Astute management skills handed Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College students the Champion and First Runner-up positions at the recent MIMS-MIM Management Game (Inter-College Challenge Trophy) on 25 May 2008.

The victorious team was represented by Khoo Chong Jin, Lee Jing Er, Chan Vern-Han and Jason Khaw, while the first runners-up were Mok Chee Wai, Ng Wan Ling, Wallance Tan Chun Eng and Wong Pey Wen. All of them are Advanced Diploma in Business Studies students at TAR College.

It was the inaugural inter-college management game organised by Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM). TAR College was competing against eight teams from other local institutions of higher learning.

The game is a computer simulated business game often used by companies in many foreign countries to train their managers. Each team was required to manage a company producing products for sale and players pit their management and business skills against other teams to increase their market share and profits. Team decisions include purchasing the right quantities of raw materials, producing the right quantities of products for the market, expanding their plant, strategising pricing and making financial decisions. Both TAR College teams consistently made the right decisions to lead the field.

Last year, TAR College students also took part in a similar game, competing against industry experts, working executives and MBA students. The TAR College team put in a commendable effort to become the only team comprising of students in the finals.

“It’s a fresh new team with no experience this year. We had to train them from the ground up,” said Lim Chin Hock, the Senior Lecturer who guided the students for the game.

The business simulation game is one of the tools used by TAR College to give students a hands-on learning experience. “Most colleges are not familiar with business simulation as they do not utilise it in their teaching methodology,” Lim added. “At TAR College, we use it as we feel it is a good learning tool for students.”

“We had the chance to apply what we had learned in our studies into the business game. It is more practical and real!” said Khoo Chong Jin, the leader of the Champion Team who is studying Advanced Diploma in Business Studies (E-Commerce & Marketing).

Participating in the game was a precious learning experience for the students. “We learnt how to work as a team and how to analyse the environment and scenarios so that the appropriate strategy is adopted,” Khoo added. “There is nothing so-called ‘the best strategy’. Situations and scenarios changed as the game progressed and we had to adjust our strategies and adapt accordingly.”

With the wins, TAR College has once again proven that its students are well positioned to be the future leaders of the corporate industry.