Testimonials from users

In 2006, I used Annamay in Mexico as capstone experience for my IB 3013 Comparative Culture and International Business course and Frost in France as a capstone experience for my IB 4013 Germany and the European Union course. They were invaluable teaching tools that required my students to act and negotiate within a different cultural frame of reference while allowing for creative improvisation within their respective roles; this unique experience created a dynamic learning environment that my students still remember and enjoy discussing. Thank you very much for providing such an outstanding teaching tool!

Applied Assistant Professor Norah M. Josefchuk
Adjunct
The University of Tulsa
International Business
July, 2007

I have twice had the opportunity to observe Olin Life in China in action and after each time, I wanted to rush out and start a business just to facilitate this role-play! It is that good.

Olin Life in China is a great resource for international business educators as well as Chinese language instructors. With no adaptation at all, these materials are an excellent means of teaching Americans the subtleties of doing business abroad; with some extra assignments for the learners, Olin Life can be used in advanced Chinese language classes to teach Americans how to successfully do business “in Chinese.”

Language and business teachers both know that learning by doing is the only way to acquire automaticity. With Olin Life in China, educators and learners alike have a well-designed platform for "doing" Chinese business in the classroom.

Patrick McAloon
Owner, SinoConnect, LLC
PhD candidate, Chinese language pedagogy, The Ohio State University
July 5, 2007

The Olin Life in China simulation went very well. I ran the simulation as the last class of my International Management course. The students commented that the simulation offered a wonderful setting for them to apply what they have learned in both the international business and international management courses. I also found the questions listed in the packet very useful for the post-negotiation discussion. I will definitely adopt the packet for my future International Management classes. Thank you!

Dan Li, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Kelley School of Business, Indiana University
June 2006

My MBA students have thoroughly enjoyed Annamay in Mexico. It is well written, comprehensive, and very realistic. They were able to apply principles of negotiation to a cross cultural environment and learn more about Mexican culture. It was well worth the time invested.

Professor Roy Lewicki
Dean's Distinguished Professor of Management and Human Resources
The Ohio State University
February 2006

The Olin Life in China case was very well received by my students. They said that the role-play really took all of their skills and made them realize that what they had been learning all semester was relevant to this experience.

Dr. Arthur Hochner
Associate Professor of Human Resource Administration
Fox School of Business and Management
Temple University
January 2005

Vagabonds in Vietnam motivated my MBA students to research Vietnamese culture and business customs. Students playing US roles even prepared business cards and practiced culturally-appropriate ways of handing them out.  During the debriefing, I could tell they were learning to negotiate in an international setting from their observations about the mistakes they made, their astonishment at the behaviors they observed, and their efforts to craft successful tactics.

Professor Steven M. Maser
Director, Executive Development Center
Atkinson Graduate School of Management
Willamette University
October 2004

I used Annamay in Mexico for an undergraduate class of Spanish for Business students. Initially, I was unsure about an all-English activity in a Spanish language class, but the depth of cultural understanding (an important element in the course) gained through Annamay in Mexico fully justified its use. My students absorbed important cultural lessons much more deeply when made to act them out; simply reading about them in a textbook doesn’t compare! Annamay in Mexico is also quite flexible and adaptable to a variety of class needs. Thank you Maureen!

Dr. Richard Vernon
Spanish for Business
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
April 2004

I ran the China simulation, Olin Life in China, in my class about two weeks ago (April 2004).  I have to tell you that everybody loved Olin Life and it was a great experience.  Many thanks for your help.

Berrin D. Guner, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Marketing
Rowan University
Glassboro, New Jersey

Frost in France is thoroughly researched and well written.  This scenario includes an excellent exposition of the differences between French and American cultures.  The author demonstrates an astute understanding of French culture and the current political, economic and social climate in France. This background, which is essential for anyone wanting to do business in France or with the French, is clearly presented in a succinct yet thorough manner… My students loved using this role-play.  They really got into it and played it to the hilt, including props and appropriate attire.  They felt that all they had learned in class leading up to the simulation about understanding cultural differences and French culture came to life!

Dr. Nicole Francine Minnick
French for Business Language Lecturer
University of Maryland
May 2004

Annamay In Mexico worked superbly (in April 2004) with my undergraduate class, The Economics of Latin America.  It gave them the opportunity to address numerous issues related to economic development and globalization as they engaged in a lively debate that addressed economic themes but also addressed equally important cultural dynamics and negotiation strategies.  They enjoyed it immensely and took their roles quite seriously.  Congratulations on a job well done!

Maria Crummett, Ph.D.
Director, Center for International Business
College of Business Administration
University of South Florida

Olin Life is the first negotiation simulation on China that is fully anchored in the cultural, strategic and managerial context of the Chinese business environment, using real-life business realities as a platform on which cross-cultural behavioral dynamics interplay. It also does a wonderful job of teaching cross-cultural negotiation principles!

Dr. Roy J. Lewicki
Fisher College of Business
Ohio State University

Most of these lessons (from Olin Life in China) can be applied to a real life negotiation with the Chinese. I can apply the lessons I learned in the information packet along with the techniques that were used in the negotiation role play. It will definitely come into use when I work overseas in China or travel there to do business with Chinese people. I will be aware of what to expect and what not to do.

Jonathan Lai, Class of 2005
Villanova University College of Commerce & Finance
Instructor: Professor Deepa Awal

These cross-cultural simulations are excellent for training and teaching executives and graduate business students. I am one of your biggest fans! Write more, Maureen!

Dr. Yahia H. Zoubir
Director, Thunderbird Europe
Centre Universitaire, Paris, France

I think these simulations are fascinating. They simulate real-life, multi- and cross-cultural negotiation situations in which my students get benefit from emerging themselves in a realistic negotiation without worrying about any negative consequences resulting from their mistakes. They can focus on "learning," instead of "getting things right" or "winning the negotiation." I was extremely happy when one of my students reported in his final presentation in my cross-cultural simulation graduate course that he used the knowledge he learned from these simulations and other course materials to reopen his negotiation with his Korean business partners and get his joint venture going successfully.

Dong Jung
Professor of Management
San Diego State University

I recently tried your Annamay in Mexico simulation with a group of 17 experienced business managers. The effectiveness of this learning tool far exceeded my expectations. The information is very current and extremely realistic. The instructor’s book is easy to navigate. The participants enjoyed playing their roles and learned a great deal about doing business in Mexico in the process. I can’t wait to use it soon with undergraduate and MBA students in my international business courses. Well done!

P. Roberto Garcia, PhD
Kelley School of Business
Indiana University

I had an opportunity to incorporate the Chinese simulation in a condensed summer MBA course on global marketing at the National University of Singapore. I found the simulation extremely effective. The course consisted of lecture material, cases, a computer simulation, and the role-play simulation. The students found the role-play simulation not only challenging but also enjoyable — even when they didn't manage to arrive at a negotiated win-win agreement. The class consisted of half Singaporean (mostly Chinese but also including some Malaysians and Indians) and half from mainland China. At first I had second thoughts about using the simulation based on business experience and culture in China, given that such a large part of the class was of Chinese background.

However, my misgivings were quickly allayed. The students immersed themselves in the simulation. I think the most important aspect was that they found the Chinese roles very realistic, and not at all artificially contrived. Contrary to the use of the simulation in the U.S., where American students often grapple with adapting to the cultural values of the Chinese roles, my students had to grapple with adapting to the values of the American roles. For them, that made it all the more enjoyable. I highly recommend the simulation for any cultural context. I found that it provided the students with a rich learning experience, even in an Asian classroom context.

Dr. Jerome D. Williams
F.J. Heyne Centennial Professor in Communication
Department of Marketing
University of Texas at Austin