MERIT 2016 has started with 119 teams, representing 37 companies, from 9 countries, and promises to be as competitive as ever. This is the 26th MERIT game and MERIT has a not only a long record but a well recognised record of providing excellent introductory training in company, business and financial management. Teams' understanding of the issues involved and the interdependence of the decisions that influence their company's success will be considerably developed over the next seven rounds. Key in the management of each team's simulated company, as it is in the management of real companies, is leadership, teamwork and disciplined decision making. The teams acting as a Board of Directors, with each member having a specific responsibility, needs to be well organised to take informed decisions and this requires good leadership. Decisions require compromise and an individual director's or team member's recommendations will be compromised for the greater good of the company. This requires teamwork and to quote a player from last year 'teamwork is much harder to achieve than it sounds at the outset'. Lessons in teamwork, disciplined decision making and leadership will give an insight to the pressures of senior level management and history shows these to be the most important and lasting lessons from the MERIT experience. It is an opportunity to think like directors, act like directors, be directors.
After Period 12 (Round 8), the leading six teams will be invited to face an even more competitive experience, when the final will be held at Loughborough University's prestigious hotel and conference centre Burleigh Court on 12/13 May. For the finalist they will also have the opportunity to 'live like directors!'
The results from the first round are not good predictors of the eventual outcome given the turbulence that will develop but a good start is always helpful. In these early rounds teams are working out the market level that will produce winning bids. If they have bid too low they may have a lot of contracts but little, or no, or even less profits to retain for company growth and dividends to pay shareholders. Bidding too high doesn't produce any contracts.
After this round the leaders are 'Singuarity' and 'Spartans' both from Atkins India followed by 'SUPERnOVA' from Arups, 'One Atkins' from Atkins China, 'Nott MacDonalds' from Mott MacDonalds' then 'Lord of the@kins' from Atkins India.
So the first round has Atkins very well placed with both Atkins India and Atkins China in the leading six, but the temptation is to say so far the percentage changes in the total rating are likely to be large enough not to rule out any team.
Atkins India have yet to win MERIT, Atkins China haven't been Champions yet either but won the Sponsors Award last year. Atkins UK have been Champions once with three Sponsors Awards, while Arup have been Champions three times with two Sponsors Awards. Mott MacDonald have been Champions three times and have won three Sponsors Awards.
It is still all to play for.