Collaborative Role‐Play Design: Teaching Negotiation through a Novel Student–Business Partnership

Abstract

Simulations are a valuable tool for teaching negotiation, and the different ways in which they are used have been extensively discussed in the pedagogy literature. Scholars have critically reflected on the role of simulations and the conditions under which they are used, and some have stressed their drawbacks. These include their often artificial context, which can, some argue, limit the participants' real commitment. We have undertaken an innovative pedagogical experiment in an effort to address these concerns. As a part of this experiment, the students designed the simulations themselves, deriving inspiration from real situations they had experienced at companies in which they had completed internships. Our students' experiences suggest ways in which this novel pedagogical approach can ameliorate some of the usual pitfalls that instructors encounter when they use role plays. Further, we believe this process allows the students to understand the importance of achieving the right balance between the distributive and integrative dimensions of the negotiation.

Confirming the Impact of Training on Negotiators and Organizations

“…Ultimately, organizations are obligated to absorb and utilize the skills brought back by the trainee. Direct cooperation with employers could help to better assess negotiation training transfer and partnerships between researchers and organizations have been established, although they have yet to prove transfer (Germain‐Thomas and Lafarge 2019).…”

A Practical Guide to Negotiation Simulation Writing

“…It specifies what the negotiation is about, such as a real estate sale, an employment contract, a cooperation agreement, or an international border dispute. The purpose of a scenario is to bring the negotiation to life and make it tangible, while also generating interest in its subject matter ( Jones and Bursens 2015;Germain-Thomas et al 2019). Some scenarios allow for exploration of a broad range of topics beyond negotiation techniques.…”

“…There is extensive research on the use of simulations in negotiation pedagogy, including the factors that promote learning (Poitras, Stimec, and Hill 2013; Germain‐Thomas, Lafarge, and Sidibe 2019); the effects of simulations on critical thinking and students' motivation (Druckman and Ebner 2013; Kallestrup 2018); the length of time required for the use of simulations; cultural influences; and the differences between simulations and real negotiations (Alexander and LeBaron 2009). The use of simulations for online teaching also has been investigated (Matz and Ebner 2011).…”

“…The literature also has addressed designing and writing negotiation simulations (Ebner and Druckman 2012; Druckman and Ebner 2013; Germain‐Thomas et al 2019; Bell and Valley 2020). Some benefits of writing negotiation simulations are listed below: It increases the credibility of the instructor, who can explain the background of the simulation and the motivation behind writing it. The simulations can be tailored to the instructor's pedagogical needs; in corporate trainings, they can be tailored to the company's customers or even developed together with the customers. Instructors can integrate their specific industry or domain expertise into the pedagogical material and address contemporary issues, such as current technological developments. Writing simulations improves the understanding of negotiation structures and how their individual elements can affect the negotiation process and outcome.…”

“…The literature also has addressed designing and writing negotiation simulations (Ebner and Druckman 2012;Druckman and Ebner 2013;Germain-Thomas et al 2019;Bell and Valley 2020). Some benefits of writing negotiation simulations are listed below:…”