Role Playing

In 2017, I created my first role playing activity based on a vignette in from Rogers, Everett M. (1995) Diffusion of Innovations, 4th Edition Simon & Schuster: NY.  The vignette can be found here:

Water Boiling in a Peruvian Village: Diffusion That Failed

"The public health agency of Peru encourages people to install latrines, to burn garbage daily, to control house flies, to report cases of infectious diseases, and to boil drinking water. These innovations involve major changes in thinking and behavior for Peruvian villagers, who do not understand the relationship of sanitation to illness. One major reason behind campaign failed is a complex local custom of “hot”and “cold” distinctions, as all foods, liquids, medicines, and other objects are inherently hot or cold, quite apart from their actual temperature. For example, once an individual becomes ill, it is unthinkable to eat port (very cold) or drink brandy (very hot). Water boiling is believed to eliminate the “cold” quality of unboiled water, not for harmful bacteria. Only an ill will thus drink boiled water. Some also do not like the taste of it boiled water either. Some cannot imagine that small germs invisible from human eyes can do any harm to a grown person. The targeted middle-status housewives saw the health worker as “snooper” sent to pry for dirt and to press already harassed housewives into keeping cleaner homes. Lower-status housewives had less free time to talk. Only 5% of 200 families could be encouraged in two years time as the health worker was “innovation-oriented” and not “client-oriented” enough". This Illustration is based on Wellin (1955).

This roleplay has been through many reiterations and is always a hit!  Character roles and clues can be found in this document:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15BC_83u0ouUFiA93kVtjzUt7oYjn6ISx/view?usp=sharing

This is a real ethical dilemma faced by a real company, with real consequence.  The character arts for the role play can be found in the attached document.

"When it comes to business ethics, few American corporations have a better image than the H. B. Fuller Company of St. Paul, a leading manufacturer of industrial glues, coatings and paints. Awards, honors and inclusion in various socially conscious mutual funds attest to its standing as a good corporate citizen.

But that reputation is being clouded by the company's handling of a stubborn image-staining problem: the illegal abuse of its shoemaker's glue by homeless Central American children, who have become addicted to the product's intoxicating but dangerous fumes."  see http://pangaea.org/street_children/latin/nyt.htm for full story.