Simulations

One of the coolest tools I've learned in my short MBA life is how to use simulation models to solve complicated real-world problems. I'm taking two ops electives that use computer simulations to address problems I will probably face this summer and when I graduate next year. Today in Supply Chain Management, we simulated the famous MIT Beer Game online. While this exercise is not completely realistic because no communication was allowed to upstream/downstream partners, it showed how ineffective supply chains can hurt your total costs exponentially. Also, our group is competing in a week long simulation managing a supply chain of an industrial chemical factory/warehouse/distribution network. Coming from a distribution background, I'm interested to learn about the roles of upstream players and how that impacts the entire supply chain. My other elective, Ops Simulation Modeling, is my favorite class because we are learning how to use Extend software to build complicated models to simulate nearly any business. Whether the processes are discrete or continuous, we are learning to use Extend to solve problems such as waiting times in Hospitals, Banks and Courts.

On a side note, I'm also excited to participate in the int'l Littlefield competition hosted by MIT's Ops Club. There are over 60 teams competing from MBA programs all over the world, and hopefully Yale SOM will have a decent finish!