The New Budget Game

Authors

  • Theodore F. Gautschi

Abstract

"The New Budget Game is an experiential exercise requiring decision-makings under conditions of conflict in a funding reduction situation. It involves the participants in a dynamic role-oriented environment which requires the use of a number of important management skills: strategic thinking, decision-making, interpersonal interaction. Communications dealing with stress, power and authority, creativity, amid negotiations. The exercise has application in both university and corporate settings. The exercise may be used at the beginning of a course (or seminar; to help establish a common framework for application of the various management skills. It an be used at the end of a course to help the participants integrate the various management skills and concepts that were discussed. It -an also be used to observe the participant’s performance in real-world-like decision-making situations or for research on group decision-making. After a brief introduction all participants are divided into groups of six. Each group must negotiate and decide how to allocate reduced funds between five projects. A Research Director oversees the negotiations between five project managers whose projects require $1.8 million to complete the year but only have $1.0 million budgeted by senior management. This exercise, including debriefing and feedback is usually run in a two-hour period but it can also be fit into two 50-minute class sessions. "

Downloads

Published

1991-03-09