Role-Plays

If you conduct your own workshops and are looking for effective and tested role-plays, look no further. Each of the role-plays in this section can be purchased for use in your classes, and each is optimized to achieve different learning goals in different time frames. These role-plays have been used by numerous university classes as well as corporate and government agency training workshops. Other content, such as articles and webcasts, should be available here soon.

To order a role-play, use the form at the bottom of the page or email me and I will take it from there.

I am also happy to discuss with you which role-plays would best suit your training purposes, and you can call me at (617) 577-0101.


Role-Plays

If you don’t see what you’re looking for, email me anyway with a request for a specific type of scenario.
I have additional role-plays to what are listed here, or if you have a very specialized need, I may be able to create one for you.

Auto Repair

Auto Repair is a short, integrative negotiation and conflict resolution role-play involving an auto repair gone awry.

Learning Goals: To explore interests, alternatives, relationship, and other elements relevant to a mutual gains negotiation.

Time Required

  • 5-15 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-20 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

The Angel

The Angel is a two round, short role-play in which an entrepreneur and an angel investor discuss a possible investment.

Learning Goals: To demonstrate the importance of listening for interests and good communication skills in negotiations.

Time Required

  • 10 minutes to read and prepare
  • 10 minutes to negotiate round 1
  • 15-30 minutes to debrief round 1
  • 10 minutes to negotiate round 2
  • 15-30 minutes to debrief round 2

Camel Trails

Camel Trails is a conflict resolution and negotiation role-play involving a fee dispute between a store owner and a consultant.

Learning Goals: To practice integrative negotiation skills. Can also be used as a traditional bargaining and a mediation role-play.

Time Required

  • 15-30 minutes to read and prepare
  • 30 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

The Carpenter

The Carpenter is a short negotiation role-play involving a dispute between a carpenter and a home owner

Learning Goals: To use integrative negotiation as a way of resolving disputes and creating value.

Time Required

  • 5-15 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-20 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

The Computer Consultant

The Computer Consultant illustrates the dynamics of a difficult conversation at work, between a client and a vendor, regarding scope, budget, and performance.

Learning Goals: To examine the effects of differing perceptions, poor communication, and a situation that has been allowed to deteriorate slowly over time.

Time Required

  • 15-30 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-30 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

Copy Cat Printing

Copy Cat Printing is a role-play that involves negotiating a potential business deal between a vendor and a client.

Learning Goals: To demonstrate the importance of listening for interests and good communication skills in negotiations.

Time Required

  • 10 minutes to read and prepare
  • 10-20 minutes to negotiate
  • 15-30 minutes to debrief

The Doors

The Doors is a distributive negotiation role-play between a potential buyer and seller of second-hand doors.

Learning Goals: To practice the tools and techniques of distributive bargaining with a broad ZOPA.

Time Required

  • 15-20 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-30 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

Friendly Flowers

Friendly Flowers is a role-play that involves negotiating a potential business deal between a vendor and a client.

Learning Goals: To illustrate mutual gains negotiation with potential value creation and a future relationship between the parties.

Time Required

  • 15-30 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-30 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

Innukwog Bay

Innukwog Bay is a substantial, integrative role-play involving a conflict between rival industries in a small town.

Learning Goals: To illustrate the process of going from conflict to collaboration using mutual gains negotiation in a complex situation.

Time Required

  • 30-60 minutes to read and prepare
  • 30-60 minutes to negotiate
  • 30 minutes to one hour to debrief

IT Conversion

IT Conversion is a distributive role-play involving an internal conflict within a company after a merger.

Learning Goals: To grapple with impasse. This case has no possible outcome that works for both parties. To see how they deal with the problem.

Time Required

  • 15-20 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-30 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

Mac vs. PC

Mac vs. PC is a distributive negotiation role-play between the IT and Graphics departments at the same company.

Learning Goals: To practice the tools and techniques of distributive bargaining with a broad ZOPA, within the context of an ongoing relationship.

Time Required

  • 15-20 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-30 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

Main Street Drugstore

Main Street Drugstore is an M&A negotiation role-play between the potential buyer and seller of an independent drugstore.

Learning Goals: To illustrate the dynamics of distributive negotiations where the subject matter and numbers are of some complexity.

Time Required

  • 30 minutes to read and prepare
  • 30-45 minutes to negotiate
  • 30 minutes to one hour to debrief

The Makira

The Makira is a short, distributive negotiation role-play involving the potential sale of a valuable archeological artifact.

Learning Goals: To practice the tools and techniques of distributive bargaining with a broad ZOPA in a short time-frame.

Time Required

  • 5-15 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-20 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

Olive Trees

Olive Trees is a negotiation role-play involving a dispute between American Troops and a Village Elder

Learning Goals: To use communications and integrative negotiation skills to resolve disputes and find solutions to difficult situations.

Time Required

  • 15-30 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-30 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

The Packaging

The Packaging is a substantial, integrative role-play involving a potential deal between two companies.

Learning Goals: To illustrate the process of reaching agreements and creating value using mutual gains negotiation in a complex situation.

Time Required

  • 30-45 minutes to read and prepare
  • 30 minutes to negotiate
  • 30 minutes to one hour to debrief

The Partnership

The Partnership illustrates the dynamics of a difficult conversation at work, between a partner and an associate, regarding a promotion and raise.

Learning Goals: To examine the effects of differing perceptions, poor communication, and a situation that has been allowed to deteriorate slowly over time.

Time Required

  • 15-30 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-30 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

The Pipe

The Pipe is a short role-play involving a conflict between a contractor and an owner’s representative on a construction site.

Learning Goals: To illustrate the process of going from conflict to collaboration using mutual gains negotiation and listening for interests.

Time Required

  • 5-15 minutes to read and prepare
  • 15-30 minutes to negotiate
  • 15 minutes to one hour to debrief

Windblown Systems

Windblown Systems is a substantial, integrative role-play involving a conflict between sales and finance within a company.

Learning Goals: To illustrate the process of going from conflict to collaboration using mutual gains negotiation in a complex situation.

Time Required

  • 30-45 minutes to read and prepare
  • 30-45 minutes to negotiate
  • 30 minutes to one hour to debrief


Fees

The fee for the role-plays is $3.00 per person per case for a one-time use license.

For example, for a class of 10 people, if you use two cases, the total fee required is 2 cases x 10 people x $3.00 = $60.

Pay Online

Calculate the total amount required and click the PayPal button to pay online. Enter the calculated total into the form to complete the order.

Pay By Mail

Send a check made out to The Negotiating Table at the address below.

The Negotiating Table
1089 Commonwealth Avenue, #354
Boston, MA 02215

Order a Role Play

Fill out the form below or call (617) 431-3251