$0.00 – $6.00
Wendy Pabich and Lawrence Susskind
Six-person, five-issue negotiation between three industrial factory representatives and three environmental agency representatives over environmental and economic concerns in the wake of damaging negative publicity for both parties
SCENARIO:
ChemCo, Inc is a manufacturing firm located in Shelton, a small working-class town. ChemCo employs 3000 of Shelton's population of 20,000. ChemCo is currently negotiating with the State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to devise an acceptable strategy to monitor air emissions from its generator. If ChemCo is forced to cut jobs as a result of stringent environmental regulations, there will be a devastating impact on Shelton. On the other hand, the Agency feels that ChemCo is the primary contributor to air pollution within the area and needs to be monitored effectively. Representatives from the DEP and ChemCo must negotiate a mutually agreeable standard for monitoring air emissions.
MAJOR LESSONS:
- This exercise illustrates how negotiations can be used to resolve conflicts among scientists when scientific data are in dispute.
- When the same negotiation is conducted by multiple groups, the comparison of outcomes is instructive. The recommendations offered by each group may differ widely and in some cases there may be no agreement reached in the time allowed.
- The scientific data available in the case (and in the world) are incomplete and inconclusive on the points at issue. The exercise motivates discussion of how decisions should be made given limited information.
- The exercise provides a context in which the formation of coalitions of "joint interest" groups can dramatically affect the negotiated outcome.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
This game can be run simultaneously with multiple groups of 6.
TEACHING MATERIALS:
For all parties:
- General Instructions
Role Specific:
- Group Confidential Instructions for ChemCo representatives
- Individual Confidential Instructions for ChemCo CEO
- Individual Confidential Instructions for ChemCo Environmental Engineer
- Individual Confidential Instructions for ChemCo Public Relations manager
- Group Confidential Instructions for DEP representatives
- Individual Confidential Instructions for DEP Air Quality Chief
- Individual Confidential Instructions for DEP Environmental Engineer
- Individual Confidential Instructions for DEP Public Affairs Manager
KEYWORDS:
Regulatory negotiation, agency discretion; environmental dispute resolution; science-intensive policy disputes; public relations
SIMILAR SIMULATIONS:
Dioxin: Waste to Energy Game
Dirty Stuff
Teflex
The Carson Extension
Chemco, Inc. Attributes
Time required: | 2-3 hours |
---|---|
Number of participants: | 6 |
Teams involved: | Yes |
Agent present: | Non-lawyer |
Neutral third party present: | None |
Scoreable: | Yes |
Teaching notes available: | No |