Abstract: This teaching tip presents the Simulated Interface for Management and Collaborative Decision Systems (SIMCDS), an Excel-based simulation designed to teach the role of information transparency in strategic supply chain decision-making. In the activity, students assume the roles of Manufacturer, Distributor, and Retailer, managing inventory decisions under both limited and full information-sharing conditions. The simulation illustrates how transparency affects service levels, costs, and overall system coordination. Implemented in an undergraduate strategic management course, SIMCDS was associated with measurable increases in students’ self-reported understanding of data-driven collaboration and inter-node decision-making. By combining active learning with realistic supply chain dynamics, the tool reinforces key operational concepts and aids experiential exploration of transparency’s strategic value.

Keywords: Simulation, Excel, Business game, Data analytics, Strategic planning

Download This Article: JISE2026v37n1pp18-46.pdf

Recommended Citation: Soto-Ferrari, M., Chams-Anturi, O., Casile, M., & Escorcia-Caballero, J. P. (2026). Teaching Tip: Simulated Interface for Management and Collaborative Decision Systems: A Computer-Based Supply Chain Application for Teaching Information Transparency. Journal of Information Systems Education, 37(1), 18-46. https://doi.org/10.62273/TFRC4843