Management Material begins with the premise that people don’t really like their jobs, especially in Corporate America, but that being promoted is even worse. Dubbed “The Card Game of Cubicle Denizens,” Management Material is simple to learn, fast to play, and highly addictive. Players begin with a handful of cards (5 to be precise) from the Resource pile (either Recognition or Excuses). Assignments are how the game moves. The current player draws two Resource cards, then takes the top card from the “Assignment” pile and flips it over. If it’s a Project (anything from “Inventory Paperclip Supply” to “Balance the Budget” to “Make Sense of it All”), the player must play it. If it’s an event, the player or players must immediately act on the Event card’s directions.

Projects have a set point value, and the player must play an equal number of points worth of Excuse cards (like “Bad Hair Day” or “Called in Dead”) to get out of the task, passing it to the next player until someone gets stuck with the job. At the same time, other players may also add Recognition cards to the project (“but… you’ve got such a knack for this”) thereby adding points and making it more difficult to weasel one’s way out of the task. If a player gets stuck with a project, that job goes on his resume, i.e. he keeps it in front of him. When a player’s accumulated “Resume” equals or exceeds 30 points, they have been recognized by their supervisors as “Management Material,” and have been promoted right out of the game. The last player left in the cube farm wins.

Two to five people can play using a single set of Management Material cards. The game works equally well by adding additional decks for each multiples or fractions of five. Management Material works better if three or more people are playing, as it opens up the possibilities for piling on. At $14.95, Management Material is decently priced, and will provide hours of laughs for anyone who’s had to deal with being a corporate drone and stuck in a cubicle all day. For more information, including a list of retailers from whom Management Material is available, check out their website: http://www.zipwhaa.com.