Star Power: A Simulation for Understanding Power and Empowerment Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, Volume 26, 1999 STAR POWER: A SIMULATION FOR UNDERSTANDING POWER AND EMPOWERMENT Khushwant K. S. Pittenger, Ph.D. ABSTRACT In recent years, empowerment is a frequently used tool by organizations to enhance the per- formance potential of their employees. The pur- pose of this paper and the proposed presentation is to introduce a simulation called Star Power (Shirts, 1993) which deals with issues related to power and its use. Through active participation in a simulated organization, the participants are expected to personally experience the various facets of power and the effects of powerlessness on their own and others’ behavior. STAR-POWER Star Power (Shirts, 1993) is a game designed for eighteen to thirty-six participants and takes ap- proximately ninety minutes to play and debrief. It can be played in two fifty-minute sessions as well. In this game, participants personally ex- perience a corporate political structure’s impact on political games, empowerment, powerlessness and their possible consequences on their and oth- ers’ behavior. In this game, the participants are divided into three groups of approximately equal numbers. The game involves use of different colored chips where different colors have differ- ent points associated with them. The chips are used to classify individuals into different status groups thus creating a hierarchy similar to a cor- poration.The group at the top of the hierarchy is given the right to make the rules for the lower- level groups, and that is when the dynamics re- lated to power truly unfold. However, in order to get from the first stage (random assignment of participants into three groups) to formation of three groups with different status, much as to be managed. How that is accomplished is explained below. First Round: Initially the participants are randomly assigned to three groups of approximately equal numbers and are told that they will be trading and bargain- ing different colored chips to accumulate the highest points possible as three persons with the highest points will be declared the winners of the game. Each individual in each of the three groups is randomly given five chips of different colors and then the value of each color is explained. The scoring chart (appendix 1) is displayed and explained to the entire group. The facilitator also explains the trading rules (appendix 2). After the rules have been explained, the first trading ses- sion takes place which lasts from 8 to 10 minutes depending on the number of participants. At the end of the first trading session, the participants display their scores on the board. At this point, the participants are regrouped on the basis of their scores. The one-third of the participants with the highest scores are now formed into a group called the Squares; the one-third with the lowest scores now sit together as the Triangles; and the third with middle-range scores will become the Cir- cles. Once the groups are formed, a bonus point session is announced and its rules are explained to the participants (appendix 3). The purpose of the session is to create opportunities for promo- tion/demotion and to intensify the group dynam- ics. Depending on the scores after the bonus ses- sions, individuals are promoted to Squares or demoted to Triangles. This completes the first round whose phases are trading, bonus session and promotion. Second Round: This round has the same phases as the first one, but the Squares draw from a pool of chips that have a higher number of high-point chips than 221 Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, Volume 26, 1999 the pools of the other two groups. After the sec- ond trading session, a bonus session is conducted and the points of the second trading and bonus sessions are added to the scores from the first round. If appropriate, promotions and demotions to and from Squares are made. At this time, the facilitator announces, “Because the Squares have worked so hard, they now have the right to make the rules for the game. Any group may suggest rule changes, via written message to the Squares, but the Squares may ac- cept, reject, ignore or modify any such sugges- tions.” After giving the Squares some time to make the rules and others a chance to make their own plans, Squares are asked to announce any new rules they establish to all the participants, unless they want the rules kept secret. After this, the game has no specific structure and the facili- tator has to manage it as things develop. The ex- pectation is created that after the new rules are formulated by the Squares, the third round will take place according to the new rules. However, the facilitator encourages Triangles and Circles to make their own plans for dealing with the new rules. They are informed that they have the same alternatives as anyone who is part of a system. They are told that they must obey the rules with- out question, try to change the system by work- ing within the system (or through other means), or they could even overwhelm of sabotage the system. Much takes place at this time. Actually, the dynamics between the Squares and the other two groups may make it difficult (or unneces- sary) to hold the third round. Also at this time, a participant will step forward and take charge be- cause the facilitator practically transfers his au- thority to the Squares. What usually happens is that Squares make the rules that protect and enhance their own power. The other two groups experience a sense of pow- erlessness and the frustrations associated with it. Many times, the Squares and the circles get or- ganized and revolt against the Squares. Other times the Circles and Triangles give up and drop out. If the frustration and conflict reaches a cer- tain level and the groups are unable to handle it through reasonable strategies, the facilitator should end the game. The experience then should be analyzed and discussed in the debriefing ses- sion. Recently, in one of my classes, Squares were able to see the unreasonableness of their behavior. Recent readings about how to appro- priately empower others became part of their dis- cussion prior to the debriefing session. Drawing upon this knowledge, they were able to work with circles and Triangles in a way that a suc- cessful third round could be conducted. The de- briefing session then analyzed the changes Squares had made to make a dysfunctional sys- tem functional. Debriefing Session: The nature of the debriefing session will vary depending upon the purpose and the audience for which the facilitator used the game. Because I primarily use the game in my graduate classes in conjunction with the chapter related to power and politics, I use the debriefing session to highlight issues related to political games people play and their impact, powerlessness and its conse- quences, and techniques for creating empower- ment and the benefits of doing so. Students are usually surprised at their own behavior and the intensity of their feelings. Here are some general themes that can be devel- oped and used across various situations in which the game my be used. These are: (a) The nature of power and in particular the need for self- perpetuation of power by those who hold it. (b) The impact of system on human behavior and the need to change the system if meaningful change in human behavior is desired within that system. (c) Consequences of powerlessness and its im- pact on system effectiveness. (d) Challenges in creating an empowered organization when pow- erholders want to self-preserve. (e) Differences in perception of those who hold the power and those who don’t and the ability of the two groups to work together effectively. References and appendices available upon re- quest. 222 Table of Contents Volume 26, 1999 ABSEL's Historical Research Interests Back From the Future: An ABSEL Merlin Exercise for the Year 2005 The Contributions of ABSEL During the 1980's ABSEL's Contributions to Experiential Exercises in the 90's ABSEL's Contributions to Experiential learning/Experiential Exercises: The Decade of the 1970's Business Simulations - Algorithms and Model Enhancements: A 25 year Review A Study of the ETS General Field Test as an AACSB Assessment Tool and the Impact of Experiential Exercises and Simulation on Learning A Framework for Assessing the Competencies Reflected in Simulation Performance Developing A Learning Culture: Assessing Changes in Student Performance and Perception Financial Simulation Using Distributed Computing Technology Analyzing Managers' Judgements and Decisions with an Educational Business Simulation Understanding Your Business through Home-Made Simulator Development An Examination of a Reanalysis of the Impact of a Market Leader on Simulation Competitors' Strategies Applying Shocks to TE Simulations: A Demonstration Increasing Efficiency of Management Skill Assessment A Testbank for Measuring Total Enterprise Simulation Learning Developing Leadership Skills - Video Live! LEADSIMM: Collaborative Leadership Development for the Knowledge Society A Team Approach to Producing Multi-Media Laptop and Video Formatted Presentation Tinkertoys Revisited: Exploring Trust Based Relationships Overall Dominance in Total Enterprise Simulation Performance Success or Bankruptcy: The Relationship between Personal and Goal Orientation and Simulation Performance Assessing the Effects of Feedback: Muti-method and Muti-directions in Multi-pedagogical Courses The Missing Ingredients in Experiential Learning Purpose and Learning Benefits of Business Simulations: A Design and Development Perspective Building Capabilities for Change through Laboratory Simulations Modeling Innovation as a Process of Design in Educational Business Simulation The Need to Measurer variance in Experiential Learning and a New Statistic to do so Assessing Effectiveness of an Experiential Oriented Course Over Time Developing Participant Satisfaction Models of Experiential Exercises in Business Education Perceptions of Learning in TE Simulations Students' View on the Use of Business Gaming in Hong Kong Management Gaming's Lost Opportunity: Meditations about the Russian Experience and Prospects for the Future Unanticipated Enhancements in the Business Strategy and Policy Game when Running in Windows 95 Using a Business Game to Demonstrate Broad Business Concepts A New Model for Business Courses (Getting the Student Connected) Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Integrating Knowledge Using Large Scale Simulations in Capstone Business Strategy Classes Is It Here To Stay? A Roundtable Discussion of the Inter-Group Interaction Interactive Tools Used in Applying Financial Concepts Strengthening Essential Skills through a Finance Exercise: Calculation of Beta A Model of Currency Exchange Rates Understanding Currency Exchange Rates: A three-part Exercise Student Experiences in the World Intercollegiate Business Game Competition Student Experiences in the International-Collegiate Business Policy Game Competition Using Boards of Directors in Simulation Environments: Comments From Board Members Sharing Best Practices: Teaching Smarter, Not Harder Star Power: A Simulation for Understanding Power and Empowerment The Marketing Game: A Marketing Principles Simulation Alexander Islands: GSSM Tiny Business Simulator on the WWW Putting Strategy into Strategic Business Games Industry Analysis, Porter's Five Forces Model and Strategic Group Maps in the Business Strategy Game Simulation The Use of Concept Mapping to Improve Student Performance and Understanding of Strategic Management Concepts: A Comparison of Techniques Transformational thinking in the Organizational Behavior Course: The Use of Metaphor as an Assessment Tool Creation of a Virtual Learning Community for the Global Virtual Enterprise Project Inter Institutional use of Educational Resources: Joint Use of Management Simulation Games Business Insights: Theory and Practice with the Aid of a Business Simulation Progress: An Experiential Exercise in Development Marketing The ABC's of teaching the Theory of Constraints to Undergraduate Business Students Demonstrating Principles of Organizational Purchasing Behavior through an Experiential Exercise The Virtual Manager: A Different Simulation for Managing Complexity When the Rules are changing and Chaos Breeds Innovation: Recapturing the Value of Constructive Thinking and Play in Simulation Training The Pitfalls, and Potential, of Actual Events as Problem Drivers Using Business Games to teach Environmental Awareness and Green Management: The International Experience with the ENSIM Game A Review of my ABSEL-Related Work Simulation of Government: A Workshop Using GEO Creating Internet-Based Games Using Perl and JavaScript Who's on First? Exploring the Concepts of Problem-Based Learning, Experiential Learning, and Lifelong Learning Students Learn Customer Service and Selling while Conducting Research So You Want to Run an NFL Football Team–An Honors Interdisciplinary Project Supervised Internship: The Employer's Perspective Using Computer Assisted Simulation to Teach International Business Strategy: A Case of the Multinational Management Game (MMG) Multi-Cultural Experiential Learning: A Computer Simulation in China An Appreciative Stance on Diversity as We Move into the 21st Century: A Timeline Exercise to Identify Key Experiences in Good Work Relationships between Black and White Peers A Day in the Life of an Interactive, Real Time, and Internet Delivered Course: A Demonstration Comparing Internet Search Engines: An Experiential Learning Exercise Total Enterprise Simulations and the Internet: Assessing Student Perceptions and Preferences Teaching Accounting Information Systems in a Practicum Format Providing Experiential Learning in Accounting through a Field Study Payroll Project A Spreadsheet Based Business Simulation Game Computer-Behavioral Simulations Training for Project Managers Simulation Scenarios - Rationale and Illustration