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Using a Conflict Mediation Case in Organizational Behavior or Negotiations Courses: A Role-Playing Activity
William H. Ross, Jr. and Uzay Damali
Department of Management, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, USA
Volume 18: 2025, pp. 31-46; ABSTRACT
This paper offers instructors a new conflict mediation role-play activity for use in
Organizational Behavior or Negotiations courses. The activity, adapted from actual incidents,
allows teams of students to assume the role of negotiators in a dispute between different departments
within the same organization. Each team is asked to use the Dual Concerns model (Thomas, 1992)
to select the negotiation strategies they will use when they meet with the other team: Competing,
Accommodating, Avoiding, Compromising, or Collaborating. They must negotiate in the presence
of their General Manager who supervises both departments. Additionally, those assigned the role of
General Manager can choose strategies from the Carnevale (1986a) Strategic Choice model of
mediation: Compensation, Pressing, Integration, and Inaction. This Case Paper describes the roleplay activity. The Teaching Notes offer instructors guidance for using this managerial mediation
exercise.
Keywords: managerial mediation, Dual Concerns model, Carnevale Strategic Choice model,
conflict management, negotiation, pedagogy, role-play activity.
