I use this the first class meeting of the term in an Intercultural Business Communication class, but because it is short (you can run it in 45 minutes including debriefing) it is suitable for introducing an intercultural component into any class. It works well when students don't yet know each other.

Prepare a questionnaire of 10 yes-no questions that are accomplishment-oriented such as, "Do you have the ambition to make a lot of money?" "Do you admire people who achieve fame before the age of 35?" and so on.

Divide the class into two groups for this simulation. I appear to single people out randomly for "Alpha Culture" but I've actually used a secret selection criterion that is some immediately visible factor that distinguishes about half the class: wearing denim, or wearing black (or white), for instance. (Since my students are mostly Asian/Hispanic, I can't use eye or hair color; wearing glasses may be another possibility; gender is not a good idea since it is too obvious.) The selection criterion is spontaneously identified for that class that day.

Send Alpha members out into the corridor and brief them about their culture. I tell them they're an analytical and hard-working culture of achievers who are investigating the Beta culture to see if they can work together in the future. Each member gets a questionnaire and is told they will be asked to come back into the room (now Beta culture) and interview someone. Sometimes I add some incentive to task-fulfillment such as a promotion in the company for the best job done.

While the Alphas study the questionnaire, brief the Beta culture back inside the classroom like this: "You are an old, venerable culture that values relationships and especially family membership. Therefore, you always begin conversations by asking 'How's your grandfather?' Your culture values harmony and frowns upon conflict. For that reason, you don't ask rude yes-no questions. If someone (a child who doesn't know any better) does ask such a question, you follow this rule: if the asker is smiling, the answer is always 'yes.' If the asker is not smiling, the answer is always 'no.' Finally, Beta culture has always had a taboo about [people wearing denim, or whatever the discriminating visible characteristic is that you have used to choose the Alphas]. The Beta response to this outrage is to turn away slightly from the offending person."

Betas need some minutes to "practice" their culture and learn these behaviors; the success of the simulation really depends upon how well the Betas stay in character and follow their cultural rules. When the Betas seem ready, invite the Alphas to begin their interviews.

The Alphas soon become frustrated, of course, with the "untruthful" responses and the uncooperative nature of the Betas. After 4-5 minutes I have the Alphas go back to the hallway (regardless of whether they've all asked every question on the questionnaire) and ask them what they think about working with the Betas. They express puzzlement, etc. I suggest they think of strategies to accomplish their task, and soon after I send them back into the classroom to interview a second person. After another 3 minutes or so they regroup again in the hallway. I ask them to discuss their experience for a few minutes. Inside the room, I ask the Betas to do the same thing.

Then they all come together for the debriefing. As in any simulation, the Alphas and Betas have quickly taken on the main values of their culture, although they've only been members of it for 20-30 minutes!

Debrief the students with care and planning. This is always the most important phase of a simulation. Before allowing any student comments, I write "Alpha" and "Beta" on the board, with ample room for a list of perceptions underneath. I ask the Alphas to give their impressions of the Betas, and vice-versa, and. The Alphas are perceived as heartless money-grubbers, while the Betas are perceived as duplicitous, unreliable, and unfocused loonies. The debriefing should generate some discussion about perceptions of each team by the other, and only after key points about cultural values and trust/cooperation have come out should you reveal the selection criterion for the Alpha team, and the rules of the Beta culture. Since the Alphas may feel "set up" by this, you may want to ask for the entire class to recognize their role (I ask for applause). You can explain why you did this and ask the Alphas, now that they understand why, if it was OK .

This exercise is a good beginning to discussions of differences in cultural values and how they can lead to miscommunication across cultures. One point to bring out is when cultures collide there often isn't any clear signal that differences exist. Therefore, people assume the other culture is similar to one's own, and that people will behave in the same way and have the same priorities as in one's own culture.

Here are some debriefing questions you can ask:

• What were you feeling when the simulation began and the interviews were starting? How did your feelings change?
• What real-life situation does this remind you of?
• What are some strategies you can use to deal with differences? (insist on getting answers/completing the task, adapt to the other's style, try to verify an experience by seeking out another source, etc.)
• What would Alphas have done differently had you known about the Betas' culture? (Would the Alpha culture have accommodated a complete change in approach? What do you do when cultures have different "rules"?)
• Did you speak the same "language"? (cultural friction is aggravated by not having a common language)
• What are some typical responses when people behave in a way that seems contrary to your expectations? (they are ignorant of the rules, they are rude, they are domineering, they are stupid)
• Did you consider they had different behavior norms and values?
• What if the Alphas had been able to ask open questions rather than closed, yes-no questions?
• What if the task were more complicated than answering questionnaire questions?
• What if each team had a hundred people in it?
  

You can encourage other insights and come up with other questions.