Marketing 460: Product Management

PharmaSim Installation and Game Play Instructions

Overview:

This year you will benefit from a new, web-based version of PharmaSim, making it easier for you to manage your data and play the game successfully. To play the game, you will need to install a small application on your laptop/desktop.

Please note: All members of your team are welcome to install the application and access your teams’ information, but only the team lead is required to install the software.

Part I: Installation Procedure

  1. Downloading the installation file from the course website ( by clicking on the PharmaSim link as shown below:

  1. Next, click on the link to the PharmaSim site as shown below:
  2. Next, login with your user id and password. If needed, create them.

  1. After login, click on the “How do I place an order?” link as shown below:
  2. Next, click on the download link as shown below. Either select run, or save the file to your hard drive and double-click it once the download is complete:
  3. Next, follow the steps to install PharmaSim as shown in the following images:




  4. Finished: You should now see the PharmaSim icon either on your desktop (if you chose to create a shortcut), or in the folder to which you downloaded the application.

Part II: Playing the Game (Taken from the PharmaSim website)

Use the following steps to play the game:
You need to be connected to the internet when you start the simulation for the first time. You must stay connected to the internet until you close out of the software.

Double click on the PharmaSim icon on your desktop or choose Programs / Simulations from the Start menu. You will be prompted for a User ID and a Password (supplied through e-mail by Interpretive Software). You will need to enter both of these each time you start the simulation.
Making PharmaSim decisions:
After you have registered the software, click the Login button on the main screen. You will be prompted for your User ID and Password.
1-Once you are logged in, you will be taken to the Navigation Index screen. This screen allows you to view all reports and data in the simulation.
2-After you have reviewed all relevant data, you can begin entering your decisions.
3-To enter decisions you can either:
a. Go to File, Navigation Index and click on one of the Decision links that are highlighted
b. Go to the menu bar at the top of the screen and click on Decisions.

Playing PharmaSim as a Team
When playing PharmaSim as a team, one member will be designated "team leader". The team leader is ultimately responsible for making sure the decisions are entered correctly, that the team is not spending more than their budget, advancing the simulation, and the gathering of various decisions made by the team. Thus, it is important that the team leader be carefully chosen by the team and that they be a capable leader and accessible by the members of the team and by the game administrator.
In PharmaSim, there are two alternatives for how teams may make decisions. Your instructor or the simulation administrator will make this choice for your entire group. The two approaches are briefly described below:
Alternative 1: Only the team leader may enter decisions and the other members of the team may view the decisions on-line. This makes the most sense when the team is able to meet together physically and therefore can basically make decisions together as a team rather than as individuals. If your instructor chooses this approach, and you aren't physically together, the team members will have to find a way to inform the team leader of their decisions and the team leader will enter the decisions and advance the simulation. After the simulation is advanced, team members (other than the leader) should select REFRESH DATA under OPTIONS to see the results of the simulation.
Alternative 2: Every member of the team may enter a full set of decisions on their own, but only the team leader can advance, so the team leader's decisions are what ultimately count just as in alternative 1. However, since all team members can enter their own decision sets, they can experiment on their own with different 'what if' scenarios and decision alternatives. Again, it is the team's responsibility to get the decisions to the team leader and in this case, only the team leader will be able to see the final decision set and advance the simulation. After the simulation is advanced, team members (other than the leader) should select REFRESH DATA under OPTIONS to see the results of the simulation.

Advancing the Simulation
When you have entered your decisions and you are ready to advance the simulation, be sure to print a copy of your decisions using Print Reports on the File menu. You can then choose Advance to Next Period on the Advance menu to generate the next period's results based on your decisions. *** Important: Make sure you are connected to the internet when you choose this option.

Questions?
If you have any questions concerning the logistics of the game, contact Erin, Stu or Clayton at . If you have questions about the reports or decisions you are making, contact your instructor. Good luck from your game administrators!