A Cross-Cultural Case Study Approach, by Drew Rogers, Norwegian School of Management (publ: Cambridge Univ Press, 1998)
If you teach advanced-intermediate, and advanced business ESL/EFL, and you long for some action in your class that let’s the teacher move away from center stage, I think you’ll like this book. Rodgers has created a collection of case studies that address various business negotiations. He provides case summaries, background information about the culture of the negotiators, and focuses on a particular element of business oral and written business language, and related vocabulary. There’s also a negotiations worksheet and a position presentation worksheet to help student-negotiators organize their thoughts and language, and decide on their approach.
The 10 case studies:
- Sun and Fun Tours vs. Hotel de la Playa: Compensation for Breach of Agreement
- Sansung Sporting Goods Seeks a Scandinavian Distributor: An Agency Agreement
- Acme Water Pumps and the Nigerian Government: A Sales Contract
- American Auto Corporation vs. The Mexican Auto Works’ Union:Wage and Working Conditions Negotiations
- Hydra Tech and Bertoni Shipping: Product Presentation and a Sales Contract
- Tourism Comes to Zanir: Development of a Tourist Resort: Development of a Tourist Resort
- Smirnov Goes to Paris St. Germain: A Player’s Contract
- Chemi Suisse vs. The State of India: A Catastrophe and Claims for Compensation
- Kenji Motors and the American Auto Corporation: A Joint Venture
- Group Presentation: An Open-Ended Case
If you can pair up your students, you can take on the role of negotiation coach as the students act out their roles and practice using the language and strategies.
Strengths: students are completely involved and responsible for the outcome; each case study focuses on a different language skill; as close to authentic as one might be able to get
Drawback: if you only have one student, you’ll have to take the part of one of the negotiators, which might make it harder to coach the student.