Business Acumen for Engineers

Engineers play an essential role in addressing sustainability challenges.  They use their skills and knowledge to develop sustainable solutions for the efficient use of natural resources, the prevention of pollution, and the mitigation of environmental risk.

Those with combined engineering and business skills are better positioned to advance in their companies, lead diverse teams, and understand the triple bottom line implications of their work. 

Working as an Executive Team in the Lab helps participants see the company as a cross-functional system. By understanding different functional roles, engineers can learn how to make better engineering decisions that support the overall business strategy. This also helps them predict and test the impact of solutions on the business, the environment, and internal and external stakeholders.  At the same time, they build and practice business acumen.

Business acumen means balancing the precision of solutions with the insight, knowledge, and sound judgment to make decisions at the fast-paced speed of business.  It means understanding how companies operate and how to analyze business reports to assess progress. And it helps you to see the big picture, speak the language of business, and frame problems in the business context to determine effective solutions.

In this Lab, participants work as an Executive Team to integrate sustainability into their products and processes. As they work, they practice how to:

  • Set a direction for the company and set goals and targets to achieve desired performance.
  • Read company financial reports such as Income Statements, Balance Sheets, and Cash Flow Statements to understand the impact of various decisions.
  • Recognize how each business function contributes to company performance and can support sustainability objectives.
The business acumen sustainability simulation game.

Working together, participants learn new ideas, practice new skills, and discuss new approaches with their colleagues.

  • Executives plan their marketing business strategy.
    Set a long-term direction and implement a strategy for the company based on company values and market analysis.
  • Marketing and supply chain are taught in the sustainability simulation game.
    Connect concepts such as life cycle thinking, industrial ecology, circularity, and sustainable systems to the company's business strategy and objectives.
  • Teach supply chain skills with the business simulation game.
    Compose messaging consistent with the company's brand and values for Social Media and other marketing purposes.
  • Teams use the marketing business simulation game.
    Understand how each business function contributes to company performance and how to optimize cross-functional effectiveness.
  • Track supply chain strategy in the sustainability simulation game.
    Analyze the essential elements of company financials, including the Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement, and how they relate to a triple bottom line.
  • The simulation is a business leadership strategy game.
    Demonstrate business management skills such as teamwork, decision-making, communication, innovation, and analyzing performance metrics.
  • Participants plan their leadership business strategy in the simulation game.
    Evaluate business competitors and determine the appropriate company response using SWOT analysis.
  • Business strategy goals in the marketing simulation game.
    Identify significant stakeholder interests and opportunities for engagement.
Diagram of the sustainability simulation game work process.
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Description of the sustainability simulation game work flow.
Download the "Process" PDF

The following table describes in detail 3 Lab formats: Half-Day, Multiple-Cycle, and In-Depth.
Labs with longer formats have more options for available features, content, and interactivity.

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Team Activity
Formats for Business Acumen
Half-Day Multiple-cycle In-Depth
Design and manufacture a product and make operational decisions.

1.Select a design and make operational decisions for a product using data about component cost, pollution and energy impact, and customer preferences.

1.Select a design and make operational decisions for a product using data about component cost, pollution and energy impact, and customer preferences.

2. Make operational decisions, including circularity.

1.Select a design and make operational decisions for a product using data about component cost, pollution and energy impact, and customer preferences.

2. Make operational decisions, including circularity.

3. Design the product to earn green labels or certifications that align with the company’s business strategy.
Market the product. 1. Create either a storyboard or 30-second video commercial.

1. Create either a storyboard or 30-second video commercial.

2. Implement sustainability decisions that are aligned with the company strategy.

1. Create either a storyboard or 30-second video commercial.

2. Implement sustainability decisions that are aligned with the company strategy.

3. Make sure that supply chain performance aligns with company quality standards.
Promote the company and product through Social Media. Not Available. This is an optional activity described in the In-Depth format. 1. Post comments about the company and product to the Lab’s internal Social Media feed and comments on the other posts.
Engage with stakeholders designed into the Lab. This is an optional activity described in the Intermediate format. 1. Consider scripted stakeholder perspectives related to company activities.

1. Consider scripted stakeholder perspectives related to company activities.

2. Engage interactively with stakeholders played by the instructor via the Lab’s internal email app (optional).

Make leadership decisions for your company.

(The instructor selects the topics. For the In-Depth format, we can also create custom topics based on instructor input.)

 1. Make decisions for 1 leadership topic.

1. Make decisions for up to 3 leadership topics from the following list:

  • Life Cycle Innovation.
  • Water Stewardship.
  • Supply Chain Disruption and Ecosystem Services.
  • Product Take-back.
  • Remanufacturing and Circularity.
  • Supply Chain Safety.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility.
  • Product as a Service.

1. Make decisions for up to 8 leadership topics from the following list:

  • Life Cycle Innovation.
  • Water Stewardship.
  • Supply Chain Disruption and Ecosystem Services.
  • Product Take-back.
  • Remanufacturing and Circularity.
  • Supply Chain Safety.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility.
  • Product as a Service.

2. Make decisions for custom topics (optional).

Propose a solution to a business opportunity related to engineering management.

 

(The instructor selects the topics. For the In-Depth format, we can also create custom topics based on instructor input.)

 Not Available. This is an optional activity described in the In-Depth format.

1. Propose a solution to a business opportunity that relates to course content. Here are some examples:

  • Implement a process to reduce environmental impact.
  • Propose and adopt new technology.
  • Implement a process to increase energy efficiency.
  • Reduce the environmental impact of your supply chain.
  • Create training for employees to develop skills for new technologies.

2. Propose a business solution to custom topics (optional).

 

Complete Debrief Questions & Surveys about company, team, and peer performance.

(For the In-Depth format, we can create custom surveys based on instructor input.)

Answer questions and surveys:

1. Business Acumen Debrief Questions.

Answer questions and surveys:

1. Business Acumen Debrief Questions.

2. Peer Evaluation Survey.

Answer questions and surveys:

1. Business Acument Debrief Questions.

2. Peer Evaluation Survey.

3. Team Evaluation Survey.

4. Answer custom Debrief Questions or Surveys that we create for the instructor, based on their input (optional).
Make a final presentation to the Board of Directors. Not Available. This is an optional activity described in the In-Depth format. 1. Present company business strategy, progress-to-date, and future direction to a volunteer Board of Directors.
Use the simulation to teach business sustainability.
The simulation game teaches business acumen engineering lessons.
Use simulation to teach business strategy.
Use the simulation to teach about leadership.
Use the simulation to teach about marketing.
Use the simulation to teach about sustainable supply chains.

Participants explore topics in greater detail and interactively as time allows.

View this page as a PDF
Data that describes the sustainability simulation game.

Focus Areas

Use the simulation to teach business sustainability.
The simulation game teaches business acumen engineering lessons.
Use simulation to teach business strategy.
Use the simulation to teach about leadership.
Use the simulation to teach about marketing.
Use the simulation to teach about sustainable supply chains.

Use in virtual, in-person, or blended classes.

Use in virtual, in-person, or blended classes.

The Green Business Lab logo for the simulation.

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