Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2026
Abstract
To advance professionally, students must be prepared to navigate dynamic and contentious organizational environments by articulating their varied views, protecting their personal and professional intentions, anticipating challenges, and then fostering consensus. This paper addresses a high-stakes, multi-round immersive role-play simulation of a company merger in an undergraduate Organizational Behavior course. Grounded in the core pillars of experiential learning, adaptive leadership, and organizational sensemaking, this classroom exercise places students in a pre-set, realistic post-merger leadership team facing immediate business challenges. Compared to traditional case studies, this method requires students to demonstrate real-time organizational behavior competencies, providing a powerful platform for negotiation skills and group dynamics. This simulation successfully bridges the knowing-doing gap, preparing students not just for academic success but for the complex and pragmatic realities of professional leadership.
Recommended Citation
Triviño, J.B. (2026). Merger crisis role-play: Organizational behavior in action. Journal of Organizational Behavior Education, 19(1).
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Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Decision Science Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons, Organizational Communication Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, Social Psychology Commons
