I realized in my 3rd year of Engineering that I didn’t like Engineering and that I would be better suited to a managerial role than a core technical job. From that day I wanted to study in an IIM. I still remember my 1st lecture here at IIM Udaipur. It was a spreadsheet modelling lecture I just couldn’t stop smiling as I felt proud and accomplished to be part of the IIM fraternity. But still, I wouldn’t put that as my most memorable experience.
My most memorable classroom experience was in the 2nd trimester arguably the most hectic trimester in the 1st year. The lecture was of Operation Management taught by Prof. Tarun Jain. The Professor had just completed his PhD and we were his 1st batch of students. He is one of the best faculties here at IIMU and the most hardworking soul in the campus.
He had designed a beer game to teach us the bull whip effect. He had created a youtube video to explain to us the rules of the game. He had created the schematics of the game on cardboard and had brought poker chips to represent the beer crates.
The class was divided into 3 different supply chains. Each supply chain consisted of a retailer, a wholesaler, a distributor and a factor. Every group was assigned a role of one of these entities. The objective of each group was to earn as much profit as possible. The game was supposed to be played for 12 weeks.
The crux of this game was that the flow of information from downstream to its immediate upstream player would take 1 week whereas the flow of material from upstream to its immediate downstream player would take 2 weeks.
I was the retailer of one of the supply chains. The game was relatively easy for the retailers and very difficult for the factory. There was a significant inventory carrying the cost for each of the players in the supply chain. So the distributors and the wholesalers tried to reduce their inventory. But due to the delay in the flow of information and materials. The supply of materials to us reduced by the 5th week, and we were not able to meet the demand of the customers. So we're ordering much more than the actual demand. The order was amplified at each level of the upstream.
After the game, the Prof debriefed us about the game, shared some of the funny aspects of our gameplay. One of the factories produced 100 units in two successive weeks when the actual demand was for just 20 units.
The game was a fascinating way of teaching the importance of ERP systems in operations. That lecture was a perfect mixture of fun and learning at the same time and remains as my most memorable classroom experience.
Aditya Birla Retail Limited
Every individual wants to be part of a Fortune 500 company. Aditya Birla Group has won the best employer award thrice in the last 7 years makes it an even enticing choice.
I am targeting an operations role from campus.
If given a chance, I would like to work for Aditya Birla retail ltd. Getting the opportunity to work in the supply chain of the most successful hypermarkets/supermarkets in India would be my dream come true. I am certain that it will be a huge learning curve for me and I will be able to apply some of the concepts in real life scenarios and make a difference.