you
  tell us how we are doing in terms of all the
  other schools in the province?
• A two-part resolution
• Your firm is ranked X in your industry
• Your firm is ranked Y overall in the competition
  in an industry ranked Z

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The future

• Each year, thousands more students play the game
• We have received tremendous feedback from
  students and teachers alike
• We will continue to offer stellar service and
  support and continue to enrich the game and the
  educational experience of high school students
  everywhere

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The future

• Thanks for playing!
• Visit us at
• carleton.ca/sbc
• Email us at
• sbc_at_sprott.carleton.ca