“Olin Life in China is the first negotiation simulation about 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!”
Roy J. Lewicki, Ph.D.
Irving Abramowitz Memorial Professor Emeritus
Department of Management and Human Resources
Fisher College of Business
Ohio State University
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“The 5th edition, Olin Life in China: After the Pandemic went splendidly! As in prior years, the students remarked on the detail and the thorough briefing in the exercise. March 2026
…I teach an MBA-level course on the Globe Environment of Business for which Olin Life in China is the capstone highlight of the class! I’ve administered the simulation in an in-person setting, and in a virtual setting, both with effective pedagogical results. The characters are so well-written that students easily slip into the roles, even if they have never had any exposure to the Chinese culture or business environment. Students have remarked that the exercise brought the coursework to life, including the visceral reactions to stressful cultural encounters. I will continue to use this simulation and hope to encourage the author, Maureen, to develop a simulation for Latin America.I will be an early adopter of any material of the caliber of Olin Life in China! “ March 2021
Gregg H. Lehman
General Counsel at OneMain Solutions
Adjunct Professor of Management
Neeley School of Business
Texas Christian University
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“The 5th edition of Olin Life in China: After the Pandemic went very well in fall 2025. It is still one of my students’ favorite activities. In fact, I’m going to use it again in spring 2026. Students really like the simulation. It works well in a physical as well as in an online classroom.
Students get to experience the effects of differences in culture and political economy and encounter topics typically covered in international business courses, including government influence on trade, foreign direct investment, collaborative arrangements, and international human resource management. I also use the debriefing to introduce students to basic negotiation principles. In their course evaluations, students mention the simulation as one of the highlights of the course, both in terms of what they learned and what they enjoyed the most.” March 2026
Markus Vodosek, Ph.D.
Clinical Associate Professor, International Management
Kelley School of Business, Indiana University
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“I ran Weighing the Ethics of Outsourcing* in April with juniors and seniors in my IHRM class. The students loved it, calling it a ‘great experience.’ As a professor, I found their team dynamics fascinating; they were so engaged with role-playing and using the links in the packets. The economic, political, cultural, and social issues in the simulation could not be more relevant in 2022: supply chain problems, corruption, femicide, human rights abuses, not to mention the usual criteria businesses employ in deciding where to outsource production. I will definitely use this simulation again next fall!” April 2022
Dina Frutos-Bencze, Ph.D.
Professor
Department Chair of Economics and International Business|
St. Anselm’s University
Manchester, New Hampshire
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“I’ve found the simulations to be very worthwhile. I first used the first edition of Annamay in Mexico simulation in an Introduction to Business course. Annamay in Mexico is excellent for first-and second-year students.
I also had excellent success with Jeneryn in India*. I love the diversity of characters. And students REALLY get into their roles and act out the various characters… The benefits to the students are notable and outstanding. It is an opportunity for them to mirror real-world business practices in a classroom setting and gain practical knowledge about doing business internationally. Interestingly, the simulations especially resonate with students who may not do as well with traditional lecture or standard classroom practices. And, as you told me many years ago when we talked, the debriefing session is so critically important as well. I am a BIG fan of yours!” August 2021
Mary Beth Klinger, Ph.D.Professor
Business Department
School of Professional and Technical Studies
College of Southern Maryland
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” I use the Olin Life in China negotiation simulation with 1st-year MBA students in a core Global Business course. It consistently received rave reviews from the students as a chance to experience and practice many of the cross-cultural concepts we’ve discussed in class. I appreciate the comprehensiveness of the materials, enabling me to focus on observing students’ behaviors and reasons, and I especially like how it forces the students to re-evaluate their strategies when confronted with negotiation partners who view the world differently.” January 2019
David G. Allen, Ph.D.
SPHR, SHRM-SCP@DGA_TalentProfEditor-in-Chief
Journal of Management
Neeley School of Business
Associate Dean for Graduate Programs
Texas Christian University
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“This fall I ran the Olin Life in China negotiation simulation in my Global Management class of undergraduate seniors. They thought it was a ‘cool activity,’ and liked the interactive nature of the sim. I appreciated that the goals of the work correlated to the frameworks I teach, especially about the entry strategy for ownership and location, and the joint venture or wholly-owned questions. The Chinese cultural information was very impressive and helpful. I’ll use it again next semester.” November 2019
Juan Bu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of International Business and Strategy|
Department of Management and Entrepreneurship
Kelly School of Business
Indiana University
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“Olin Life in China simulation was a valuable asset to my Power, Influence, & Negotiation course. It enhanced the structure and content of the course and enabled students to gain insights into ways in which different cultures approach negotiation. Several students mentioned that they could immediately apply the lessons learned in the simulation to the real-world of work. It’s an excellent etching tool!” November 2018
Dr. Daniel E. Goldberg
Associate Professor of Instruction
Academic Director of the Business Management
Bachelor of Business Administration Program
Fox School of Business
Temple University
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I just ran Olin Life in China in Singapore. The class consisted of working professionals in an HRM program Temple University has just begun there, including several ethnic Chinese Singaporean students. It was a real success. The Chinese students all vouched for the simulation’s authenticity and really enjoyed it. They were fully engaged for the 6 hours of class time, plus 1.5 hours of discussion… I am such a fan of your work on these simulations. They are so, so valuable! August 2011
Arthur Hochner, Ph.D.
Fox School of Business and Management
Temple University
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“I have used the Olin Life in China case in both a Columbia Business School course in New York, and an academic module at the World Economic Forum in Geneva. The students in both instances loved the simulation exercise. They learned useful aspects of the Chinese style of negotiation, and, as a bonus, gained additional knowledge about its regulatory infrastructure and insurance industry. Well done.” September 2008
Shang-Jin Wei, Ph.D
Professor of Finance and Economics,
N. T. Wang Professor of Chinese Business and Economy
Columbia Business School
* Simulation no longer available.