Free multi-stakeholder negotiation game
Objectives of the game
This free negotiation simulation was created by Centrum Efektywności, a Polish training company specializing in sales, negotiation, and procurement development. Since 2003, the company has designed business simulations, training programs, and interactive workshops for universities and corporate clients. The simulation is intended for university instructors, business schools, and trainers seeking a practical, classroom-based tool for developing participants' negotiation skills.
This game helps students understand how to identify priorities, recognize the interests of other parties, and develop effective compromises. It also teaches them to take a firm approach to issues while maintaining a respectful and constructive approach toward people. This combination enables participants to build consensus and reach mutually beneficial agreements. In addition, the game develops students' ability to evaluate the feasibility and value of investment projects, taking into account strategic objectives and budget constraints.
Brief game description
This negotiation simulation helps students develop practical skills in identifying priorities, understanding the interests of other stakeholders, evaluating investment projects, and reaching effective compromises under budget constraints. Participants learn to negotiate firmly on substantive issues while maintaining a constructive and respectful approach toward other parties.
Nova University is a private institution with a capital investment budget of $20,000,000 to be allocated over the next three years. The simulation is based on the allocation of a limited capital budget among ten competing investment projects. Three parties participate in the negotiations: the President of Nova University (responsible for overall management), the Senate (responsible for academic development), and the Board of Trustees (responsible for financial oversight). Each team first establishes its investment priorities internally and then negotiates project funding. The meeting is chaired by a representative of the Board of Trustees. Teams should strive for unanimous agreement. If this is not possible, decisions are made by majority vote, with each team holding one vote and at least two of the three teams required for approval.
Game characteristics
Team setup
Students should be divided into three teams. Each team may consist of one or more students, although it is recommended to keep the teams relatively small. One team should assume the role of the President of Nova University, another the Senate of Nova University, and the third the Board of Trustees of Nova University.
Preparation
Print the pages of the simulation that are marked at the top as Student Materials for the students. The remaining sections are intended for the instructor. Distribute the student materials to each team. These materials do not contain any confidential information, so every team receives the same set of documents. Students should then read the materials and prepare for the negotiation.
The negotiation process
Once all three teams are ready, the negotiations should begin. The negotiations should be led by a representative of the Board of Trustees. This game is designed to last 60 minutes. It is highly recommended that students do not rush the negotiations or shorten the game time. Good results are most often achieved by putting the appropriate amount of pressure on the other side. This game also teaches participants not to rush while negotiating.
Scoring and evaluation
There is no scoring in this game. It’s all about the negotiation process and the skill of finding a compromise. Observing others' behavior during the talks and discovering your own strengths and weaknesses is equally important.
Detailed explanation of the game rules
A detailed description is provided in the section intended for students. Below, we present several explanations and supporting arguments highlighting the educational value of the simulation. This game is an excellent educational tool that perfectly mirrors the realities of strategic management and organizational negotiations. It elegantly combines hard financial analysis with soft skills and intra-organizational politics.
1. Perfect conflict of interest (asymmetry of goals). The scenario effectively captures the classic power triangle found in many institutions:
- • The President of Nova University seeks a compromise between institutional image, pressing immediate needs (roofs), and flagship projects (the gymnasium).
- • The Senate of Nova University looks through the lens of the academic mission, students, and research.
- • The Board of Trustees of Nova University acts as the financial watchdog — they only care about return on capital.
Because of this, no party can simply "give in" without abandoning their core mandate. The game forces participants to truly step into the shoes of a specific managerial archetype.
2. Smart math and budgetary constraints.
- • The budget is $20,000,000, while the total cost of all projects amounts to $25,390,000.
- • This is a good design choice because it is impossible to choose everything. Participants must cut something (specifically, projects worth at least $5.39 million). Simply agreeing with the President to reject the Faculty of Arts (saving $3 million) is not enough—they have to cut deeper.
3. Pitfalls and hidden costs/gains (a test of analytical thinking). The projects are not black-and-white, forcing teams to calculate "hidden" value:
- • Roofs (Project 2): It seemingly costs $1.5 million, but delaying it generates $100,000 in damages per year. This makes it a must-have project from a risk-management perspective.
- • Buses (Project 6): Costs $2 million, but eliminates a $200,000/year rental expense and generates $80,000 in external profit (4 x $20,000). The total annual benefit to the budget is actually $280,000, with a 20-year lifespan. For the Board of Trustees, this should be an absolute favorite.
- • Cafeteria (Project 8): Costs very little ($250,000) yet yields a staggering $120,000 in annual profit, plus a massive public relations bonus. This is a bridge-builder project that should easily unite the Senate (student welfare) and the Board (profitability).
4. Coalition mechanics. Introducing the rule that decisions require a 2/3 majority (2 out of 3 votes) is the ultimate way to teach log-rolling (political horse-trading). No single team holds a monopoly on power. For the President to push through the gymnasium (a massive $10 million, or half the total budget!), they must give something up to either the Senate or the Board. The game teaches that sometimes you have to support a project you dislike in order to save your top priority.
Post game debrief
After the game has ended, ask the students a few questions and encourage them to draw conclusions about negotiation, persuasion techniques, and sales. Below are some sample discussion questions::
[A] How can the fact that each party has different priorities be used to your advantage during negotiations?
[B] What are the benefits of understanding the other party's interests, and how can this knowledge be used during negotiations?
[C] How does reaching compromises help build coalitions in negotiations?
[D] What negotiation techniques could be used during this game?
[E] What persuasion techniques can be applied in this game?
[F] What lessons can be learned from this game?
Game download and terms of use
Free license for educational use. This material is free to use for educational purposes, on the condition that an active backlink to the source website https://www.cepolska.pl is published on the course, department, faculty, or university website. Redistribution of this material is permitted only if this copyright notice and these terms of use remain unchanged. Commercial use requires prior written permission.
Please place the link on your institution's website, an online syllabus, or any other webpage regularly accessed by your students.
Copy the ready-to-use HTML code for your website:
<a href="https://www.cepolska.pl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.cepolska.pl</a>
Open free game materials
The complete guide, rules, and all necessary game components are available to open and download in a convenient PDF format.
Open PDF fileAbout the author of this game
Company - Created by Centrum Efektywności – a Polish company specializing in sales training, negotiation training and business consulting.
Author - Mariusz Głowacki, PhD (graduated from the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw).
Specialization - Business negotiation, sales techniques, and procurement techniques.
Consulting experience - Over 30 years of consulting experience, including the successful completion of projects for more than 150 companies. He specializes in implementing consulting projects focused on improving sales performance.
Teaching experience - University lecturer specializing in negotiation and corporate trainer delivering programs for professional salespeople and procurement specialists. He has trained more than 10,000 managers, sales professionals, and procurement specialists.
Professional programs (Poland) - Apart from academic work, he conducts highly effective B2B workshops for companies. Learn more about his flagship programs:
szkolenia dla sprzedawców (sales training),
dedicated szkolenia dla handlowców w sklepie (retail sales training),
practical szkolenia dla przedstawicieli handlowych (sales representative training),
and results-driven szkolenia dla kupców (buyer training).
