Return to the Paradise Islands: From Confrontation to Cooperation Page 141 - Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, volume 38, 2011 ABSTRACT Simulations and games are designed to provide specific experiences to the participants. Underlying these experi- ences, however, is a framework that supports the goals of the exercise. A change to any aspect of the framework may require a change to the simulation itself which can change the entire conduct and results of the simulation. This paper describes how a change in the behavior of the participants and a change in technology created two new challenges to an established exercise. INTRODUCTION Simulations and games are designed to introduce stu- dents to topics and situations in an interactive setting. In- teraction is arguably the most important aspect of an expe- riential exercise. Participants must discover and solve the problem placed before them. But interaction is a two- edged sword. There is a saying in the military that no bat- tle plan ever survives first contact with the enemy. Short, targeted exercises may follow the intended script, but it is unlikely that a long-run simulation will go as originally planned due to the interaction of the participants in the simulation. When a simulation or game takes only a short time, the designer has the ability to use the lessons learned from the exercise to redefine parameters so that the exercise will run more according to plan the next time it is used. A simula- tion or game that has been run many times can be tweaked so that it is possible to anticipate most of the likely out- comes. An exercise that has an inherently long time span will also be affected by the interactions of the participants. The problem is that there is no time for the designer to go back to square one, make changes, and restart the exercise. Endogenous or exogenous factors can affect a simulation, and the designer must make changes in real time and at- tempt to return the exercise to its intended track. Some- times the shift in the exercise is too extreme or too subtle to permit a return to the originally charted course. When “things change”, the challenge is to adapt to those changes and manage them so that the exercise can still be meaning- ful. BACKGROUND OF THE PARADISE IS- LANDS The Paradise Islands is a semester-long simulation that challenges students to create a viable economic and social structure in a developing third world country. While as- pects of the simulation are reminiscent of Buckminster Fuller’s World Game (Buckminster Fuller Institute, 2010), the scenario is designed to be able to be completed within a single semester. The exercise is structured so that the en- tire scope of the problem is too great for any single individ- ual or group to handle. This requires that the task be bro- ken into multiple subtasks, each of which conflicts to some degree with all other tasks. Participants are forced to create personal solutions to their assigned problems and then to modify these personal solutions to create a compromise solution that will be satisfactory to all participants. Participants are presented with maps, pictures, history, and demographics of a fictional country located in the South Atlantic Ocean. The background material is so rich that some players do not immediately recognize the fic- tional nature of the country. The instructor can change elements of the background story to focus on specific as- pects of the society and its development. Participants are also given a CD-ROM containing information that could bear on the problems faced in the simulation. This CD contains in excess of 26,000 pages of material, so one prob- lem that must be addressed by everyone is identifying in- formation relevant to the perceived situation. The simulation is designed so that participants in the simulation can be pitted against each other in identifying and developing solutions to the problems presented. The first version of the simulation involved the conflict between economic development and environmental protection (Brozik et al, 2007). The second running of the simulation created a society with a small wealthy class and a large poor class and explored how the two could work together to create a stable, more equitable society (Brozik & Brozik, RETURN TO THE PARADISE ISLANDS: FROM CONFRONTATION TO COOPERATION Dallas Brozik Marshall University brozik@marshall.edu Doris Brozik Marshall University brozik@juno.com mailto:brozik@marshall.edu mailto:brozik@juno.com Page 142 - Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, volume 38, 2011 2009). These “visits” to the Islands demonstrated that the simulation was robust enough to be used to address various questions concerning economic development and other aspects of the society. One of the important design aspects of the simulation is to create tension between the various participant groups. Several authors have noted that conflict can be an effective part of decision making and result in better quality deci- sions (Iwai, 2009, and Roberto, 2001). Players are as- signed to groups with specific areas of responsibility and required to develop solutions that are consistent with the group’s mission statement. Within the context of this simulation, the functional groups are given missions that are self-consistent but mutually exclusive. For example, the Environmental Protection Group may be tasked to pre- serve the marshes and wetlands while the Economic Devel- opment Group wants to use these lands to build factories. Sometimes the mission statement for a single group is in- herently contradictory, such as assigning the Economic Development Group to be responsible for the development of both industry and protection of the environment. The mission statements do not explicitly identify these inherent conflicts. It is the problem for the participants to discover these difficulties and arrive at a mutually agreeable solu- tion. The course is designed to accommodate 20-25 stu- dents. With this number of participants it is fairly easy to develop six to eight different functional groups. Exhibit 1 lists several of the groups that can be formed with a brief description of their responsibilities. The mission state- ments given to the groups are detailed enough so that each group is sent in a different direction to develop a plan that addresses the needs of its constituents. Exhibits 2 and 3 present the mission statements for two groups that are in- herently working at odds with each other. Each mission statement sounds reasonable and is internally consistent, but when they are taken together there are basic conflicts of interest between the groups. The functional groups work alone for the first half of the term to gather the relevant information and construct a plan. Each group is encouraged to work independently so that it can gather information that directly bears on its goal and create specific plans to address the identified problems. Each group’s mission statement is sufficiently comprehen- sive that the group will be kept busy without diverting its attention to the actions of the other groups. At midterm, each group presents its recommendations to all the other groups. This is the point where all students realize that there are internal conflicts and that their per- sonal “best” solutions will not be adopted. The groups are at odds with each other, yet each individual group has in- vested itself in its particular set of solutions. This inherent conflict between the groups is one of the key aspects of the simulation. Students must learn to cooperate to resolve their conflicts. The second half of the term is spent devel- oping a compromise solution acceptable to all groups and preparing a presentation that is given to a panel of outside “experts” who judge the plan on its merits. That is what is supposed to happen. Sometimes things change. THE THIRD VOYAGE The frequency of conducting a semester-long simula- tion can be problematic due to constraints posed by the host institution. This simulation is designed to be taught as a cross-disciplinary occasional course offered through the Honors College. The instructors must be released from a more traditional discipline-specific course, and when there is a shortage of personnel this is difficult to do. The Para- dise Islands was originally scheduled to be offered every three or four years in order to provide time for the instruc- tors to work in their own specialized fields. The course came to the attention of members of the senior administra- tion, who felt that the course directly addressed the institu- tional goal of stimulating “critical thinking”, and they made it possible to offer the course more frequently. The addi- tion of an International Business major also gave the course a ready clientele. The problem is that enrollments have not yet stabilized, and so class sizes can vary. For the third offering of the simulation, the class size was only 13 stu- dents, roughly half the size of the previous classes. It is possible to adapt exercises for very large groups (Brozik et al, 2008), but in this case it was necessary to restructure the simulation on a small scale. The initial approach was to reduce the number of func- tional groups to five. In this manner most groups had three members, which is considered the optimal group size for this exercise. Each group was given its mission statement and began to gather the information needed to formulate its plan. So far, so good. As the term progressed, an unex- pected dynamic formed between the groups. It turned out that many of the students were friends and had already shared other classes. They were predisposed to cooperation rather than conflict. It was virtually impossible to start an argument between groups with conflicting mission state- ments. Everyone was nice to everyone else, and The Para- dise Islands became Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. A major piece of the underlying structure of the simu- lation had vanished because the participants chose not to behave in the manner postulated and previously demon- strated. Though the participants were not aware of it, they had changed the simulation in a fundamental manner. There was no time to redesign the exercise and start again. In order for the rest of the term to be successful, it was nec- essary to modify the approach to reach the group consen- sus. Cooperation had replaced conflict, so the cooperative nature of the exercise needed to be stressed. Since the small size of the class had caused the problem, it would also be the solution. The five functional groups that were supposed to work against each other were merged into a single large “supergroup”. The task of this supergroup was to combine all the mission statements and develop a list of “initiatives” that would address the issues that the func- Page 143 - Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, volume 38, 2011 tional groups had discovered. Though different in total, there were aspects of each of the original mission state- ments that led to overlapping concerns. Eight “combined initiatives” were identified, and these became the core of the final proposal (Exhibit 4). The size of the supergroup created another problem. Small groups are typically able to exchange information in a somewhat efficient manner. When there are only three or four members in a group, one of them will take the lead and act as the information nexus. The supergroup that was formed contained people from five different functional groups, and these people were disposed to be deferential to each other. The functional groups had been discouraged from communicating with each other, and while they did share information, there was no organization to their actions. The formation of the supergroup required that each mem- ber have access to the information gathered by every other member, but there was no mechanism to do so. Initial at- tempts to have the supergroup create an information nexus failed. While each participant could have been an effective facilitator in a small group, in the supergroup no one wanted to step out in front. The reason may have been fear or not wanting to look like you wanted to boss around your friends. Some individuals did exchange information with others if they knew who had the proper information, but these exchanges were few. The net effect was that there was no real intragroup communication. Around the middle of the term, the students were given the assignment to compile the information they needed to address their assigned initiatives and were given a long weekend to do so. At the next class meeting it was re- vealed that no one had really accomplished anything. A long discussion began about how to create an information system that would provide efficient information exchange. After several minutes, someone said the magic word, “Facebook”. One student who took notes on her computer immediately logged on to Facebook, created a Closed Group, and invited everyone else to join (Exhibit 5). The entire process took about five minutes and was completed before the conversation was over. From that point, a num- ber of communication threads began, and everyone got all the information necessary. The use of Facebook facilitated communications, but Facebook as an information nexus was not a “perfect” solu- tion to the information flow problem because the site does not permit file transfer. A total of 183 postings and over 600 comments to those postings were generated during a six week period, and an undetermined number of file trans- fers occurred between the participants using traditional email and other accounts. The key observation here was that when the participants recognized their communications problems, they created a solution that was “outside the box” from the instructors’ viewpoint. This introduced a technological factor that was not in the original design of the simulation. Designers must be aware that changes in technology can have unexpected changes in the conduct of a simulation, especially exercises that have proven effec- tive through time. Age can bring surprises in addition to maturity. The remainder of the simulation ran as planned. The students created the final document, the “Plan for the De- velopment of The Paradise Islands”. This plan addressed the eight combined initiatives and demonstrated how they fit together to create economic development and improve social and living conditions. The plan was presented to a panel of five outside senior faculty and administrators, and during the question and answer session the students demon- strated that they had indeed developed the plan themselves and mastered the material. LESSONS LEARNED A game or simulation is usually designed to meet the needs of a target group, and this design includes assump- tions about group size and behavior. When the actual size of the group differs significantly from the design size, care- ful monitoring is needed to identify any changes this cre- ates in the conduct of the exercise. Group size will also affect group behavior, and the dynamics of a large group and small group are different. These behavioral differences can also affect the conduct of the exercise and should be monitored. Exogenous factors, like technology, can also induce changes in the behavior of the participants and the exercise. All these concerns should be considered impor- tant, and the instructor should be ready to make changes to the simulation in real time to assure the effectiveness of the exercise. There is no way to predict exactly what will hap- pen, so the instructor must be vigilant for any changes and willing to modify the exercise to account for them. The old adage that “people will be people” is not al- ways correct. Simulations and games are often designed assuming that the participants will exhibit specific types of behavior, like risk avoidance or profit maximization. While such assumptions may prove true most of the time, the occasional lapse in group expectations can endanger the success of a simulation that has already proven successful. Any exercise must be monitored closely to identify if any of the underlying behavioral assumptions have not ob- tained, and if so the simulation must be modified to accom- modate the new reality of the situation. This is crucial in the conduct of a lengthy simulation, but even shorter exer- cises may require real-time adjustments. Failure to do so can lead to failure of the exercise. A second adage which claims “you cannot teach an old dog new tricks” is also incorrect. In order to monitor the information flow, one of the instructors had to join Face- book and became involved with answering questions and posting information. This was a new trick for that old dog, and while he did not do it with any degree of elegance or finesse, he did learn to do the trick. It remains to be seen whether or not he will remember the trick. Page 144 - Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, volume 38, 2011 REFERENCES Brozik, D., & Brozik, D. (2009). The Paradise Islands Re- visited: Trouble in Paradise. In J.A. Smith (Ed.), De- velopment in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, 36, 263-266. (Reprinted from Bernie Keys Library (11th ed.)) Brozik, D., Cassidy, C., & Brozik, D. (2008). The In- doAmerican Enterprises. In J.A. Smith (Ed.), Develop- ment in Business Simulation and Experiential Learn- ing, 35, 15-27. (Reprinted from Bernie Keys Library (11th ed.)) Brozik, D., Joy, J., & Brozik, D. (2007). The Paradise Is- lands. In J.A. Smith (Ed.), Development in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, 34, 228-245. (Reprinted from Bernie Keys Library (11th ed.)) Buckminster Fuller Institute (2010). World Game. Re- trieved from http://www.bfi.org/about-bucky/buckys- big-ideas/world-game. Iwai, C. (2009). Group Decision Experiments Using a Business Game - Problem Solving with Conflict. In J.A. Smith (Ed.), Development in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, 36, 165-170. (Reprinted from Bernie Keys Library (11th ed.)) Roberto, M. (2001). Decision-Making Exercises (A), (B), and (C): Examining the Role of Conflict in Group De- cision Making. In J.A. Smith (Ed.), Development in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, 28, 204-206. (Reprinted from Bernie Keys Library (11th ed.)) The Paradise Islands - Functional Groups Exhibit 1 Council of Mayors - Elected to serve the people and enhance the quality of life for those who live in, work in, or visit The Paradise Islands. Community Action Partnership - Committed to enhance the quality of life for all citizens by developing educational, cul- tural, and leisure opportunities while preserving the physical and capital resources. Department of Public Services - Tasked to develop electrical power sources and grid systems and control the use of fossil fuels and water and sanitation systems. Economic Development Commissions - Responsible for the growth and development of both the people and natural re- sources on The Paradise Islands. Independent Farmers and Fishers Coalition - Dedicated to land reform to protect small property owners, development of financial resources for small farmers and fishermen, and creation of foreign markets for agricultural/aquacultural products. Interfaith Council - Pledged to achieve a social system that supports individual rights through land reform, legislative ac- tion, and economic development. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries - Dedicated to the protection and enhancement of agriculture, timbering, and fishing. Ministry of Environmental Protection - Responsible for the management of programs to protect, preserve, and enhance wa- ter and land resources while preventing degradation of natural beauty and existing flora and fauna. Ministry of Public Health - Committed to maintaining public health. Tourism Bureau - Tasked to promote tourism by developing environmentally safe activities. Page 145 - Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, volume 38, 2011 Peoples’ Progressive Party Mission Statement Exhibit 2 People’s Progressive Party Mission Statement The People’s Progressive Party strives to improve the lives of the citizens of The Paradise Islands by actively pursu- ing legislative reform. The citizenry of the country deserve a government that addresses their basic needs in a pro- active manner that reflects principles of social justice for all. The People’s Progressive Party works to: Assure individual freedom and civil rights; Commit to non-violence and peaceful resolution of all disputes at local, national, and international levels; Ensure individual welfare through programs of national health care and free education for all citizens; Promote prosperity and a clean environment through the development of alternate and renewable energy resources; Target economic programs that create a level playing field and reward those who successfully compete in the mar- ketplace; Reform existing laws that convey undue advantage to privileged classes; and Monitor all levels of political action to guarantee that all citizens are receiving just and fair treatment by public offi- cials. Page 146 - Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, volume 38, 2011 Cultural Preservation League Mission Statement Exhibit 3 The Paradise Islands Cultural Preservation League Mission Statement The Paradise Islands Cultural Preservation League believes that the unique character of The Paradise Islands is built upon the achievements of the settlers and visionaries that created a vibrant and dynamic society. Our future is firmly rooted in our past, and in order to maintain a stable society and achieve social order, the League pledges itself to: Honor the sacrifices made by our country’s founders and the structure of the society that they created; Obey the law and uphold the Constitution of The Paradise Islands; Protect the rights of all citizens; Promote social justice through a program of legislation that will guarantee all citizens due process and property rights; Challenge those who would seek to weaken the fabric of our social structure; Defend the right of home rule and resist unwarranted intrusion by extraterritorial parties; and Maintain the social integrity and national security of The Paradise Islands. Page 147 - Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, volume 38, 2011 Combined Initiatives Exhibit 4 Energy - Development of energy sources and distribution of the energy produced. Water - Development and distribution of fresh water and creation of sanitation systems. Transportation - Creation of a system of highways and public transportation. Public Facilities - Design and locating public buildings that could be used for education, medical services, and municipal governance. Education - Creation of an integrated educational system and providing access to all citizens. Land Reform - Development of a system of contracts and incentives to make land more available to poorer individuals. Agricultural Expansion - Identification of exportable products and development of a marketing plan. External Development - Attracting foreign investment. Screen Shot of Facebook Page Exhibit 5 Table of Contents Volume 38, 2011 Simulated Tabletop Exercise for Risk Management - Anti Bio-terrorism Scenario Simulated Tabletop Exercise From Business Games to Simulations - Simuworlds & Microworlds Demand Equation Redux: The Design and Functionality of the Gold/Pray Model in Computerized Business Simulations Managing Client-Based Learning: Insights from Successful Teaching Project Courses in Marketing Tracking Forecast Error Type, Frequency and Magnitude with the Forecast Error Package Responding to Facilitate Collaboration Simulating Sudden Change and the Value of Timely Information Managing Human Resources Simulation A Study on Collectivism and Group Decision-Making: An International Comparison of Japan, China, and Russia Using a Gaming Simulation The Use of Management Games in the Management Research Agenda Gaming On-Line: A Simulation Application Positioning and Performance in Simulated Networks Supply Chain Management: A Simulation Application Simulation as a Teaching Method in Strategic Management Distance Studies Entrepreneurship: A Game of Risk and Reward Phase II: The Start-Up Return to the Paradise Islands: From Confrontation to Cooperation Effect on Market Performance of Displaying Supply and Demand Curves in a Business Simulation Appreciating Complexity: The Chief of Staff of the Army Game Managing Organizations: Experiential MBA Course Teaches Alternatives to the Machine Model A Simulation Model for Analyzing the Night-Time Emergency Health Care System in Japan The Continuing Evoluation of Assessing Project Management as an Academic Learning Outcome (ALO) Should College Instructors Change Their Teaching Styles to Meet the Millenial Student? The Mouse Game and its Effects on Team Interdependence Learning from the Gulf Oil Spill to Prepare for a Brighter Future: A New Game Engaging Stake Holders in Triple Bottom Line Accounting & Strategic Planning Video Killed the Biblio Star: The Impact of Digital Media on Student Learning Outcomes Exploring Motivation: Using Emoticons to Map Student Motivation in a Business Game Exercise An Alternative to PC and Internet Based Simulations: The Internet Integrated Mode MiddleState University -- A Crisis in Education Complexity Avoidance, Narcissism and Experiential Learning Examining the Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor Dimensions in Management Skill Development Through Experiential Learning: Developing a Framework A Situational Leadership Exercise Based on the Biology of a Starfish JOGAI CEFET -- The Industrial Administration Undergraduate Game Would You Take a Marketing Man to a Quick Service Restaurant? Modeling Corporate Social Responsibility In A Food Service Menu-Management Simulation Use of a Simulation in a Large Class Environment for a Marketing Principles Class: A Qualitative Analysis of Whether Learning Objectives were Met A Team Based Information Literacy Exercise ABSEL Marketing Communications Plan An Interdisciplinary Study of the Impact of Playing a Marketing Simulation Game on Student Knowledge of Management Accounting/Finance Principles Analyzing Construction Planning of Interiro Finish Work of Apartment Building by Simulation Doing Murder One Again The Simple Business Game and Simulation Transfering the Knowledge of Middle Management to Novices Infectious Disease Simulation Model for Estimation of Spreading Understanding the Relative Influence of Several Factors in ERP Simulation Performance: An Exploration of Ecological Validity Tragedy of the Commons: An Exercise Using Clickers to Illustrate and Teach a Key Concept in Negotiations The Meaning of Firm Demand in Business Simulations If the Games Work, Why Aren't More Faculty Willing to Play? Those Who Do and Those That Don't: A Study of Engaged and Disengaged Business Game Players