Put Some Sole in Your Student’s Cross-Cultural Negotiation: An Exercise
Rohan Vakil and Lori A. Coakley
Bryant University, USA
Volume 10: 2015, pp. 233-268; ABSTRACT
This paper examines the merits of a cross-cultural negotiation exercise with undergraduate international management students to foster greater understanding of the challenges that emerge in a global business environment. The negotiation exercise is adopted from an actual business negotiation conducted between two similar organizations reflected in the exercise. It takes place in India, and involves a US manufacturer of shoe insoles and an Indian manufacturer of other polyurethane plastic products. The negotiation exercise was tested in several upper division international management courses. After the exercise was conducted, students were asked to provide feedback. Suggestions gleaned from the feedback were used to improve the negotiation experience. The negotiation exercise is provided in detail, along with an instructor’s note that offers preparation guidelines, timing for conducting the exercise, alternative solutions to the negotiation, and discussion questions for the debrief.
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