The supply chain puzzle game: Highlighting behavioral issues in supply chain management

Managing the 21st-century supply chain (SC) requires unique skills. Participative learning can help teach them. For example, the Beer Distribution Game is used to show the cost created when information is not shared. Unfortunately, after playing the Beer Game, students often believe technology is the answer to SC coordination. They fail to see how behavioral issues complicate collaboration. A need exists for an interactive exercise to demonstrate the effects of human behavior on SC collaboration. We present the ‘SC Puzzle Game’ as a tool to give students firsthand experience with the behavioral challenges that can hinder SC collaboration.