University of Cincinnati
11/10/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/10/2025 15:43
Lindner graduate students shine in international simulation competition
Lindner graduate students shine in international simulation competition
Information systems students test their problem-solving skills with a real-world business challenge
By Haley Fite Email HaleyEmail Haley
5 minute read November 10, 2025 Share on facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print StoryLike
Five master's of information systems (MS IS) students took home fifth place out of 23 universities at the International ERPsim Competition hosted by HEC Montreal during the recent spring semester. The competition tests students' knowledge of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and their ability to adapt to challenging business problems.
Their journey began in Lindner Adjunct Instructor Kyle Snyder's IS 7050 Enterprise Resource Planning 1 course, a requirement of the MS IS curriculum. But, for students wishing to deepen their knowledge, the voyage may continue with IS 7052 Enterprise Resource Planning 2, an elective graduate course. The courses familiarize students with the SAP software, a leader in workforce and business management technologies.
"Although the ERP 2 was not a mandatory course, I still chose it because I was so intrigued by what was happening in the class, the coursework and what we were getting to learn from it," said Megha Pawar, MS '25.
Particularly enterprising students can opt to partake in the ERPsim competition experience, a voluntary activity outside of their assigned coursework. Snyder has led UC students through the competition for seven of the 13 years he has taught the course.
Students enjoyed working collaboratively to tackle their simulation case study.
The competition consists of four 20-minute rounds with each minute corresponding to one business day. Between rounds, students may review performance and strategize for the next segment. Students aimed to create the highest-performing business to find themselves in the winner's circle. This year's competition included added complexity with a new sustainability dimension. Students were tasked with considering carbon taxes throughout the supply chain as they managed their enterprise.
"It was a very high-pressure and real business simulation that runs on the SAP platform. The teams take on the role of manufacturing companies, and we had to manage the end-to-end operations," explained Pawar about ERPsim's format. "The course gave me a strong foundation, and the ERPsim game allowed me to put that into action so that I could understand how the ERP systems are essential for supply chain and operational excellence."
Snyder leverages students' competitive spirits in his courses, hosting similar matches as part of their graded assignments.
"This 'gamification' of business processes, logistics, manufacturing, finance, analytics and use of SAP ERP software has been an integral part of my teaching," said Snyder.
Students say these simulations provide a hands-on, comprehensive overview at how ERP software functions in real-world business settings.
"We learned to understand 'Are the projects going to be agile? Are they going to be in waterfall?'" reflected Deepika Srivastava, MS '25. "That gave us more perspective on how products are going to be built. It taught me more about how to work in a team."
This was our tunnel to the real world. It sharpened both my technical and strategic thinking.
Megha Pawar, MS '25
The simulation exposed students to unfamiliar areas of business, gifting them fresh perspective on how all aspects of business must work together in harmony.
"I think that the game really changed my perspective about marketing. There were four regions that you had to sell the products in. In particular regions, we struggled to sell the products. But by investing in marketing, it really helped," said Srivastava. "This helped me to understand that it changes the perspective and how it can call people in to buy our product. Even if it is costly, marketing will draw the people in."
The overall experience aligns with Lindner's commitment to experiential learning, a vital pillar of the Lindner experience and one that aims to ensure students are career ready even before they walk across the graduation stage.
"This has made me understand how agile we need to be while making decisions, but also not to let the pressure get through to us," said Pawar. "This was our tunnel to the real world. It sharpened both my technical and strategic thinking."
Study information systems at Lindner
Lindner's Master of Science in information systems program combines core business knowledge with focused technical courses and real-world learning opportunities. The program accommodates students with diverse educational backgrounds and work experiences. Request more information, attend an information session and view the program's application deadlines.
Featured image: Top row, left to right: Deepika Srivastava, Vaishnovi Palaparthy, Megha Pawar and Adjunct Instructor Kyle Snyder. Bottom row, left to right: Sahith Bandi and Priyanka Somireddy. Photos provided.
Tags
- Information-Systems
- Lindner College of Business
- Information Systems
- Graduate-Programs
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