"The Quarter" ™ is a new Polish game of decision purpose of which is to improve abilities of marketing staff in possibly the most intensive way. This game is meant for the employees who possess a vast supply of thematic knowledge as well as an experience in managing a product, a brand or a region of activity. However, the main purpose of the game is to perfect the capability of managing a brand in quickly and constantly changing conditions of the market. The character of the game and its course require engagement, an ability to make decisions in a flash, co-ordination of work in a team, adaptation of marketing-mix composition to constantly modifying situation on the market and reactions to operations made by competing firms. The superior aim of this game is to achieve the highest profit from the sale of product on the market.

The main task of a group is to enter the market of a fictions country of Fares with a new product. This country is divided into 6 regions: Caingorn, Temeria, Lyria, Angren, Nazair and Mettina. Each of these regions has its own economic specificity which needs to be taken into consideration while planning the activities supporting the sale. The sale of product might take part in 3 basic sections of the market: the section of retail sale (Tradesmen and Wholesale firms), the section of catering business and institutional section (orders, institution auctions and supermarkets). The first task of the group is to analyse the situation on the market in Fares and its regions. Then the group needs to plan and realise marketing projects supporting the sale. In particular region the group organises a distribution network ( by buying wholesale firms and employing tradesmen) and helps the sale by using ATL and BTL instruments available. The ATL activity might be realised with the use of the media of both: country of Fares (TV stations, radio stations, daily papers, weekly and monthly magazines) and its regions (radio stations and daily papers). BTL activities are planned on the bases of the offer of billboard companies, mailing etc. The support of sale might be also achieved thank to so-called Events. The increase of sale on markets of Fares is achieved with gaining Co-called PEM (Points of Marketing Effectiveness) that are results of groups

A group taking part in "The Quarter" has at its disposal a laptop with the Micon Marketing Consultants software. The computer is used to keep the basic calculations of the group; on the other hand, it does not simulate a market. Every quarter of an hour a group is obliged to deposit a result, one in which the group takes into consideration suggested sale price, standing charges and floating costs as well as the level of sale , the level of marketing expenses and PEM index achieved . At this moment each of groups is using so-called Marketing-Mix Optimalization, meaning it searches for this kind of variant which will provide it with the best profit in a particular situation on the market. Having taken into consideration groups

"The Quarter" is run by 5 trainers. Each of them has a different role to play:

The ARBITER - this person

The ADVISER - this person s task is to supervise the course of the game as well as to consult and train all groups.

The BANKER - his/her role is to sale market data and the media . This person also takes care of lending and , in the case of group

The SPY - is not prescribed to any concrete group . This persons task is to collect and supply information about the work of competing groups . The Spy is not allowed to make any notes , that is why every piece of news needs to be conveyed orally .

The HR-MAN - his/her job is to manage the personnel of sale of each group (Tradesmen), to improve their skills as well as to manage fairs ( only at fair is it possible to gain tradesmen). The HR-MAN announce not only the beginning of a fair in a particular region but also the beginning of instruction course that might be attended by tradesmen in order to improve their efficiency at work.

The time of the game is presented on so-called The Clock of the Game which is obligatory for all participants of the game. The basic unit of time is a quarter of an hour of the actual time. During these 15 minutes every group must deliver their results. The game goes on without any pauses. Every hour is defined as so-called Round.

In the basic construction "The Quarter" ™ differs from all known before games of decision. The main assumptions of this game are based on the following elements:

• the improvement of group work, especially in the sphere of taking collective decisions and responding to constantly changing situation on the market.
• the ability to make decision in particular stressful situations- time restrictions as well as the intensity of the game may cause such situations.
• the improvement of ability to organise the system of distribution and marketing projects supporting the sale of product.
• the improvement of ability to react to unpredictable situations which are an important part of our game.

The following elements might be considered as the main features of the game:

• multiplicity of variants - therefore it is difficult to predict the final result of the game as it depends mostly on the behaviour of given firm (group) on the market. There is indeed no restrictions (except for the one connected with demands of the market, buying power etc.). That is why each group is different as both, the strategies and the marketing conceptions realised by these groups might be very different from each other.

• flexibility - the basic rules of the game might be adapted to almost any product or service existing on a market, including such specific one as bank or tourist services, or business-to-business relations. Wanting any change one needs only to change specific parameters connected with the cycle of existence of a product, specific distribution network or the characterisation of unpredictable situations appearing on the market. At the same time the basic rules of the game stay the same.